h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Perhaps that's what he meant when he said they 'clearly need the help'. It might also explain why the plan got scrapped. Or maybe it's just a conspiracy to deprive us of our bananas...

as it was scrapped, I'd say none of the above...

any comments on the results of the italian general election ?

Right, one final attempt to kick Start this thread; I have put togeter a list of usful E.U. links over at http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A558966

and please no bananas

Thanks for the links. I'm pretty interested in discussing the EU, but - yeah, as you say, there doesn't seem to be much interest in this thread. I think the vagueness of the forum subject is a bit off-putting. 'Europa : the European Union' doesn't really give a clear idea that it's the EU, single currency, etc, that we're discussing. And unfortunately, of course, a thread's title can't be changed once it's started. I recommend starting off a new thread here, with a more attention-catching heading, something like 'Single Currency Referendum - yes or no?' I'd do it myself but unfortunately I'm, well, incurably lazy...

Nah - I'm too stubbern for that; now as you asked I am broadly in favour of the €uro.

I've just expanded things over at http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A558966 (the European Union).

I have now included a quick summary of the functions of the EU, go have a read

for or against the euro?

me in favour

me not. very much not.

In the red corner, wearing black and white striped trunks, the up and coming contender Mister Hap-Hap-Happy Doooooood!
*the crowd roars*
And ..in the blue corner ..wearing little or no trunks ..the undisputed, undefeated heavyweight champeen of the status quo ..(gasp) .. Un - kle HEAVeeeee!
*the crowd goes wild - it's the battle of the century and the century has just begun - to Euro or not to Euro - there's the bell ..*

I'm in Happy's corner.The one political idea that my student generation took to was Europeanism. In the sixties I really thought that by now we would all be "Europeans" - well, those of us in western Europe anyway. I knew it was going to be a struggle, but I never thought we wouldn't even have a common currency 40 years on.
I don't think it's apathy that's stopping this conversation - exhaustion perhaps? ()

I would like to see the UK join the Euro at the earliest practical date. In fact I even told some politicians that when they asked me...

i think thats wrong. partly through xenophobia, and partly cos i dont reckon the euro will work.

When the UK took to decimalisation this was largely done to ease trade with our European partners (by far our biggest market, by the way) and we did so and it was a success. In no way did we become less British because we wrote £.p not l/s/d.
The single currency will work just as well - we are absolutely not defined by our currency!

it will be too ifficult to stabilise the currency with greece etc in the union. nothing will work. france and germany will crream off the profits.

A currency does not make profits or losses.

If you are saying that Germany and France will reap the greatest reward from the resultant single currency market then that wiull be because we were slow to adapt to the reality of the larger European market place.

The Euro is going ahead. If we don't join we will be isolated and then what? Perhaps we could become the 51st state in name as well as appearance?

Q: dose the dollar not work because it used in Rhode Island and in Hawaii ?

Q: Do Texas & Alaska benefit because they are the largest states in the dollar zone ?

Q: Why should the Euro be any different to the dollar ?

ah but it is. they are still one country. they speak the same language and have had a unified economy each state is about on the same prosperity level. europe would not gel like that -too much animosity/corruption/bad economies joinng. we wont get left behind. there are plenty of countries not joing the currency. wont hurt them.

The United States are every bit as diverse as the European community members. In Miami the first language of the majority is Spanish. Alaska has a per capita excess of crude oil, California has a per capita defecit of crude oil. Each state makes its own laws and raises its own taxes. Each has their own law enforcement which is then supplemented by a federal law enforcement structure analoguous to InterPol.
The UK does most of its trade with mainland Europe. Many of "our" largest companies are entirely European in their operation and many of our inward investors are in Britain because of the access it affords to that market. These large companies are standardising on the Euro internally and then having to factor in a currency conversion risk to their operations when doing business with UK based subcontractors. This risk will involve a cost and this cost will make UK businesses less competitive even in their own markets.
That said, the European single currency is going to be far from perfect - and our best chance to improve it is to be part of it and lead by example. The age of empire is gone, none of the world map is coloured pink and the reserves and markets from that period are all drying up fast. The harsh choice is to join now in a strong position, or to beg crumbs from Europe in twenty years time. When the time comes, I will vote for the former.