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Despite the critics, many countries have signed up and would like to, and only one has left. Why is EU membership so much in demand?

by mmooss 2y ago

ThrowawayTestr 2y ago
Weak countries need the protection of Germany and France
- thenaturalist 2y ago
  Germany has no domestic military power to speak of, military is comically underfunded. No nuclear deterrence. Not sure what kind of protection you're thinking of. We can send beer to your enemy in hopes they opt for boozing rather than shooting.
  - ThrowawayTestr 2y ago
    They need the economies of Germany and France.
    - mmooss 2y ago
      And the international political and economic influence. Really of the whole EU - those countries together, including their currency, have global weight. Together, they are on the scale of the US and China. Also, they would like to sell things to and buy things from Germany and France, and the rest of the EU. Economics determines military power. If Germany wants to build a military, they can and now they are, to a significant extent.
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
mike_hearn 2y ago
[flagged]
- franga2000 2y ago
  > conditional on things like only voting in left wing parties Thefuck? The EU has been making everything conditional on privatization, deregulation and generally adopting more capitalist models in practically every aspect of government. You're calling this left wing?? A few examples of the demands: sell off our largest and state-owned bank; decouple, deregulate and privatize electricity generation and sale; open the up publicly-owned railways to private operators; increase the minimum age of retirement...
  - mike_hearn 2y ago
    The EU isn't exactly famous for its love of deregulation, you know. Quite the opposite, especially when it comes to tech. But I'm referring to the withdrawal of cohesion funds from countries like Poland and Hungary under newly invented rules like needing to share "EU values". These values aren't defined or written down anywhere, but the only countries that seem to violate them are those with conservative parties in power. The moment the conservatives are no longer in power, suddenly the country is in compliance with "EU values" again.
    - mmooss 2y ago
      You know that's not what's happening. The EU is withholding money because those countries have regressed democratically, with the executive controlling the judiciary and press, and oppressing the political opposition. Plenty of conservative governments are in the EU. Freedom and democracy - which mean an independent judiciary and free and independent press - are not left-wing ideas!
    - wkat4242 2y ago
      Some 'values' like LGBT discrimination in Hungary are prohibited by EU directive: https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/combatting-discrimination/lesbian-gay-bi-trans-and-intersex-equality/legal-aspects-lgbtiq-equality_en https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/ju... So yes they are written down. And rightly so. Being conservative is fine but telling others how to live their life is not. However this is indeed not the reason for the withdrawal of funds as others have mentioned.

Despite the critics, many countries have signed up and would like to, and only one has left. Why is EU membership so much in demand?

by mmooss 2y ago

Despite the critics, many countries have signed up and would like to, and only one has left. Why is EU membership so much in demand?

ThrowawayTestr 2y ago

Weak countries need the protection of Germany and France

thenaturalist 2y ago
Germany has no domestic military power to speak of, military is comically underfunded. No nuclear deterrence. Not sure what kind of protection you're thinking of. We can send beer to your enemy in hopes they opt for boozing rather than shooting.
- ThrowawayTestr 2y ago
  They need the economies of Germany and France.
  - mmooss 2y ago
    And the international political and economic influence. Really of the whole EU - those countries together, including their currency, have global weight. Together, they are on the scale of the US and China. Also, they would like to sell things to and buy things from Germany and France, and the rest of the EU. Economics determines military power. If Germany wants to build a military, they can and now they are, to a significant extent.

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

mike_hearn 2y ago

[flagged]

franga2000 2y ago
> conditional on things like only voting in left wing parties Thefuck? The EU has been making everything conditional on privatization, deregulation and generally adopting more capitalist models in practically every aspect of government. You're calling this left wing?? A few examples of the demands: sell off our largest and state-owned bank; decouple, deregulate and privatize electricity generation and sale; open the up publicly-owned railways to private operators; increase the minimum age of retirement...
- mike_hearn 2y ago
  The EU isn't exactly famous for its love of deregulation, you know. Quite the opposite, especially when it comes to tech. But I'm referring to the withdrawal of cohesion funds from countries like Poland and Hungary under newly invented rules like needing to share "EU values". These values aren't defined or written down anywhere, but the only countries that seem to violate them are those with conservative parties in power. The moment the conservatives are no longer in power, suddenly the country is in compliance with "EU values" again.
  - mmooss 2y ago
    You know that's not what's happening. The EU is withholding money because those countries have regressed democratically, with the executive controlling the judiciary and press, and oppressing the political opposition. Plenty of conservative governments are in the EU. Freedom and democracy - which mean an independent judiciary and free and independent press - are not left-wing ideas!
  - wkat4242 2y ago
    Some 'values' like LGBT discrimination in Hungary are prohibited by EU directive: https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/combatting-discrimination/lesbian-gay-bi-trans-and-intersex-equality/legal-aspects-lgbtiq-equality_en https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/ju... So yes they are written down. And rightly so. Being conservative is fine but telling others how to live their life is not. However this is indeed not the reason for the withdrawal of funds as others have mentioned.