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When Alexander stubbed Goebbels' triple A
by Thanos Kalamidas
2011-11-21 07:13:57 |
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Only Paavo Lipponen really sensed what the Finland’s minister for European affairs Alexander Stubb said and knowing the dangers of the paths he followed very politically said, that he does not favour any increase in the power of nations with triple A credit ratings within the EU adding that these nations with a high credit rating already had sufficient influence. And Lipponen, the presidential candidate for the coming elections knew very well what h was saying and knew very well that in nation’s history words have this strange talent to come back asking for revenge.
Paavo Lipponen represents these politicians who grew and strengthen through the cold war and have seen all the political minefields in short and long terms and on the other side Alexander Stubb is the best example of contemporary Finnish arrogance not only in politics but also as a society. Lipponen is a product of his times reality, a conservative socialist, a follower of the balance between controlled privatization and strong welfare state. Alexander Stubb is a product of our times illusions, my way or the highway and all that polished with modern suits and shining shoes. But under this even his existence depends on how he follows the right way.
You see Alexander Stubb is there just because he is convenient for political reasons and not because he is the one who will influence or plan the Finnish foreign policy. Finland has a very unique minority that has often become the apple of discord between the rivals of the Finnish political life and that is the Swedish speaking minority. The Swedish speaking minority of Finland has the tricky for politics 10% and from the creation of this nation votes with one major criterion, that the candidate will be “one of our own”. A defence mechanism for a minority that often – with good reason or not – feels foreigner in their own country. And as I said these people vote with very limited criteria making all the parties want a share and Alexander Stubb serves this convenience for the conservative party Kokoomus. The biggest achievement of the man the last few years is championing in gaffs with his latest him ridiculing using the wrong “F” word the Scandinavian ministers meeting feeling that is not important enough for his latest gained status in the EU meetings.
Of course every coin has two sides and it is easier to play it cool this moment in an EU meeting hiding behind the Germans that playing it cool to the Scandinavian partners and especially the Swedes. You see it’s only a decade before since Finland was the Greece of Scandinavia and Sweden became the local IMF that saved Finns from bankruptcy when the banking system was falling into ruins. But obviously Mr. Stubb was playing golf that period because he didn’t witness what this country gone through and clearly he has no idea what his own compatriots went through. In a latest spurt he suggested that triple rated euro-zone countries should have greater say in the European economic affairs than others with less a abusing every sense of equality in a partnership Finland is not the strong partner and the triple a rating might be contemporary in the way the European economy moves. But beyond the ridiculous of the idea that Mr. Stubb could be more important in European financial decisions than Italy, Spain or Belgium (economies that dwarf the Finnish economy) the whole thing is another show of the latest Finnish arrogant attitude.
One of the first things you hear when you come to Finland is how down to earth and modest finish people are and probably was true till a decade ago. Things changed when the Finns started saying that they are the most modest people on earth creating an oxymoron to prove their lack of modesties and sadly all that based on myths they created themselves like the “the most modest people on earth” one. But it was not just that that Lipponen had in mind when he opposed the foreign minister’s burst. Paavo Lipponen knows that the European allies have memories, terrible memories that unfortunately Finns don’t share but sometimes influence decisions and attitudes. Have a wild guess who was the first to have a similar idea and express it publicly. The idea of a pan-European currency that would economical unite Europe and with the strongest participants in control. You might have guessed right. It was Joseph Goebbels.
In 1940, Nazi Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels ordered the creation of the “large-scale economic unification of Europe,” believing that “in fifty years’ time people would no longer think in terms of countries.” But in terms of common currency where the new German powered currency will have control through economy to every single European state's sovereignty. Or as Alexander Stubb put it, triple A rated euro-zone countries should have greater say in economic affairs.
And since we are there, on august 10th 1944, top Nazis secretly met at the Maison Rouge Hotel in Strasbourg and, knowing Germany was on the brink of military defeat, conspired to create a Fourth Reich, a pan-European economic empire based around a European common market. Wealthy Nazi industrialists like Alfried Krupp of Krupp Industries and Friedrich Flick, as well as front companies like BMW, Siemens and Volkswagen, set about the task of building a new pan-European business empire. According to historian Dr Michael Pinto-Duschinsky, an adviser to Jewish former slave labourers, “For many leading industrial figures close to the Nazi regime, Europe became a cover for pursuing German national interests after the defeat of Hitler….The continuity of the economy of Germany and the economies of post-war Europe is striking. Some of the leading figures in the Nazi economy became leading builders of the European Union.” And obviously Alexander Stubb likes to honour old alliances.
Paavo Lipponen knows all that. He also knows that relationships in Europe don’t always depend on how good you lick the contemporary winner’s ass (he is a good student of Finnish history) and that balances often change with the wrong words or attitude. He also has a more realistic perspective of real power balances in Europe and he was in power when Germany was building through accounts the strong unified Germany and that it will come the day when the whole thing will blow (that’s why Germany talks too often about the domino effect). He also knows that Germans can be convincing and periodically profitable allies but Scandinavians have always been the loyal allies. Most importantly Paavo Lipponen knows and supports a European states Union and not a German leading triple A close club.
Sadly today’s Finns seem to prefer populist and true “most modest people on earth” Finns like Alexander Stubb than a thinker and definitely reserved Paavo Lipponen.
Ovi+politics Finlands_Ovi_Magazine Ovi_magazine Thanos_Kalamidas Ovi Finland EU |
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