We know that the last century was hell for much of Europe. Fascism, the doctrine that believes that what’s good for the State is what’s good for everyone, has caused so much death and pain, and I think most right thinking people would hope that it would go the way of Feudalism – consigned to the dustbin of history as a really bad idea.
Sadly we, the British, are sending a Fascist your way, mixing the charms of Nationalism, Xenophobia, racism and hardcore left wing economics.
It’s clear something’s gone horribly wrong with British politics. Perhaps it’s generations of people brought up to believe that the job of Government is to give them whatever they want, leaving the door wide open for parties like the BNP who promise exactly that.
Whatever the cause, I wish to offer my profound apologies and express my sincere embarrassment and shame at raising the spectre of Fascism in Europe once again.
Regards,
Charlotte
Constantly Furious said...
7 Jun 09 at 11:43 pm
Yeah, sorry Europe.
It’s just that the weather’s been quite good recently, so we thought we might have a barbie.
And Big Brother 10′s just started, and, like, we needed to check out to see who was a minger and who was fit.
So we forgot all about the politics ‘n’ that. Soz.
jd said...
8 Jun 09 at 12:40 am
Whilst I share the disgust at the election of the BNP here, I don’t think the people of Europe will be that bothered – they’ve been continuing to elect fascists and rascists themselves continent-wide for years.
Ian B said...
8 Jun 09 at 12:52 am
They’re voting BNP because they perceive the British ruling parties to place a higher priority on the needs of client ethnic groups than on their own. Although they don’t understand (in the main) post-marxist hegemonic theory, they understand that the people in power will always discriminate in favour of immigrant groups rather than the indigenous group, who are the only group denied corporatist representation. That is, you can have a Black Police Officers organisation, but not a white one. Or an Asian Businessmen’s organisation, but not a Native Englishman’s Business organisation. And so on.
They believe that Britain is not just a political entity, but is actually a homeland- that is, a national home. Britain is where the British live, Germany is where the Germans live, and so on. They recognise that the ruling parties do not see it that way and are, indeed, actively seeking to make Britain a land where anybody lives and to which the British have no special claim. They do not agree with this.
As such, they’re voting for a party that claims to represent their class interest, just as does everyone else in this coporatist state. There is very little racism- as defined as hatred of racial groups- in the UK, and there never has been much. But there is class interest- that is the recognition that one is a member of various classes whose interests are pitted against other classes. When a government and ruling elite define those classes as based on ethnicity, skin colour, religion and so on, then people will react accordingly. This is all entirely predictable.
Except to marxists.
Tiberius Leodis said...
8 Jun 09 at 1:58 am
And it’s here in Yorkshire too.
*shakes head in disgust*
John Scott said...
8 Jun 09 at 8:03 am
But the EU does think that what’s good for the EU is good for Europe, just like communists (and often social democrats) think that what is good for the State is good for the people.
And as most EU decision-making is by EU institutions, frankly they are no better than the member states in encouraging the belief that they can solve all problems. If that is a/the cause of the BNP being elected, then the EU is also partly to blame. Adding more layers of “Something Must Be Done” government does not change anything.
Rob said...
8 Jun 09 at 9:17 am
I have to agree with Ian B above. I think there are probably far fewer avowed racists than there are BNP voters.
mdc said...
8 Jun 09 at 10:42 am
The rest of the continent got there waaay before us.
Obnoxio The Clown said...
8 Jun 09 at 11:49 am
“Xenophobia”.
Is this post ironic? Because I don’t know of a more fascist (in the classic sense) institution than the EU, myself.
Niklas Smith said...
8 Jun 09 at 12:50 pm
@Obnoxio The Clown: So free trade, freedom of movement and (in much of Europe) passport-free travel, and decades of peace are all fascist?
Blackacre said...
8 Jun 09 at 1:41 pm
Really sad that the only winners in this election are the nutters of UKIP and the racists of BNP. Sad also that the Conservatives are moving from a sensible centre right mainstream party in the parliament to the extremes sitting with or near this lot. It is to me further proof that however bad the Labour government is, the Tories will try hard to trump it.
Charlotte Gore said...
8 Jun 09 at 2:30 pm
Obo, yes, it’s kinda ironic. Horrible to be joining in with the EU fascism business.
Blackacre, just wait until the Tories get in and watch the libertarian blogosphere turn on them almost instantly.
Richb said...
8 Jun 09 at 4:32 pm
The turnout for the election was around 30% it appears (Taken from the .
Really the reason that we now have the dubious pleasure of being represented by this party is because 70% of the population chose not to vote.
While the argument could be made that the list of candidates was not an appealing one, I am incredulous at the thought that none of them were worthy of being voted for.
The 70% of the population which didn’t vote can not now blush at the fact that they are represented by the BNP.
Ian B said...
8 Jun 09 at 4:51 pm
70% of the population chose not to vote
Why should they? I think one can reasonably argue that this is a consequence of the way Theeu is portrayed. EUphobes argue that Theeu is a new state, a government which rules over us, and this is constantly denied by EUphiles, who cling to a Big Lie in public that it’s just a trade organisation with a few frills and nothing to get excited about.
But if it’s not the European government, why bother voting for its “parliament”? We are assured it’s no big deal by tbe Big Lie. Indeed, anyone accusing Theeu of being a State is in turn accused of that heresy of being a racistandxenophobe. So the vast majority are dissuaded from taking an interest, and European elections are only of interest to crazed EUphiles and angry EUphobes.
The best way to encourage people to vote for the toy parliament would be to say “this is the government now, these people run your lives”. But Theeu and its useful idiots dare not say that, insisting instead that the provincial parliaments are still sovereign and Theeu is just a dull trade organisation. So the message is “you should take great interest and vote for this thing which doesn’t matter”. Heh.
richb said...
8 Jun 09 at 5:17 pm
Niklas Smith said...
8 Jun 09 at 5:24 pm
@richb: Actually, I’m beginning to think Nick Clegg has a point when he argues that it should be just a straight “in or out” question. In this video he argues persuasively that the Conservatives are hoodwinking anti-EU voters into thinking that refusing to ratify Lisbon will make things better; in fact it wouldn’t – the EU would keep going as before.
Ian B said...
8 Jun 09 at 5:43 pm
It does have to be a straight in or out question. Either you want to be in a federal EU and wholeheartedly pursuing that goal, or not. There isn’t another option on the table, and neither in fact should there be. The EU was set up with this particular integration->federation->nationhood objective in mind, and that is what people need to decide on. And everyone needs to be honest about it.
I used to be pro EU. A federalist, in fact. I was so because of the idea, which I now believe to be mistaken, but which is a popular fallacy, that a “higher power” could effectively save us from ourselves- that is, that the higher power could prevent abuses by our national government. I now think the opposite, recognising that it just boots the problem one level higher- a larger bloc just means abuses come from the higher level and are even more difficult to prevent.
But never have I doubted that the intention of the EU was to create a new federal nation, and I think that is incontrovertible. The organ grinders need to be honest about that, insteading of parading monkeys before us who deny it, and the peoples of Europe need to each make a decision on the future based on reality, not propaganda and spin. And that decision must either be withdrawal or wholehearted cooperation. As such, the Tory approach is worse than useless. As the Tories usually are, in fact.
richb said...
8 Jun 09 at 5:55 pm
@Niklas Smith: Thank you for posting that-I had not viewed that video before. The Conservative policy appears to be self-serving, by offering the prospect of a referendum on the Lisbon treaty it appeases the Euro sceptics while maintaining the current position.