Date: Wed, 6 Mar 96 09:59:03 GMT
From: Adam Rose <adam-AT-pmel.com>
Subject: Re: NAFTA , EU, regional blocs


> 
>     Supranational agreements *always* restrict national independence
>     and if those are restrictive as NAFTA, and even worse, like the
>     European Unity, that national independence is constricted even
>     further.

But get off the fence, Carlos - for or against ?
You are against, aren't you ?

>     I will suggest, however, that it will have a different impact as
>     applied in advanced capitalist countries as it is when applied over
>     underdeveloped countries by an imperialist power.  In that sense
>     the Eropean Unity and Nafta (in regards to Mexico) are completely
>     different.

Of course, there are differences within the EU, nothing like the difference
between the US and Mexico.


>     How this affect the policies of revolutionaries?  The example of
>     the NDP in Canada, given by somebody elese in this list, only
>     illustrate that under the NAFTA agreement, what is constricted is
>     the reformist policies of the NDP.  I assume this is also happening
>     in Europe -- but not in relationship of France vis a vis Germany    
>     but of both vis a vis, let's say Spain or Turkey.
>

It's a little more complicated than that.

First, reformists are quite happy to hide behind Europe : "we have to 
cut x,y,z in order to get into Europe/satisfy the "convergence criteria
for monetary union/whatever". This provides them with ideological cover
for the cuts they would have implemented anyway. The "social chapter"
provides them with a fig leaf to cover their political nakedness.

This applies throughout Europe, from Greece and Spain, to Italy, France,
and Germany.

The left reformists have by and large moved from an anti EU position to 
a pathetically abstract European reformism. Who are they kidding ? 
Only themselves.

And then there are some on the right who resent the infringement on their
"national freedom" , for a variety of reasons, one of which is that they
are terrified of being locked into attacking "their" working class when
they're not really ready for it, like Chirac.

The EU train is slowly moving towards this crunch point - they're like
a train driver who can see the crash coming, has his brakes full on,
but knows there the chance of avoiding the crash is less than 50/50.
Even Germany at present cannot meet the "convergence criteria". The German
elite has set its heart on EMU for strategic / political reasons. But the
social consequences could be explosive - partly, some sections of German
capitalists actually want this excuse to attack the social benifits.
The rest are shit scarred.

Adam.

Adam Rose
SWP
Manchester
UK


---------------------------------------------------------------


     --- from list marxism-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---

     ------------------