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Comments on: EUphobic myths destroyed with data http://sharpener.johnband.org/2006/08/europhobic-myths-destroyed-with-data/ Trying to make a point Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:21:35 +0000 hourly 1 By: john b http://sharpener.johnband.org/2006/08/europhobic-myths-destroyed-with-data/#comment-33954 Mon, 04 Sep 2006 21:49:22 +0000 http://www.thesharpener.net/2006/08/29/europhobic-myths-destroyed-with-data/#comment-33954 Sam – interesting idea, but in that case you’d see a slackening of economic growth over the same timeframe, which I’m fairly sure the data doesn’t show.

]]> By: Sam http://sharpener.johnband.org/2006/08/europhobic-myths-destroyed-with-data/#comment-33871 Mon, 04 Sep 2006 14:34:05 +0000 http://www.thesharpener.net/2006/08/29/europhobic-myths-destroyed-with-data/#comment-33871 Nice article. But as inflation is linked to the availibility of money the introduction of the Euro may have caused the falling inflation in 2002 as a lot would be tied up in the old currencies for weeks and months, combined with people being a bit cautious in what they spend until they’re used to the currency and know how much they have to spend each week/month.

]]> By: DogPatch http://sharpener.johnband.org/2006/08/europhobic-myths-destroyed-with-data/#comment-33616 Sun, 03 Sep 2006 17:13:32 +0000 http://www.thesharpener.net/2006/08/29/europhobic-myths-destroyed-with-data/#comment-33616 Although you’re right to challenge the euromyth that the introduction of the euro caused prices to rise, the ECB has admitted that there was a rise in consumer prices in several member states, especially for food and clothing.

]]> By: Devil's Kitchen http://sharpener.johnband.org/2006/08/europhobic-myths-destroyed-with-data/#comment-32931 Thu, 31 Aug 2006 12:05:30 +0000 http://www.thesharpener.net/2006/08/29/europhobic-myths-destroyed-with-data/#comment-32931 I have always debated it on rationalism.

Oh, and on the semantic question, I don’t think that the problem is between –phobic or –sceptic: the conflation is between Europe and the EU.

I rather like the parts of Europe that I have been to: I have had a very nice time. However, I loathe the EU; it should not exist. Further, in its present form, a vote for the EU is a vote against democratic determination.

Nosemonkey thinks that the EU can be reformed and made more democratic: I don’t. There is, as far as I can make out, the first bone of contention…

DK

]]> By: Jonn http://sharpener.johnband.org/2006/08/europhobic-myths-destroyed-with-data/#comment-32926 Thu, 31 Aug 2006 10:03:28 +0000 http://www.thesharpener.net/2006/08/29/europhobic-myths-destroyed-with-data/#comment-32926 Feel free to oppose Britain’s entry into the Euro because you think it will tie us even more tightly into the evil EU, or because you think it will erode our national identity (…) But please base your decision on these, rather than on spurious nonsense.

That’s the problem, isn’t it: most British arguments on both sides of the European debate seem to be based on emotion rather than rationalism. This means that those who do attempt to examine the issues rationally are likely to get accused by both sides of representing their opponents even when they’re do no such thing – as Nosemonkey seems to find pretty regularly.

Nice analysis, by the way.

]]> By: Nosemonkey http://sharpener.johnband.org/2006/08/europhobic-myths-destroyed-with-data/#comment-32586 Tue, 29 Aug 2006 22:30:13 +0000 http://www.thesharpener.net/2006/08/29/europhobic-myths-destroyed-with-data/#comment-32586 Sorry, clarification possibly in order – “Europhobic” also, despite (possible) literal meanings, has also come to mean something other than what it probably should. It is pretty much a (negative) synonym for the more fervent anti-EU brigade these days.

(I’d also be intrigued to know of any examples of similar complaints of the use of the word “Europhile” – a term that has been thrown at me on countless occasions, despite being demonstrably innaccurate…)

]]> By: Nosemonkey http://sharpener.johnband.org/2006/08/europhobic-myths-destroyed-with-data/#comment-32583 Tue, 29 Aug 2006 22:26:35 +0000 http://www.thesharpener.net/2006/08/29/europhobic-myths-destroyed-with-data/#comment-32583 BH – depends on whether you mean the late Archbishop or the chap/chappess who’s adopted his name for internet purposes. The late Archbishop certainly didn’t hate Europeans (even ignoring his life-long relationship with various continental reformers, he was, after all, a 16th century Englishman, and so never would even have considered the possibility of “a European” being something separate… That was very much a late-18th / 19th century development.)

I find the blogger Cranmer vaguely amusing, it must be said. His/her opinions, however, bear little or no relation to those of the historical Archbishop, who remains one of my all-time heroes.

As for the Europhobic/Eurosceptic terminology problem, sadly these days “Eurosceptic” no longer means what it should do. If it did, I’d be a Eurosceptic. Instead, it has become pretty much a synonym for Europhobic/anti-EU. Which is a great shame, and has weakened political discourse in this country significantly.

Euro/Sterling wise, there’s no way in hell I’m going to argue with Mr Band. He knows infinitely more about political economy than I ever will…

]]> By: John B http://sharpener.johnband.org/2006/08/europhobic-myths-destroyed-with-data/#comment-32577 Tue, 29 Aug 2006 21:23:52 +0000 http://www.thesharpener.net/2006/08/29/europhobic-myths-destroyed-with-data/#comment-32577 Scepticism implies something rather different from loathing, which I think is a fair description of the Archbishop’s take on the EU. I’ve changed it to EUphobic to make clear I’m not referring to his views of individual Europeans…

]]> By: Bishop Hill http://sharpener.johnband.org/2006/08/europhobic-myths-destroyed-with-data/#comment-32571 Tue, 29 Aug 2006 19:57:01 +0000 http://www.thesharpener.net/2006/08/29/europhobic-myths-destroyed-with-data/#comment-32571 The economics is beyond me, but I will take issue with your title. “Europhobic”? Eurosceptic, perhaps. The former just seems a little close to accusing Cranmer of hating Europeans, which I’m sure is not the case, nor what you meant.

]]> By: Banditry » Blog Archive » Europeanisms http://sharpener.johnband.org/2006/08/europhobic-myths-destroyed-with-data/#comment-32562 Tue, 29 Aug 2006 17:40:50 +0000 http://www.thesharpener.net/2006/08/29/europhobic-myths-destroyed-with-data/#comment-32562 […] Vaguely relatedly, given that Slovenia is planning to replace its currency with the Euro in January 2007, I’ve written a piece at The Sharpener using economic data to address a couple of bizarre anti-Euro myths. […]

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