From Vocale Europe to ICEC-Euskal Herria

Vocale Europe

Ben Wray`s The European Union towards the New Old (http://www.vocaleurope.eu/european-union-
towards-new-old/)

(i) Catalonia and Spain

... there is the ambivalence with which Brussels appears to hold for the rights of minorised People,
and the way in which referenda – an important democratic forum for the expression of public consent
– is treated with contempt. Catalonia’s independence referendum in November 2014 was snubbed by
the EU Commission in June via technocratic reference to the Spanish constitution (1978). This
reference failed to take account of articles 10 and 96 which ratify all international treaties defending
the Right to Self-determination of People which were formally signed by the Kingdom of Spain in
1977. This was to get the Spanish State accepted as a Western democracy after the death of the facist
dictator Franco.

This is chance for the EU at this crucial stage in its development to stand by its founding democratic
values of Justice, Equality and Peace by supporting the official Catalan referendum about
independence scheduled for the 1st of October (supported by elected President Puigdemont and the
absolute majority of Catalan Parliament with the massive support of the 80% of Catalans). We’ll see if
once again, any concern for the consent of the people is secondary to meeting the needs of those
with power in the EU.
(...)

The key to break out of this false dichotomy (...) is to do what neither currently offer: diversity and
democracy.

(ii) Diversity

First on diversity. There needs to be an acceptance that the EU cannot be a homogenous institution,
and that an asymmetric union with a patch-work of positions would be a sign of strength not
weakness. It is known that Brussels is no fan of the Switzerland EEA [European Economic Area] deal,
but perhaps this is the direction of travel needed – to manage the tension between the need to
collaborate and the need to respect that we all have a sense of place and cannot squeeze over 500
million people into one governance model. Do all EU states really have to be part of the common
agricultural policy? I’m not convinced.

(iii) Democracy

On democracy, we need to be willing to extend and enhance the idea of democracy much deeper into
the veins of our economy and society. The EU appears as if it to treat democracy as, at best, that bit
that is done once every four or five years before the elected dictators take over. Workers democracy,
community democracy, popular e-based participation in big EU-wide decisions, and yes referendums,
including respect the rights of nations to self-determination, should be at the heart of the EU’s values,
not something it treats as a threat.

ICEC-Euskal Herria
Warren Mosler and ICEC-Euskal Herria

See:
Options for prosperity – Warren Mosler (for ICEC – Basque Countries)

Comment:
Welcome to the world of Warren Mosler, creator of Modern Monetary Theory
Warren Mosler: What Modern Monetary Theory Tells Us About Economic Policy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGuNpqYBkZk
Warren Mosler’s Soft Currency Economics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1uWVj0YJ3M
Warren Mosler, The Euro: past, present and future. The Crossroads Workshop 1 in Zurich
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YhrtktLQQw

Addenda:
Warren Mosler at the Real Progressives
2016 Warren Mosler Interview about how money works
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBSdryT8QWE
Real Progressives interview with Economist and Father of Modern Monetary Theory, Warren Mosler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCqBjcwI9w8&t=134s
Warren Mosler joins Real Progressives Host Steve Grumbine to discuss Banking in a Modern
https://www.youtube.cohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCqBjcwI9w8m/watch?
v=1RJP52bwmcw&t=2655s

Conclusion:

There is a thread, a kind of link, from what Ben Wray writes to Warren Mosler's proposals:

(1) EU must accept diversity, including the right of self-determination

(2) The stateless nations within the EU (for instance, Catalonia and/or the Basque Country) can
become new states by the application of the right of self-determination

(3) Mosler's proposals can be applied to those new states

In fact (in Options for prosperity – Warren Mosler (for ICEC – Basque Countries)), remember:

“In the following presentation Mosler deals with the options the eurozone has. He
presents two plans for any member state in the eurozone, (in this work he deals with
Italy).

Plan A is to work with the EU to expand fiscal limits.

A credible Plan B is essential to achieving Plan A.

 Transitions Jobs are also necessary.

(The work can be applied to any member state in the eurozone, as well as to any new
state that can arise through the application of the principle of self-determination.)”

So, Catalonia should have to arrange her plans A and B, and the sooner the better!

joseba felix tobar-arbulu

PhD in Engineering, Prof. of the University of the Basque Country
(ICEC-Euskal Herria)