Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Strategies & Market Trends : Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: critical_mass who wrote (64952)	3/31/2007 11:49:36 PM
From: regli	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 116555

”Colonialism had not ended by WWII….” The fact is that European colonialism was on the decline after WWII. I am quite aware that it wasn’t finished but the end of WWII signaled the start of the end of European colonialism ascension.k12.nf.ca The Decline of Colonialism Post WWII: The end of WWII signaled the decline and eventual end of the European colonial empires. Nationalism spread throughout colonies and eventually one by one they gained independence. A variety of factors led to the decline of colonialism. 1. The Atlantic Charter promoted sovereignty and self government for all nations. This encouraged nationalists in colonies to fight for independence. en.wikipedia.org 2. Colonial nationalist movements grew in the colonies. Ironically the leaders of these groups were trained in Western ideas at universities such as France, Britain and other Western countries. These people returned home to emerge as the leaders of nationalist groups that fought for independence. 3. Many European countries supported independence in colonies because of the high cost of maintaining them. European powers were unable to justify holding these colonies when there economies were struggling following 6 years of war. 4. Following WWII both the U.S. and Soviet Union wanted to see the breakup of the European empires. The U.S. having waged a war of independence against Britain (1776) supported independence movements. The U.S. also felt if Europe lost its empires they would have greater access to colonial markets. The Soviets opposed European empires feeling that if the empires collapsed there would be greater opportunities for establishing communist countries. Where exactly has Germany been a force for peace? Could you provide a few examples? First and foremost, you cannot talk about the European Union without talking about postwar Germany and Adenauer. There was hardly a more important event in European and world history then the two traditional enemies France and Germany contemplating getting into a “federation of Europe” as stated by then French Foreign Minister Schuman (1950): "Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity. The coming together of the nations of Europe requires the elimination of the age-old opposition of France and Germany. Any action taken must in the first place concern these two countries. With this aim in view, the French Government proposes that action be taken immediately on one limited but decisive point. It proposes that Franco-German production of coal and steel as a whole be placed under a common High Authority, within the framework of an organisation open to the participation of the other countries of Europe. The pooling of coal and steel production should immediately provide for the setting up of common foundations for economic development as a first step in the federation of Europe (...)" And here regarding Adenauer: epp-ed.eu ”… The goal of Konrad Adenauer's policy on Europe may be summed up in a single sentence, which he formulated neatly for everyone in his Cologne dialect: "Europa muss jeschaffen werden" ("Europe must be created"). Behind this sentence of Adenauer's lay the experience of two world wars and of the traditional enmity between Germany and France, which he, as a Rhinelander, found particularly distressing. Creating peace and freedom, removing the divisiveness of national borders and achieving reconciliation between yesterday's enemies were only possible through the bond of European integration. Moreover, no neighbour need fear Germany if it were a member of the European family. …” Though the Schuman declaration jump started the Common Market project, Adenauer strongly adopted the cause and was instrumental in getting it off the ground. Since the inception of the EU, there has not been a single war between any of the member States, a tremendous achievement if you look back in European history. Another major German peace achievement was brought about by Willie Brandt and Helmuth Schmidt by changing the status quo in post war Europe and bringing about détente by pursuing their „Neue Ostpolitik“. detente.de history.osu.edu This policy was instrumental in leading to a decline of tensions between the Eastern Bloc and the West and IMO was one of the root causes for the eventual disintegration of the Soviet Empire. There are a number of other contributions such as Germany’s (Brandt’s) insistence that “that a nonproliferation treaty was justified only if the nuclear states regard it as a step toward restrictions of their own armaments and toward disarmament." wagingpeace.org The German anti-war movement in the 60s had a tremendous impact on Western Europe. It influenced significant sections especially the younger generations across Europe and led to peace oriented organizations which later in many cases morphed into influential Green parties across Europe. news.bbc.co.uk As to energy security of Europe, I think I understand the issues reasonably well but do not agree with you. I worked in the energy industry in the ME and in the U.S. for quite some time. As I mentioned in my prior post, there are other ways to secure energy supplies and they do not involve aggressive action nor participation in wars in the ME but pragmatic and determined diplomacy along the lines demonstrated in the past by Brandt, Schmidt and even Schroeder. We will see what Merkel can achieve as leader AND, most significantly, part of the Grand Coalition.