PES Manifesto

1. The European project is a bargain par chourka le mercredi 25 juin 2008 à 14h41

As told in the article, the European Union is the place in the world where the solidarity is a core common value. It is so true that it has been put in good position by the Convention '96 in the European Charter of fundamental rights.

But, if you look closely the Amsterdam Treaty and Maastricht criteria are not about solidarity among countries facing difficulties. Worst, penalties are given to countries having a too big deficit unable to cope with it.

Originally —and it is what it makes it unique— the Union has been founded on Peace as a goal and de facto Solidarity as a tool.

 You might miss something if you do not see the EU as a huge bargain. The wealthiest members pay for the poorest and in regard each member-state shares its soveignity with the others. The EU is much more than a sole economical project. It is a political project !

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Comme cela est dit dans l'article, l'Union européenne est l'endroit sur la planète où la solidarité est une valeur commune essentielle. C'est tellement vrai qu'elle a été mise en bonne position dans la Charte européenne des Droits fondamentaux par la première Convention.

Mais, si tu regardes attentivement, le Traité d'Amsterdam et surtout les critères de Maastricht sur la monnaie unique ne parlent pas du tout de solidarité en faveur de pays rencontrant des difficultés. Pire, des amendes sont imposées aux pays qui n'arrivent pas à résoudre rapidement un deficit conjoncturel.

A  l'origine —et c'est ce qui rend le projet européen unique— l'Union a été fondée sur la Paix comme objectif et la solidarité de fait comme un moyen.

Tu risques de faire une analyse erronée, si tu ne vois pas que l'UE est un immense échange. Les plus riches paient pour les plus pauvres et en échange chaque Etat-membre partage sa souveraineté avec les autres. L'Union est bien plus qu'un seul projet economique. C'est un projet politique ! 

2. Changing the world par carlosmoret le mercredi 25 juin 2008 à 16h01

We are changing the World! don't dispair. The problem is what kind of a world is it. Globalization is new, we don't know what is it going to look like. But when the Industrial Revolution took place, people didn't know what it was going to look like. Socialists (and I use the word in the PESocialism sense) were succesfull in humanizing it: We went from an 84hr week to thirtysomething, paid holydays, retirement benefits, social security, you name it! It was within national borders that this was achieved. Today that national borders fade, we have to find another way. Now it is up to us to do it, Europe and the PES are our tools. Of course the PPE does not go our way, but we have to put up with it. Social progress has to come in a democratic way.

Europe is a fantastic experiment. We knew empires, small kingdoms fighting with each other, monarchies of devine right, then nation states. Their means was war. The european experience is the first in human history in which war is not an option. I am certain that by 2020 Europe will be the world reference and that's only 12 years from now. We are almost 500 million healthy, educates rich people living in a space of peace that does not export war. 6 countries (5,5 because Germany was divided) to start with, then 3 knocked at our door, then another, then two, then 3 more, then ten, two came later and 8 more are waiting in line, and many other hoping to qualify. That I call success. Still, we have a long way to go until we change the UN, WTO and other global organizations into democratic organizations in which the peoples of the world can organize. We are far away, but we are in the good track. Let's keep working, our next deadline are the european elections in not quite a year's time. Let's make a good campaign with a good manifesto.

Carlos, in Paris