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Europe - You decide

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    #11
    >> would you rather to contract in UK or to contract in sissy and confused Euroland?

    Never confuse "standard of living" and "quality of life". The first in higher in the UK, while the second is higher in Europe.

    Shame I can't speak languages which limits me somewhat. But in my time I have contrcated in Switzerland, Germany and Belgium. In the first 2, the quality of life is much higher than here. Belgium is similar to here.

    By quality of life I mean leisure time, quality of accommodation, commuting time, standard of public services etc.

    This is all about the balance between capitalism and social welfare. In my opinion the Germans/French just need some tweaks to their system - reduce benefits etc. Their system is better (day I say more Christian ) than ours.

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      #12
      Interestingly the French are always portrayed as an economic basket case in the press.
      Yet they have 2 thriving car companies, Peugeot/Citreon and Renault (who have out -Japanned the Japanese and taken over Nissan). Plus they were the driving force behind the Airbus - giving Europe a competitive Aerospace industry. Plus they still build their own fighter jets - Mirages, Dassualt etc from which they make tons of cash.

      Don't believe the propaganda you get in the press.

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        #13
        I would prefer to live in the europe that Sasguru made mention of (however we will have to move away from the 12-2 closing time every day though!).

        The poms certainly could learn a lot from the French...basing their public service on the French model would be a good start! :rollin

        Mailman

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          #14
          mailmannz - You're a Kiwi aren't you?

          Last time I was in NZ (admittedly a few years ago) the bloody shops were closed on Saturday afternoon and the sodding pub shut about 9pm on Sunday. Talk about |I

          Talking of NZ - read this yesterday in the paper -

          Johnson, an Australian member of the Welsh coaching staff, gave political correctness a proper kicking: "Stop calling them the All Blacks. They love you to call them that, it gives them an aura. It's only New Zealand, and who are they? Just a poxy little island south of Australia!"

          When the thought police came after him the next day, Johnson modified his earlier statement: "In fact, it's two poxy islands south of Australia."

          :lol

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            #15
            Never confuse "standard of living" and "quality of life".
            That's a very profound distinction you make there sasguru and I think you've got that just about right.

            I also agree there is a big, big difference between the EU and Europe.

            What I don't get is Blair's latest soundbyte, "Europe must recognise the global economy".

            The whole bloody point of the common market and in trading terms what that has evolved into, is a 'trading bloc' providing favourable terms to those within the bloc.

            If you're going to then recognise 'the global economy', which is just a trendy phrase for tariff free trading, then in recognising it you're going to have to give that global economy full access to the trading bloc. So what's the point of that trading bloc ?

            I think this is strong evidence that Blair's vision for Europe is not an economic vision but a political vision. Because if Europe is to recognise the Global economy, then it has to forget any aspirations about an insular European economic union.

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              #16
              This is all about the balance between capitalism and social welfare. In my opinion the Germans/French just need some tweaks to their system - reduce benefits etc. Their system is better
              I think you are missing something here SAS. I will agree that the quality of life in countries like France and Germany is very high (for some). However the French "quality of life" is being paid for by us. Their rural idyll is paid for by the CAP. However these countries are faced with the huge threat of globalisation which is the inevitable result of freedom of people in choosing where to live and where to buy. France is no longer protected from globalisation. International markets are such that no one wants to start a business in France or Germany.

              These countries need to wake up and realise that they do not have a god given right to "an idyllic lifestyle" paid for by the rest of the world.

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                #17
                These countries need to wake up and realise that they do not have a god given right to "an idyllic lifestyle" paid for by the rest of the world.
                Why not? Would you want to wake up? If I was a Frog I'd be thinking "f uck the rest of you", I'll look after no. 1.

                traj in "typical contractor" mode.

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                  #18
                  If I was them I'd be thinking "f uck the rest of you", I'll look after no. 1.
                  I believe that is what they do think, actually.

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                    #19
                    Yes but

                    is anybody here old enough to remember the grief this country went through in Maggie's early days?
                    Well, when the merde hits the fan La Belle France is going to make that look like a picnic by comparison.
                    That of course assumes they can't get some more mugs to pay for their lifestyle (I don't believe the newer member-states are any too happy about it and rightly so).

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                      #20
                      Neither!

                      Blairs damascan conversion is because he realises there are more votes in it than his previous position.

                      If you want to talk about Europe, hows about me selling services to French Companies just as I do with English ones.

                      Equality of Opportunity, low regulation, low taxes. A Europe regulated from the bottom up.

                      These are the attributes of a Europe Alien to Blair/Chirac and Shroeder

                      What Europe should be is a free trading block allowing us to sell goods and services to a large enough market before the costs of exporting may that difficult.

                      What we have now is nothing of the kind.

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