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Europe's ghost of '68?


marcinmoka

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If 'children are the future', then God help us all!

Millions of children are being raised on prejudice and disinformation. Educated in schools that teach a skewed ideology, they are exposed to a dogma that runs counter to core beliefs shared by many other Western countries. They study from textbooks filled with a doctrine of dissent, which they learn to recite as they prepare to attend many of the better universities in the world. Extracting these children from the jaws of bias could mean the difference between world prosperity and menacing global rifts. And doing so will not be easy. But not because these children are found in the madrasas of Pakistan or the state-controlled schools of Saudi Arabia. They are not. Rather, they live in two of the world’s great democracies—France and Germany.

What a country teaches its young people reflects its bedrock national beliefs. Schools hand down a society’s historical narrative to the next generation. There has been a great deal of debate over the ways in which this historical ideology is passed on—over Japanese textbooks that downplay the Nanjing Massacre, Palestinian textbooks that feature maps without Israel, and new Russian guidelines that require teachers to portray Stalinism more favorably. Yet there has been almost no analysis of how countries teach economics, even though the subject is equally crucial in shaping the collective identity that drives foreign and domestic policies.

Just as schools teach a historical narrative, they also pass on “truths” about capitalism, the welfare state, and other economic principles that a society considers self-evident. In both France and Germany, for instance, schools have helped ingrain a serious aversion to capitalism. In one 2005 poll, just 36 percent of French citizens said they supported the free-enterprise system, the only one of 22 countries polled that showed minority support for this cornerstone of global commerce. In Germany, meanwhile, support for socialist ideals is running at all-time highs—47 percent in 2007 versus 36 percent in 1991

FOREIGN POLICY - EUROPE

While this article is a tad too sensationalist, it does highlight the urgency of reform within the Franco-German educational system, with its inherent demonization of the system, which by and large, has made them rich. Granted, theirs had a bit more of mercantilist tinge. Perhaps the scariest element of this diagnosis is that reforms which are needed require a generation to come to fruition. For the time being, I have difficulty imagining the Che T-Shirt wearing, Kefiyah masked students hurling insults at myself and my baffled colleagues when we crossed their picket lines to attend class running that nation [France] nowhere else but into the ground. Or maybe it will be time for the students of Central and Eastern Europe's time to shine.

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In my opinion, it is ignorance of economics and the resulting lack of personal economic control or understanding of economy that ensures individuals will clamor for the State to provide for them.

?

Conspiracies aside, I'm sure the good folks at the ECB and respective treasury, finance and industry ministries are cursing at how the continental 'intellectual-left' has managed to permeate societal thought right down to text books of its youngest citizens. Than again, it is about starting them young. But this level of acceptance is even more surprising since they had witnessed the failings of such ideas so close to home, albeit severely whitewashed.

The issue at hand now is how to bring this philosophical tug of war onto a more rational footing, which is obviously problematic with generations of citizens engrained with leftist ideals. There are reformers all across Europe..they need a little bit of help.

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?

Conspiracies aside, I'm sure the good folks at the ECB and respective treasury, finance and industry ministries are cursing at how the continental 'intellectual-left' has managed to permeate societal thought right down to text books of its youngest citizens. Than again, it is about starting them young. But this level of acceptance is even more surprising since they had witnessed the failings of such ideas so close to home, albeit severely whitewashed.

The issue at hand now is how to bring this philosophical tug of war onto a more rational footing, which is obviously problematic with generations of citizens engrained with leftist ideals. There are reformers all across Europe..they need a little bit of help.

On the contrary, I have not witnessed any cursing coming from the direction of the "ECB and respective treasury, finance and industry ministries". And I am not an advocate of conspiracy theories. I have learned that stupidity explains things better than conspiracy theories.

Economics is superfluous to leftist ideals.

There is a problem with leftist ideals in that they are correct. Everyone being equal. Everyone caring. Everyone sharing. Really, how can you argue against that. The error is in the assumption that everyone wants to be equal, that everyone cares and is interested in everyone, likes everybody and dislikes no one, and sharing is a legal right to seize property and not a charitable act.

They need help in Europe? Man, Canada is enough of a basket case.

On a tangent, Why McCain in '08?

Edited by Pliny
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They need help in Europe? Man, Canada is enough of a basket case.

No offense, but I take it you haven't spent considerable time abroad. Compared to every other region on earth, with the exception of the mythical though unfortunately imaginary Shangri-la, I would argue we have it quite good. Sure we need some tinkering here and there, but it's impossible to please everyone. All governments must make a few token concessions in the name of stability.

Granted, we could constantly hold ourselves up to a mythical benchmark which never has, or never will exist, but why do so knowing it is unattainable.

On the contrary, I have not witnessed any cursing coming from the direction of the "ECB and respective treasury, finance and industry ministries".

Its not as if they kept quiet!

On a tangent, Why McCain in '08?

Partly out of vendetta, as I quietly rooted for him prior to Bush II. As per why? I respect someone with strong values, but is not afraid to speak his mind on pertinent issues, rather than giving into partisan mud slinging. Sure, he made some small concessions in the past few years ( seeking to 'atone' his sins with the evangelicals), but as mentioned above, you must make a few tactical concessions if you want to succeed with a winning strategy. Nonetheless, in my eyes, he has credibility as being fiscally responsible, socially aware and (almost cliche at this point, but incredibly important) understands the use of force, but does not discount the value of diplomacy and negotiation.

Furthermore, you simply gotta respect someone who had the cajones to fight for his country and risk torture and death to save his fellow men, rather than 'having other things to do' in the safety of their suburbs. I think that shows a certain (and noble) admiration for their country.

Who's your call for '08?

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No offense taken. I have never spent any time abroad.

We do, I believe have it good. That is not a reason to become complacent and agree to make the token changes necessary to achieve the station western continental European countries have arrived at before us. It is getting worrying.

The article was interesting but when failure is evident they cannot blame themselves. Statist economic systems are enabling to leftist ideologues - and they are still Statist economic systems.

Well, I suppose McCain is the front running Republican candidate now. I don't really see someone I like. I do like Ron Paul but dislike the Democrat choices too much to root for him. I would like to see someone who will have a chance against Clinton or Obama. McCain might have a chance at that.

I do have reservations about McCain. I like his ads and what I know of his foreign policy but I don't like some of his non-partisan bills that he supported such as with Kennedy and Feingold.

Americans kind of surprised me in the last election by rejecting Kerry. I don't think they liked Bush that much but they really couldn't give it to Kerry. I guess I'm too Canadian, they would have loved Kerry up here, in my opinion.

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....Americans kind of surprised me in the last election by rejecting Kerry. I don't think they liked Bush that much but they really couldn't give it to Kerry. I guess I'm too Canadian, they would have loved Kerry up here, in my opinion.

Why? Would Canadians have loved protectionist labor and trade policies promised by Kerry's party? Canada's economy has done quite well with Mr. Bush if that be an important measure. American candidates (like Kerry) know it is the kiss of death to be "loved" by Canada in the eyes of American voters.

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Why? Would Canadians have loved protectionist labor and trade policies promised by Kerry's party? Canada's economy has done quite well with Mr. Bush if that be an important measure. American candidates (like Kerry) know it is the kiss of death to be "loved" by Canada in the eyes of American voters.

They would have loved protectionist labour and trade policies promised by Kerry!

All my love to Hillary! :P

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