EU, From common market to Socialist Autocracy.

 FROM PROMISES OF ECONOMIC PROSPERITY TO TOTAL CONTROL

MORE REGULATIONS THAN THE FORMER SOVIET UNION

The European Economic community was formed in 1957 by the treaty of Paris. Its founding members were France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg. Its purpose was to eliminate tariffs and restrictions on trade and promised prosperity for its members. It was successful at increasing trade and improving the economic well being of its members. It slowly expanded and the EU or European community was formed in 1993 with 12 members and has now expanded to 27 members. 

The EURO or European Currency Unit was formed in 1999 and actual coins and currency was issued in 2002. At that time there were 12 members. Adoption of the Euro, which members needed to reach certain economic balances, led to the liquidation of gold by prospective members and drop in the gold price to near $200,  only Britain refuses to adopt the new currency.

Since that time the Union has in effect created a massive regulatory bureaucracy. While it preaches democracy the leadership of the Union is actually appointed by a non democratic procedure. With the breakup of the Soviet Union many newly freed nations quickly joined the EU with the hope of  increasing their prosperity in exchange for their national sovereignty. Many lost their former industries like fishing in the Baltics due to regulation. Today they have very high taxes, massive regulation on every possible activity and a common policy on immigration and social engineering. It may have more central control and regulation than the former Soviet Union, but with a nice face.

Increasingly it has engaged in censorship and punitive actions against members who hope to preserve their cultural identify. Originally all members had veto power and that is under assault as they hope to bypass members who do not conform.  We see increased intervention in elections in an effort to strengthen control from Brussels.

The EU now seems bent on forming some type of European military structure that will be advertised as a defensive alliance, but may have the power to force conformity from members. I would expect severe penalties for any members who should decide to leave the union.

While the original members and real European powers formed this union the newly freed former soviet countries, in effect, traded their masters in Moscow for masters in Brussels. I suspect they should have avoided joining until they were better able to adjust and explore other options with better ability to control their destiny and preserve their freedom. Many have witnessed the flight of their educated and young to the major metropolitan centers and much of the rest of the country is made up of the old and poor. Many of their traditional industries have been eliminated by regulation.

It can be expected that big changes are on the horizon for the direction of the EU as its high unemployment, high taxes, inability to finance its social benefits and declining industrial base will require some serious reforms.