From top: Donald Tusk, President of the European Council; Julien Mercille
There is a dangerous spectre haunting Europe.
But it’s not from the left.
Dr Julien Mercille writes:
What does it mean to be a “radical” in politics?
A “radical” is simply someone who wants to achieve social change that is thorough and fundamental. It is contrasted to those who believe that the current system is largely fine and that only minor improvements are needed.
The term is often used by conservatives to make progressives look dangerous, as in “those radicals are a threat to the stability of our country”.
For example, Stephen Collins, the Irish Times political editor, had an article this weekend echoing Donald Tusk, the European Council President and former Prime Minister of Poland.
Both of them discussed European elites’ real worry about the rise of Syriza in Greece: “political contagion”. This just means that if Syriza is successful, it will empower “radicals” elsewhere, so that progressive parties could grow in other countries, including Ireland. This is because people in Europe will see that it is possible to challenge successfully the troika and bring to power governments that reflect people’s interests to a greater extent.
Therefore, the European and Irish establishments seek to discredit progressives by labeling them as “radicals”. It is supposed to make you think that radicals = extremists = no stability, and therefore I should vote for the traditional parties.
A look at a few examples from Collins’ and Tusk’s articles illustrates how this tactic works.
Collins states that “a spectre is haunting Europe… and that spectre is political chaos”. In Ireland, almost half of voters have now deserted the traditional parties and moved towards independents.
Collins labels those emerging politicians as “radicals”, including Sinn Féin, the Anti-Austerity Alliance, and People Before Profit. They are “extremists” who threaten the “political stability” provided to us by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour. Indeed, between 1932 and 2007, Fianna Fáil won approximately 40% of the vote, but is now at about 20%. The “radicals” have thus stepped in to fill the void. The same thing happened in a number of European countries.
Tusk voices similar concerns. He says the stand-off between Syriza and the European establishment has given “new energy to radical political groups”, and created a “pre-revolutionary atmosphere”. He says he fears “ideological or political contagion” from the Greek crisis, not “financial contagion”.
He thus reveals the real reason that motivates European and global elites to humiliate Greece. It has very little to do with economics and everything to do with nipping in the bud the threat of an example that could inspire progressives elsewhere. If the motivations were purely economic, the crisis could be solved relatively quickly and easily: give new loans to Greece, stop austerity, cancel part of the debt, and allow the economy to recover.
Tusk says just as much: he is “concerned about the far left”, which is advocating “this radical leftist illusion that you can build some alternative” to the current EU economic model.
In short, the traditional parties are pictured as embodying “stability” and “moderation” while leftists are depicted as “radicals”.
In fact, the traditional parties are radicals too, but conservative ones. They have sought, and have been successful, in reorganizing society drastically during the crisis, so that those in power dominate ordinary people to a greater extent than before.
Consider the following few examples among the policies enacted by the ruling parties that have contributed to raising the deprivation rate from 11.8% of the population in 2007 to 30.5% in 2013 (the latest available data).
– Cutting or freezing employees’ wages: a new Central Bank survey shows that 84% of Irish firms either froze wages (60%) or cut wages (24%) between 2008 and 2013. This is so drastic that when compared with other European countries, Ireland comes second only to Estonia for the extent of wage cuts during the crisis. This is of enormous benefit to employers.
– Transfering the private debts of banks onto the shoulders of ordinary people by orchestrating a €64 billion bank bailout and a blanket guarantee that made us responsible for €365 billion of bank liabilities.
– Keeping our ultra-low corporate tax rate at 12.5% and opposing a financial transaction tax that would raise much-needed revenues for public services.
– Implementing JobBridge and other similar cheap labour schemes to provide employers with low-cost workers.
– Privatising a number of public services to allow the corporate sector to increase its profits while often leading to worse services for people.
– Cutting numerous community and public services that make it more difficult for citizens who need them to access them. The effect is to disempower people. This applies to cutbacks of about 40% to all of the following: Rape Crisis Centres, Violence against women programme, projects for youth, drugs programmes, Family Support Agency, etc.
Those moves, and many more, are by definition very radical, in the conservative direction. It is thus not true that the traditional parties are “moderate”, nor do they provide “stability”. In fact, they alienate people, and this is why we have witnessed all over Europe the rise of progressive forces.
It is thus conservative radicalism that is dangerous. Progressive radicalism is good because it calls for an in-depth transformation of society in a way that would reduce inequality.
For example, the corporate sector would pay its fair share of taxes, bankers would pay their own debts, the economy would have started growing way earlier by stimulating it instead of asphyxiating it with austerity, and quality services would be provided.
Julien Mercille is a member of the Irish Greek Solidarity Committee. His new book, Deepening Neoliberalism, Austerity, and Crisis: Europe’s Treasure Ireland (Palgrave) is out now. Follow him on twitter: @JulienMercille
For hundreds if years Europe’s default position was to be at war, mostly with itself. So please, do try to enjoy this hellish period of ‘political stability’.
+1
+1000
“This just means that if Syriza is successful, it will empower “radicals” elsewhere, so that progressive parties could grow in other countries, including Ireland. This is because people in Europe will see that it is possible to challenge successfully the troika”
Some if.
Maybe this was written after the referendum, but before Tspiras’s capitulation, but Julien is only getting around to publishing it now.
You actually believe that a group of “global elites” conspired to humiliate will so as to dampen support for new left leaning politicians? You really know nothing about this world.
On paper it makes sense. Elites view the rise of the left as a threat to their interests and Greece is a case in point. The Germans were up to their neck in corruption in Greece
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siemens_Greek_bribery_scandal
That link is completely irrelevant.
It involves one of Germanys major
ahahahaha
@jonotti
troll par excellence
schauble took a bung from an arms dealer a few years ago. beat that, yanis!
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2000/jan/11/germany.johnhooper
BS commenter dies tragically after giant scoff goes down the wrong way
In fact, they alienate people, and this is why we have witnessed all over Europe the rise of progressive forces.
Ah, the progressive forces of Sinn Féin, UKIP, Golden Dawn, Syriza, the National Front, regional nationalism and the like. Everyone guaranteed milk and honey, if only we rejected austerity and/or Europe and/or Immigration and click our heels three times.
I think a lack of understanding of those party on the political spectrum and lumping them just underlines your political ignorance on the issue.
Actually, it doesn’t.
All are products of the political alienation Mercile talks about.
All promise easy solutions that require some standing up to external forces.
All play the local or the regional against the international.
All portray their supporters of victims of global elites.
All are supported by the undereducated and underemployed.
If you cannot see that common base across the board then you are engaged in a delusional interpretation of the world around you. The monsoon kills off much but creates life for others.
When are your Leaving Cert results due?
Yet what differentiates them is the benefactors of such actions Right wing parties often for a select few while the left works for the majority. Sinn Fein existed out of a political existence and not an economic necessity. We all are victims of a global catastrophe, this is borne out by the stats on poverty. If by parroting some proverb about the monsoon starting new life, its more like a torrential Hurricane Katrina and destroys everything.
‘Sinn Fein existed out of a political existence’
Discuss.
Mercille has said that the progressive forces in Europe have come out of the economic turmoil. Shinners spike in popularity perhaps but not their origins which was in the fight for indepenedence
‘We all are victims of a global catastrophe, this is borne out by the stats on poverty.’
In fact, what has happened has been much more nuanced than that.
Hundreds of millions of people in the formerly ‘Third World’ have been lifted out of poverty, whereas middle and working class Westerners have lost the provileged position they once had. This has meant stagnating pay rates or even slowly reducing real wages.
Inequality has grown within countries but reduced between countries.
Even in Ireland, while we have taken a massive step back (from the artificial position we had in 2007), we have far less poverty than we did in the 80s.
We all are victims of a global catastrophe, this is borne out by the stats on poverty.
The global stats show consistent falls in the numbers of people in poverty has fallen in absolute numbers and in percentage terms for the last forty years.
Mercille has said that the progressive forces in Europe have come out of the economic turmoil. Shinners spike in popularity perhaps but not their origins which was in the fight for indepenedence.
This is daft. SF are the bosom buddies of Syriza and Mercile is happy to endorse their service/product or event through his active collaboration with them.
Collins labels those emerging politicians as “radicals”, including Sinn Féin, the Anti-Austerity Alliance, and People Before Profit. They are “extremists” who threaten the “political stability” provided to us by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour.
– I think Sinn Féin are regarded as “extremists” because they murdered people.
Dear Collins/Tusk.I don’t think much of a status quo,”stability ” that has terrified the world with the spectre of global financial collapse and landed society with massive banking debts.Maybe a few ,”radicals” in power wouldn’t be so terrible.
Agree Rob , funny how that truth seems to be conveniently ignored by Julien. Radicalism also has a set of values at stake, not just a greedy grasp for power, terrorism is a form of power, corruption a form of power, the ultimate power being political. One man’s elite is another man’s terrorist.
With regards to below statement, were high wage costs, labour costs, competition, comparison with rest of EU, etc etc , addressed ?
“Cutting or freezing employees’ wages: a new Central Bank survey shows that 84% of Irish firms either froze wages (60%) or cut wages (24%) between 2008 and 2013. This is so drastic that when compared with other European countries, Ireland comes second only to Estonia for the extent of wage cuts during the crisis. This is of enormous benefit to employers.”
Merceille ignores Irish wage growth compared to the rest of Europe between 2003 & 2007.
Classter, I was giving him the opportunity to rethink his pondering .
Syria isn’t a left wing party. if the eu has a problem with left wing parties then why did they have no problem with the leader of Cyprus who was a communist but they have huge problems with the leaders of Hungary who are right wing?
You are correct. Syria is not a left wing party
…whether you agree with Mercille or not, the make-up of the next government looks like a foregone conclusion. Poll after poll confirms that the numbers will dictate a merger between FG and FF – as should have happened last time but for the greed and betrayal of the labour shower.
After this government crumbles (and it shouldn’t take five years) there will be a new alignment of Irish politics.
if it does happen that we end up with an FG/FF coalition, i’ll be buying a gun.
IMO, I dont think voters are running towards the left, to my mind they are running away from the established parties.
Young Fine Gaelers at the ready for the Mercille piece.
They were ready yesterday too just in case. They slept in their suits, ready for that urgent call to go online and champion cut backs and social division.
You really are infantile. Rallying against people who wear suits is pathetic. Reminds me of those nihilistic 70s punks get outraged about prog rock and destroying everything.
When will you grow up?
Leave Mr T alone, his fetish for Blueshirts stems from a childhood fetish for Smurfs.
Merceille has about as much credibility as Fox News at this stage, repeating his talking points without any real, honest attempt to build an argument.
Inequality is growing, globalisation & automation have changed much about the economy and look likelky to continue to do so. The left everywhere is struggling to adopt to this new paradigm.
This sort of simplistic, us-versus-them, idea of unified, malevolent elites is useless and alienates those not inclined to vote FF/FG.
Phoenix do a spot on article on him this month. Came to the conclusion that he just has a taste for the limelight.
Mercille seems to consistently misunderstand the Irish definition of “radical”. Choosing to rent is radical in Ireland. Causing embarrassment is radical. Proper bookkeeping of state money – is very radical. Mentioning accountability – is radically criminal.
Is the Tusk demonstrating how small he thinks Putin’s ‘manhood’ is?
Europe is controlled by an un elected elite, who will, if they, get away with it
abolish the right to vote or any means that will remove them from power, we
have had such an excercise here already, whats happened in Greece is that another 79 odd billion has now been lent, to in effect to bale out German Banks, the crunch point, will the Greeks implement the additional austerity, or allow state assets to be robbed off them for whats is in effect money created in Europe
USA and England by “quantative easing”, the European Project is dead, and when
is the most appropriate time to bury it…..the Spanish Election’s, will Angela try
and resurrect the Condour Legion’s……their Diplomatic and Intelligience Service’s
are quite active, what card will they play in Spain…..remember Reinhard Gehlen.
he may be gone but his organisation lives on and they served many masters.
‘if voting changed anything, they wouldn’t let us do it.’
ken livingstone
How did you know what to say before Russell Brand came along?
I just googled Reinhard Gehlen. Can you tell me more about what you meant here?
Other than vague insinuations referring to the German intelligence services?
….spluttering into my early morning coffee. Very funny Kieran
More kindergarten “analysis” from Mercille .A Sindo reporter would be embarrassed to submit this dross.