Re: European Union

[Dennis R Redmond <dredmond@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sun, 31 May 1998, Andrew Wayne Austin wrote:

> I oppose the devolution of the present social welfare
> structure, and would have preferred it stay at its peak level of social
> expenditures, and I will always support increasing social expenditures. So
> I don't know where you are drawing these wild ideas from my arguments. It
> is simply a matter of fact that the same structural modifications that
> strengthened the ruling class also benefited the masses greatly.

Wild ideas? But here you're saying (1) you support the welfare state, but
(2) the welfare state "strengthened the ruling class". How so? Countries
with the weakest welfare states -- the US, the UK -- generally have the
most hideous, barbaric, and militaristic bourgeoisies. This is a
tremendously important issue for Europe today, because Maastricht
monetarism, in its present form, is all about annihilating the traditional
welfare state, and replacing it with US-style, deregulated, bubble-prone
financial markets. Consigning the welfare state to the scrap heap of
history, or blaming it for the integration or corruption of workers'
movements and political parties, is exactly what the Eurobourgeoisie want
us to think and do.

-- Dennis