Yanis Varoufakis: why Britain must stay in Europe | Guardian Live
Speaking at a Guardian Live event, former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, warned of the movement towards the fragmentation of Europe.
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He suggests the only people who would benefit from this are the ultra-nationalists, bigots and those who profit from a great depression that would spread though out the continent. He spoke of the need for Britons to vote to stay in the EU, that those who are most critical of Europe have a moral duty to stay in it, fight for it, and democratise it. Yanis was in conversation with Paul Mason at the Central Hall Westminster.
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It's incredible how naive people are about the consequences of this vote. The arrogance of thinking we can waltz out and dictate terms as the tiny country we will be left as. It's incredible.
Is your country smaller than Qatar? Smaller than the UAE, Singapore, New Zealand or Israel? You don't have to be large to be great. Your "tiny" country ruled the world, and were bloody good at it! Your country's leadership ensured the economical growth and success of the collective Commonwealth nations. Your country has, and continues to, produce the worlds best intellects, and you're afraid that you can't stand on your own two feet? Why? Why would you allow people so disconnected from you that they hold no emotional attachment to your personal sentiments, dictate the laws that you must live by? Our ancestors fought, many to their deaths, for the simple, basic right to govern themselves. To live by the rules that they decide on and the rules that best suits them, the people. Remember, should you vote to stay in the EU, the opportunity to leave will probably never return. Your nation will of had too much invested in it. It is always easy to join the EU, never easy to leave.
Don't underestimate the British. I'm not worried for them, I am more concerned about the prospects of the common people whose nations are still part of the EU...
Hmmm The sheer arrogance is incredible. Yes, because we did some impressive things we can surely separate from a massive economy without a shred of difficulty. Surely no businesses will leave the country. Surely no damage will be done to our finances. Surely we can just ignore all the rules. Wake up and face reality. Most likely we will simply join the EEA, meaning we face all the same rules and fees, but have no say on policy decisions. That's less sovereignty, not more.
stathamajf: Life is about more than economy. Besides, you don't know the future. Britain may find many other partners. The world is much larger than only the EU (which may shrink more in the coming weeks, months and years).
Daniel G I generally dislike plans which have words like "you never know" or "might" in them. Maybe you have money to burn but I don't and that makes this whole thing kinda like Westminster deciding to gamble with my life for me.
he could be the first President of Europe
+Vern Etzel You need to get a brain first.
We don't have the right to give away national sovereignty. The country doesn't belong to us, we are temporary residents whose duty is to maintain and preferably improve, ready for the next generation. Signing away a thousand year old foundation is morally reprehensible, irresponsible and a disgrace to those previous generations who've protected and passed it on. You, nor I have the right to do this.
+Placeholder Come on: 1) We absolutely have that right - our nation was built on the giving away (or losing) of national sovereignty over roughly 1000 years by various smaller fiefdoms and minor states, as well in some cases on the claims of national sovereignty made by certain enemies upon minor fiefdoms held by English/Norman kings (i.e. quite large parts of France). That is, the borders and populous of our present nation were decided by a constant gaining and losing of political areas up until around 1997 - the last instance of a loss of land area by the UK government of which I am aware, which may be followed by others in future. 2) Absolutely we are temporary residents of a land area, but this has nothing to do with where the government of that land area is located, nor what people have a say in the governance of where we were born. As I note in point 1, the location of government, and the areas of land from which the people of our nation are collected, have changed drastically over the last 1,000 years, and will change again. It is you who propose a halt to history. 3) We are offering up the foundation laid by those former generations, who as you say admirably protected and passed on our national tradition, to a wider democratic forum. To the extent that we are not doing so (i.e. that European leaders are not democratically elected by the people of Europe) we are adding the voice of a powerful democratic body into what should become the new Great Reform, the 21st Century's 1832 (or better, 1928) - a genuinely democratic Europe, with leaders elected in Brussels as representatives of all of the people of Europe, while, in keeping with the principles of devolution, those powers which are best held locally are still held locally by the people they affect. However, laws whose implications are general, and whose aim is to bring people into a common moral agreement (such as laws of criminal justice), must be decided at the highest democratic level possible. The preponderance of France and Germany within Europe must be fought in the same way that the excessive power of the land-holding classes was fought in 1832 in the UK - at the level of democracy.
+Simon Whitaker Why would Britain want to leave? By staying in, they can extort whatever they want from Europe every few years with the threat of leaving.
+Placeholder Why would Britain want to leave? By staying in, they can extort whatever they want from Europe every few years with the threat of leaving.
+C06 Kll4r What is this thousand year old foundation you speak of?
+C06 Kll4r What is a nation? does it include the Empire? India, Burma, parts of Africa. We need to be talking about the future. How wealth can be divided equally. Absolute control in the form of Communism did not work and now 30 years later Capitalism is in its death throws. What is next? I suggest a closer Europe is a good thing and it is those that do what they do for Fiat currency that need to be eliminated. Less money. more wealth.
Staying in the EU would be like staying on the Titanic, while there is still a spot left on a life boat.
We've given all the life boats to the likes of Greece
can I sit next to you on that boat ..top coment
By life boats do you mean the bailouts?
+Mufflemonsta009 yes but for me that links to something else
and the EU is sinking or will
He's assuming that there is anything about the EU that is worth fighting for, can't think of anything.
+David Matley the hatred of the eu by the uk, is the uk version of the usa's hatred of free healthcare
thanks, I appreciate it
What about chaos first all over Europe and then globally . Think ahead
+Feminazi Frequency Economic freedoms are not freedoms of the individual. Trade freedoms are irrelevant next to HR. Economics is a tool not an ideology - it adapts.
+ItsameAlex Interesting. How?
I truly respect Yanis and love his integrity but I don't agree with his optimism on "democractizing" the EU and his insistence that since that is the goal that no one should leave. I back a UK exit from the undemocratic toxic EU.
+111q222p333m444z The US has a constitution. Does the EU have a constitution? Frankly I find it disingenuous when people use the US to compare the rag tag hinging together of European countries all who come with very different languages, histories and cultures. These are nations NOT states, the EU was first presented to the public as a trade agreement not a superstate under one flag. Try selling Americans the idea of subverting their own rules and authority so they can be linked to Mexico, Canada and Central America with open borders and all and see how that flies then give them some vague talk of expanding "democracy and human rights". The EU isn't really working now. How many members of the public know the name of the EU president? Or the European Council president? And then ask them what they know of them and if they've voted for them. Ask them what mechanism do they have at their disposal to affect change within the EU? Ask them if the laws that governs their nation should be imposed on people who have a different, language and culture in another nation? Is this your idea of a workable democracy? The political establishment may be in favor of a closer union but the question is whether their citizens are in favor, that is what I mean by 'democracy'. The EU HAS NOT made democracy and human rights their "main thing", its economic arrangements that have been their main thing. The talk of democracy and human rights is part of their sneaking in the superstate or is it that you think the British people need lessons in "human rights and democracy"? What about France? Or Greece? Was there no democracy and human rights in these nations before the EU? Don't you think citizens have a right to decide whether they should lose their country or not in favor of melting theirs into a greater one? Because that's what we're talking about here. Read Sunday Express article titled "Britain will vote to leave EU unless there is substantial treaty change". In that article you will find the paragraph "French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel cooked up the controversial deal, which rules out any EU treaty changes, behind closed doors without consulting Britain." Is that the kind of democracy you're referring to? What does the UK want from the EU to remain in the EU? More power for national parliaments over EU decisions. Safeguard countries outside the single currency to protect them from being outvoted by Eurozone bloc. Restrict the rights of EU migrants claiming UK benefits. An opt-out from the “ever-closer union”. In short England wants her sovereignty back!!!!
+111q222p333m444z The thing is, nothing is completely democratic. Countries that have (or claim to have) democracy, mostly aren't. It extends as far as who they have as leader, but the citizens don't get to decide the rules or which laws we keep or don't keep (obviously, laws such as those agaisnt murder should be exempt from being removed). The country closest to this is Switzerland, but even then, it's only marginally more democratic.
+Anon Ymous And what about sovereignty? England wants her sovereignty back! And no one asked Britons whether they wanted to relinquish it in favor of a superstate. You're dismissal of democracy because it isn't 'perfect' is disturbing.
joanofarc33 Please, point out exactly where I dismissed democracy and claimed it isn't and should be perfect. Quote me. Your interpritation of my comment and your apparent lack of cognitive ability are disturbing.
+Anon Ymous And why are you insulting me? I didn't insult you I just pointed out that you seem to dismiss democracy because as you wrote "It extends as far as who they have as leader, but the citizens don't get to decide the rules or which laws we keep or don't keep", this suggests that democracy isn't worth fighting for. Otherwise why did you write the post where you say nothing except how democracy doesn't truly exist? And instead of using ad hominem as a means of argument, why not try answering my question which concerned sovereignty. "What about sovereignty?" Greece has lost her sovereignty by becoming nothing more than a debtor nation who cannot even dictate what economic plans are viable or not within the nation state without an ok from Brussels. So where is Greek sovereignty? It no longer exists. Greek parliamentarians can only legislate what the Troika deems appropriate no matter the wishes, desires nor inclination of the Greek people. Just go and read an article by Reuters called "Greek sovereignty to be massively limited." The first paragraph reads "Greece faces severe restrictions on its sovereignty and must privatize STATE ASSETS on a scale similar to the SELL OFF of East German firms in the 1990s after communism fell, Eurogroup chairman Jean-Claude Juncker said". Juncker is now EU president. Did the Greeks vote for Juncker? Did anyone from the citizenry? The EU public at large? And yet he said "The sovereignty of Greece will be MASSIVELY limited". So what does that make of the Greek nation then? It means there is no 'real' Greek nation only a punished colony of the EU superstate and I can say this because Greece nor its people have any power within the EU. At least in the US the citizens can say they know and voted for whatever president. England has a right to her sovereignty, the EU is means to dismantle sovereignty. If a nation CHOOSES to dismantle national sovereignty in favor of a superstate then fine but they should decide that through a referendum. They should KNOW that this is what is meant by "union" and not some pretense of an economic liberalization between nation states. You dismiss democracy when you claim it has no agency as an ideal because "nothing is completely democratic", and yet no one here is talking about complete democracy as the goal but rather whether the EU is democratic ENOUGH for a proud nation such as the UK.
I have just listened to Yanis's talk with Chomsky. Given his comments about the lack of legal basis for the all powerful Euro Group, and Schaeuble's "you cannot allow elections to dictate economic policy" how on earth does he square this with the UK remaining in? Nonsense
I've listened to the same debate. Very interesting. The European Union comes out as extremely corrupt. I just don't understand how he can argue to stay in
Interesting Naran. Is that an educated guess or just a guess?. It it more likely that other EU nations will want out soon. France? Netherlands?
obviously bought and paid for
***** Ha ha - really? So you're from Andorra? Where all Spain's corrupt money goes :) I have to say I think Spain will go down the tubes before the UK - EU or no EU. I'm sure you'll be ok though
Democracy: what powers do you have? Who gave them to you? How are you using them? On whose behalf are you using them? AND HOW CAN WE GET RID OF YOU?
Tony Benn!
And we still don't know why Tsipras, even before the referendum, had decided to capitulate... I wish YF would just say he can't discuss this instead of leaving us hanging! However, I do agree with everything he has said and I love the fact that he's taken on the role of 'whistleblower'. Any knowledge he imparts, and we gain, contributes to the erosion and the undermining of the elites who would ignore democracy and the well-being of all in favour of the enrichment of the few on the backs of the many, by means of fascist oligarchy. Go Yanis! Aλληλεγγύη!
+Irene Theochari He already offered some reasons in other statements why he wouldn't do it. First... obviously he felt sort of betrayed, but why answer betrayal with further betrayal? Remember that they are friends and politically close. He's always warned that leftists have the tendency to turn on each other, so this is precisely what should not be encouraged to be done since the only ones profiting from that are the right. This doesn't mean that there shouldn't be criticism and lively debate, but why do the work of the "enemy"? You already mentionned one of the "enemies". There should lie the focus. ;)
JecaMasha I agree with everything you say but none of what you describe is from Tsipras' point of view! Yes, Varoufakis felt betrayed by Tsipras, as did the people, but why did Tsipras betray the people? Why did he decide to accept the new bailout conditions even before the people had voted to reject them. More importantly, why did he not reverse his decision AFTER the people voted to reject the bailout? He, as the Prime Minister, had a moral and democratic duty to act on the people's mandate, especially bearing in mind that the Greek government had some ammunition, as Varoufakis described! Not to mention Tsipras' original election promise to refuse further bailouts and restructure the debt. He did irreparable damage not only to Greece but any European anti-austerity movement. Worst of all, he squandered a genuine opportunity to introduce much-needed reform of the European economic and political system!
Irene Theochari I share your concerns, but in the end... we can't do it alone. Lets hope our allies abroad (even if it is for their own reasons) join the fight ;)
JecaMasha Again, I understand what you're saying and I'm not disagreeing. In the larger European context he could not have done it alone but you're missing the point! Alexis Tsipras absolutely had it in his purview to not only rescue his Country but be instrumental in forcing change and making precedent. Instead he capitulated even before the referendum and he did not act in accordance with the resounding, landslide mandate brought by the referendum. If you know of any instance when Varoufakis has addressed this point, I'd like to know!
+Irene Theochari ''...don't know why Tsipras, even before the referendum, had decided to capitulate...' 1:03:03 into this video might help ' yanisvaroufakis.eu/2015/10/19/democratising-europe-and-academic-freedom-university-of-coimbra-17th-october-2015 www.theguardian.com/business/2015/aug/14/greek-parliament-still-thrashing-out-rescue-deal-vote lexicon.ft.com/Term?term=troika In October 2013 it was reported that the Troika had challenged Greece over a looming fiscal gap in its 2014 budget that could undermine its chances of emerging from a six-year recession.The Troika wanted Greece to adopt further austerity measures after identifying the €2bn gap.Earlier in October 2013, the The Troika rejected Portugal's plea to relax deficit targets.In April 2013, Ireland lifted legal ban on house repossessions, a move that was sought by the Troika. www.theguardian.com/business/2015/aug/14/greek-parliament-still-thrashing-out-rescue-deal-vote about 1:03:03 into this video yanisvaroufakis.eu/2015/10/19/democratising-europe-and-academic-freedom-university-of-coimbra-17th-october-2015
The last person you would ask for advise on brexit is any Greek politician . The only reason the Greeks want to stay in the EU is that they do not trust there own politicians.
The only reason they want to stay in (even though a majority voted out) is because they get money from us!
What exactly does the EU have to do to constitute a failure?
+DJFear Ross revolution unfortunately I am strongly starting to suspect
+DJFear Ross The EU Commission, in common with all other totalitarian organisations, cannot admit to failure. Likewise where ever there is a set back, for example a national group not voting according to plan, the central authority will either ignore the set back or order the errant nation to vote again. The Commission demands all of the accolades, even where unmerited but deflects any and all criticism - such is it's nature. We are told the UK can keep the pound - yet the 'Euro' will be the currency of the whole EU by 2020? The EU is not heading for super state status, yet the leitmotif is "Ever Closer Union"
I think Britain should put itself on a boat and move to the middle of the Pacific. That would be way better than staying in Europe.
Jinji Tronic Hahahahahaha take it from Australia. We’re still affected by all this bulls**t. Maybe not to the same effect. Most of our politicians are incompetent and/or corrupt
My dream is EU reform triggered by a growing queue for the exit. My gut feeling....no chance and pan European civil unrest. Just what the EU was built to prevent. Sad.
he is a very insightfull inteligent man. and one of very few who dares to put his moral views against the totalitarian powers of the eu. i have a lot of respect for him and his fight for democracy.
Nuanced and considered position on why the UK should remain in EU from an extremely moral and high integrity individual who you might think would take an opposite view. It's quite long but It's absolutely worth your attention in the run up to this important decision. I'd urge you to watch this before voting. Luv and Peace.
Where do I sign up?
I so admire his command of English
He speaks English better than most English people.
Outside the EU it would be in our national interested to promote our fishing industry just as Norway does. It is the same with our steel industry there is uncertainty if we leave, but is the future of India’s steel industry outside the EU more uncertain than British Steel industry inside the EU?
how would that work when 90% of the global fisheries are in collapse?
You don't even have good fish, Norway is probably the most important cod exporter, everything they catch they sell, that's it, the rest is for internal consumption if that much, so STFU with the fishing thing, no one wants British fish, why would one want it? Plus there is a real need for limits on fishing and this limits are actually working, this year, fishermen finally have an abundance of fish that they hadn't have for decades because of the limits.
+noooreally well since we will have control of our own waters you simply have no fishing zones that will allow fish stocks to increase but you also allow all fish caught to be landed since they are dead anyway. also you do not allow very deep fishing as deep sea fish are long lived by don't regenerate quickly. Essentially you manage the thing in a sustainable way
Morgan Wasem you don't have control of the deep waters though... and there are a lot more problems than just over fishing... one of the biggest problems is ocean acidification. Fishing is not a viable option... If the UK has to compete with other countries outside the EU, it will have to decimate its fishing stocks to compete.
Well it won't be competing it will just fish sustainably in it own waters. After world war 2 the fish sticks were the best ever. They simply stopped fishing so much. As to ocean acidification don't really know enough about it however seems to me this is an issue that is outside of the scope of the common fisheries policy.
This is the kind of man we need in the government. At least he knows what he is talking about, and to put the cherry on top, he is knowledgeable. Can we keep him??
Has the Guardian editorial board learned the difference between Europe and the EU yet. Whatever the outcome of the Referendum on the UK's membership of the EU, Britain will still be in the North West of Europe, its core native population will still be largely of European descent (although many of us descend from settlers who moved here thousands of years ago in the aftermath of the last Ice Age) and our culture will still share many attributes with that of other European countries. The EU is above all a political project, superimposed on an ill-defined continent. We certainly need to cooperate on environmental and security matters, but socially cohesive nation states are the only viable democratic units.
Isn't sole purpose of Brits is putting sticks into wheels of Unified Europe? Waiting for 3 years before opening second front in WW2, Brexit, seeding controllable chaos throughout the world?
Well i don't see any signs of your movement working so i think i will vote to leave.
Good! Vote leave!
Just finished reading "and the weak suffer what they must ?" as an economics layman I found it easily readable and very enjoyable.
I'm voting to stay in the EU.
+Totalwarking7 you are an idiot john
+Totalwarking7 LOL what a joker . obviously not ENGLISH
I'm english
I'm not joking
You had three weapons to fight back against the troika. I really want to know the last two.
perr and rays, ie perrays troika
Jeremy has no chance of ever winning a UK Election. This is simply too Conservative a country, I am a Stayer not a Quitter in the EU. But we Stayers must be serious Reformers for a genuinely democratic UK and EU, Both, Peter L. Dollins.
22:00 -- How can this man DEFEND the EU given what has happened to Greece... he is clearly one of THEM and not one of us! What a joke of man!
Because a collapse of the EU would end in an economic depression. And that means, you earn the same but everything will be 2 or 3 times as expensive. Or even worse.
i agree. i wondered why the fack he is making this speech when he bashes the EU and what happened to greece in a video with Noam Chomsky.. that was a great video.. this one is a disappointment
Tyler I know... I feel sorry for the Greeks
Sara V Well, i'm a bit sceptical of the alternative media, since they offer nationalism as a solution. A solution that is needed in order to start a war between nations. I read so many anti-german comments lately. About germans who are to blame for the refugees, who are to blame for the economic crisis, about the germans, building a 4th Reich through the EU. The simple facts, that it was the wars in the middle east, fought by the USA and GB, that made the refugee crisis, that 70% of the german industry is owned by foreign, that it is the city of London, that is in charge of many destructiv Actions against poorer EU countries, and that germans don't want to controll Europe, that this is the work of supra national cooperations, is totaly lost in all medias. Alternative or not. I feel, like we have a huge focus of the problems, but almost none of a solution. I am afraid, the anger of the people is triggert out of purpose, and the alternative media works as an amplifier. "Something is rotten in the state of denmark." But sure, i'll check it out! Thanks!
The Greeks did that to themselves, they were living beyond their means. Now they are blaming the foreigners just like us in the UK.
Europe doesn't purchase much of the UK's product, and for those products they purchase after the split the EU regulations will still apply. The other goods, however, will not! The UK is not economically dependent or beholden to the EU. Let's get out now!
We are leaving.
What is he saying at 17:30?
The intro sounds like: "Greece - postmortem".
All we fuckin need, anywhere in the world, is access to politicians like this. Yanis is a rare bread, we need more like him.
25:27 [question and answer]
Yanis is brilliant... I see here that not many are really listening. Listen people
Separate goverment policies from corporation interests and we as people get humanity back on track .-
Thank you my friend. There used to be a time when government set forth policy and corporations toed the line. Today Corporations set the agenda and governments must toe the line. The whole debt load on current government balance sheets can be pin pointed to the tax breaks and tax cuts to the corporations. SHAME!
corporations shouldn't exist, the privat sector needs to be abolished
He would say that. Greece needs our money.
And 28:30?
Yanis Varoufakis for King of the World! He is the only sane voice in in the madness that is politics in general. He is the the smartest and most articulate man alive today. Please listen to what he says.
ha, a former Greek finance minister suggests one of the strongest EU countries should remain in the EU??? What a shock. I am just glad he isn't from a country which is in need of all the bailouts it can get..oh no wait...
Yanis good point on EU way of working. Hatsoff of to you
A very impressive speaker. Made clear to me what was previously very cloudy.
Current EU status quo unacceptable in one of his speeches Now he wishes to save the EU maybe, but not in the current status quo where nothing bur misery rules. UK needs to leave like yesterday
He makes probably the best case for remaking.
He did not elaborate on the 3 reasons he gave on why Britain should stay in the EU..... Very disappointing
1. Why did Varoufakis never consider exiting Eurozone, the only solution to the crisis? 2. Why did the Greek government accept the decision of Tsipras, which was going against their basic political mandate? 3. Why did Tsipras accept the Troika conditions UNCONDITIONALLY, when the only electoral promise was not to do so? (Tsipras explained that he was sequestered by Merkel and Schulz until he agreed to sign an even worse treaty than offered before. Why did he not denounce it after returning to Greece?) Tsipras should have feared his citizens among which he lives and which he tortures, as Varoufakis correctly says, more than he fears Merkel and Schultz. 4. Why would have been such a disaster to mail an economic policy proposition to EU ministers? Why do ministers accept to take decisions at EU level with no information or discussion of any plan? Maybe they don't care about decision power? EU ministers appear to be actors for public usage only, with absolutely no real political role. Why do they blame each other instead of assuming any responsibility? 5. Why should UK remain in EU when it is obvious that there is no solution to control the EU government? Scotland would not leave UK because of that. EU would not be able to regulate UK fishing off the British shore as it does today (UK has a fleet able to defend it against Germany). British citizens who are now in pubs will have to do their job as citizens: get informed, propose solutions and force the government to apply those solutions. They did this in the past quite successfully. Varoufakis agrees that democracy is the only solution. UK could return to EU if EU becomes democratic in the future. The only explanation to all these is that above politicians there is a power which governs EU. Is there a power capable of doing this on our planet? Yes, NSA.
why the NSA though? lol it would make just as much sense if you said the CIA or the IMF or even the US Government instead....
Knowledge is power. Following Toffler (mail001.blogspot.ro/2011/11/third-wave.html) I logically conclude that NSA is controlling the planet. Of course, this is only an argument.
And they did not negotiate. With no eurozone exit threat, there could have been no negotiation. Now, the important part. Why would an eurozone exit have been so unspeakable threatening?
Very good questions..Yanis sold out to the Globalist Cabbal...
He has answered this. To print enough Greek Currency and prepare for independence would take 9 to 12 months. During that period the ECB, IMF, World Bank etc would cease all lending and shut down all the Greek banks, utterly destroying Greece in a matter of weeks.
Yannis for EU prez or GTFO!
+gpw203 rubbish ,there was no failure on his part. every move and statement made by yannis demonstrated competence and integrity.
+gpw203 he is touring acting as a whistle blower who can speak about EU corruption as he has first hand experience of it and you want to smear his integrity on the basis that he has not given all his money away? lol seriously? why are you so angry at Y V? would your anger not be better directed at the other members of Syriza you know the ones who ignored their mandate from the Greek people and betrayed both Yannis and every man,woman and child in Greece and actually throughout the EU?
The current President of the European Council is Donald Tusk. The current President of the European Commission is Jean-Claude Juncker. The current President of the European Parliament is Martin Schulz. The rotating President of the Council of the European Union is Mark Rutte, on behalf of the Netherlands. None of these presidents are Yannis Varoufakis. I take it you're voting out?
It was a joke pal relax.
The prediction of New Democracy would have been more prescient if they had predicted that Tsipras would bluff and the ECB would call.
One of the few great macro economists left in Europe.
He's a man who served as Greece's Finance Minister, went to Brussels with a solid 'oxi' from his electorate to renegotiate the terms of the bailout, and came back having to sell his people a 'nai'. He's a failure, a fraud.
Vulpes Inculta You sound like a profligate, I am going to report you to Caesar. Let's see what he says about that! He did all he could and was always pushed against the wall. He went with open to negotiate and only found the door shut and intransigence. In fact he left the government because he thought that there was no alternative but to leave the Euro, he wanted to leave. But this was a big no no for Syriza. So he had to leave. The differences with his party and EU commission were incompatible.
Teralek The question, then, is why he defends this European Union.
you are a Frumentarii of Caesar legion you should know that a big empire is stronger and better than a lot of small kingdoms with many voices all competing to be heard. I am an European Federalist just like Varoufakis for the same reasons. When I explains why he defends the Union I totally agree with him. Like me he also urges a reformation of the union to be more democratic and accountable to the people of Europe. We must see ourselves as part of the same body, the same voice. The EU united is a forced to reckoned with. We need a national and powerful EU sentiment because there are is much more that unite us than what divide us. We need a strong a binding union like Caesar's legion.
Teralek As you may remember, there are certain commitments that you have to make if you want a great empire. - You have to massacre all the men and boys of national groups that resist your rule. No exceptions. - You have to institute horrifying punishments for petty crimes, because people who have fewer social ties to the authorities will be more likely to commit crimes. - You have to have a strong military, and a culture that glorifies strength and beauty (instead of weakness and ugliness, which is what Europe's cultures glorify today). Unless you are willing to make those commitments, your empire's going to turn into a poorly-administrated, corrupt mess like the NCR.
I like Varoufakis a lot - he seems to have the public's best interests at heart, he’s incredibly intelligent, and he's a first-class orator (something I always admire). However, the title is misleading. He’s fighting for EU reform, for transparency and democracy, which we all want (many of his points are obvious, although many are very sensible). From his perspective, if Britain stayed, it would strengthen his campaign. There would be no question of a Brexit if the EU could be reformed, or had shown signs that it wished to. In fact, it did the opposite, when Cameron made his reform proposals in 2014, hoping that it would be the catalyst for widespread support from other member states for more sweeping reforms. Instead, Juncker was elected President, with a resounding vote of 26-2, that showed that the forces are against reform and towards Federalism. Some other observations: 0:13:58 - On the way troika (the European Commission, Central Bank and IMF) behaved, he says, “they wanted to humiliate [the democratically-elected government]. We are back in the realm of 19th century power plays, not in the realm of democratic Europe” 0:39:35 - Quantitive Easing is a tax on everybody with savings, and an endorsement of credit culture. It devalues the money in existence and increases inflation. This is the most backward and wrong policy of any government or bank, as it's just a band-aid over a broken system and the horrendous, but avoidable, bad decisions of the past. 1:04:00 - “I go [around Europe] and thousands of people want to talk…and they are very worried because they can see that the European project is dying” 1:15:27 - His solution to the problem of idle money, debt and lack of investment is that, “We need to find a way of channeling those idle savings into productive activities”. This is ridiculously idealistic. The reason why unimaginable amounts of cash, being stored in off-shore accounts (especially by large corporations), are not being utilised is because credit is cheap (through poor international banking policy, and the fact that new money is created on the promise of payment of credit) and because credit can be offset against tax liability (i.e. credit is an asset). time.com/4368047/microsoft-linkedin-deal-merger-debt
Hes a shill. Hes promoting staying in a undemocratic political union with a stagnant economy on the hope of reform and change. Hes peddling fairydust, there will be no reform of the EU.
So why vote to stay on the basis of a dream that will never be fulfilled?
Did he mention that, by appointing Juncker, it was a public endorsement of Federalism by the leaders of 26 member states, and that reform would not be possible before the UK referendum (although, ironically and frustratingly, it may unavoidable because of Brexit)
There is only one way to stop a Depression it was discovered by the Babylonians thousands of years ago. A Depression can best be defined as a period in time in which Unpayable Debts are cancelled en masse. This can be done by Hyperinflation as in 1923 Germany and by discharging debt in bankruptcy courts as America did in 1933. 3 million Americans starved to death in the 1930s so I do not recommend those two methods. The best way to cancel Unpayable Debt is through government action as the Babylonian Kings did. The Bible Writers called this the Jubilee. The best way to finance this Debt Cancellation is to arrest the Bankers and to seize their assets. Please google this: "Debt Cancellation Is The Best Way To Take Down Bilderberg."
Debt cancellation will never happen.
I see you've been reading David Graeber
I agree. Bankers in the jail. Take the money back
Debt cancellation is to say that you will do something and just do not do it. You will lost your word like Argentina.
The moderator should keep his mouth shut when Varoufakis is talking.
As you invented Magna Carta I hope you will get your freedom back ;) VOTE LEAVE ;) VOTE FOR FREEDOM!
Vote leave!
this guys a genius. he knows his stuff
When I first learned of Britain in elementary school, I learned it was in Europe. It's currently in Europe. And it's not going anywhere folks.
A moral responsibility to guide Europe to democracy. Oh Yiannis - you may be a genius but that surely is not one country's responsibility.
+Descartes' Donkey In that case its no one's responsibility. Because its not Spain's nor Italian's responsibility either.
+gottimw I am Portugal. What if we all get together and sort this thing out? Together we can and we want the same!. Not doing it because of a childish tantrum is stupid. We want the same thing so lets force the change
thats my exactly point
+Teralek BUT! They depend on the inability to transcend borders to non governmental individuals - we don't have the time , money and orgainisations . Governments only feed governments not the people.
0.6% - in a way he actually did. Perhaps a few hundred votes would have done it for him. Zeig baby!
I would suggest that maybe Yanis would have second thoughts about his view that the UK should remain in the E.U.after the contempt shown to David Cameron by the EU in his so called 'renegotiation'. My only criticism of Yanis is that he appears to believe that the EU can be democratised. The only way the EU can be democratised is in its collapse. The decision by the UK to leave the EU will hopefully precipitate that scenario.
Don't leave it.Lead it.
I always find that comments to videos such as this are characterised by an expectation that someone should be doing something for US. If you want democracy, then the responsibility is YOURS.
Yanis needs to explain why he went from maverick to supplicant when the EU was attacking his country.
+Rob Bowes Probably got paid off by the EU elite
If you could democratise the European Commission you would end up with the union pulling in all directions depending on the individual states particular needs and nothing would ever get done.
Yanis Varoufakis is saying how urgent it is for the UK to stay in Europe. How many people in the UK will hear this?
Forget all this clap trap and VOTE UK OUT
Yanis spoke well until he started speaking about Scotland. Scotland has many similarities with England and the rest of the UK which the rest of the EU don't so the conservative ideology still holds up for a United Kingdom. Secondly he says he supports an independent Scotland whilst being in the EU, which we know isn't possible. Independence and the EU are not possible. The 2014 scottish referendum wasn't an independence referendum, as the SNP desire scotland to stay in the EU, it was a vote on the decision to leave or stay in the UK. I believe the UK as an independent country would work well as it did before 1973.
Yanis Varoufakis, a highly educated economist vs blithering English racists with some sort of superiority complex. Yeah, I know who I'll put my money on.
"So we can have your money" is essentially what he's saying.
Due to the EU the Chancellor of Germany has been able to make unilateral decisions that effect the entire continent without the need for approval or consideration from the rest of us (Angela could not have made such choices exacerbating the migrant crisis if Germany wasn't keeping the EU and Euro on the road - and I would point out someone as cuddly as Mutti won't always be sitting in that chair). The EU has been described by Eastern European leaders (specifically Poland and Hungary) as similar to the Soviet Union - not dominating them with tanks but with threats, fines and quashing their voices. The EU and Euro along with German money have stripped Greece and Italy of their democracy AND caused the collapse or neutering of 3 elected Greek governments. The French and Dutch people voted in referenda against a European Constitution - these votes were ignored and the structures proposed in this constitution have been implemented in full since 2005. Tensions caused by these steps in stripping the people of Europe of their power have generated walls going up in Macedonia and Hungary, far right parties sweeping the polls across the mainland and even Sweden closing its borders. The EU has over-reached and instead of being a force for good in Europe it has turned into something the people of Europe hate and is causing great division and strife, I will not have my country associated or bound by such an organisation any longer. I am voting to leave.
C'mon Yaris be our new Charlemagne, you were never more needed!
You agree with Kalergi?
Paul Mason agrees with Varoufakis on questions economic. Were I Yanis that fact alone would keep me awake at night.
Can't hear a thing.
When he said this, "it´s quite a serious thing to say though isn´t it that the political leadership of a major country basically staged a referendum that it wanted to lose" Mason had no idea the same thing would happen in his own country 7 months later.
Structured Finance - unsustainable - yes (!) and eclipses the real world economy to bout
Ohi. The Greek Word for No. I admire their decision in 1940. People have to sacrifice as the Greeks paid dearly against the Nazis in WW2. We UK citizens have said No (or Na or Dim if you are Welsh) and we will become poorer in at least the short to medium term but we will stave off a psychopathic tyranny.
Varoufakis is an empty vessel. He gives an excruciating first hand account of dealing with the authoritarian bullies of the EU, and then has the cheek to tell us we have duty to stay in an try to reform it, however long it takes! But never mind all that, he's a charming clever leftie, so naturally the Guardianista crowd applaud him at every opportunity. Pass the sick bag.
+liar liarliar totally agree with your first sentence. How can he possibly recommend we stay in?
+liar liarliar It's way easier to turn your back on something rather than putting an effort into salvaging what good exists. Do we not all share the common goal of improving or at the very least maintaining our nations for the generations to come? Ensuring the peace of tomorrow? Give our politicians a chance to push for substantial change and reform within the EU before everything goes up in smoke? Leaving will only bring us back to where we are now down the line. Question is how many wars will be fought in-between. The EU was never meant to be more than a trade-agreement. There are no democratic protocols or processes set in stone to follow by whoever we send as representatives. We've failed miserably to pick up on this while expanding and learning that we actually aren't that different from each other. Feel free to piss that away if that's your opinion but I completely agree with Varoufakis. We need to consolidate and salvage the situation while we still can instead of wasting years of mutual benefits and experiences. Leaving each to their own is a recipe for disaster as it will eventually come bite you in the butt one way or another. Not every nation will come out for the better from a crisis seeing when the number of unemployed, desperate and frustrated people gets big enough fascist movements gain traction and form governments. We truthfully are capable of the most astonishing things while also being our own worst enemies at the same time.
+Alexander “Alex” Kjeldsen "Question is how many wars will be fought in-between" Why do you presume leaving the EU will lead to war? Or that the creation of the EU was responsible for preventing X number of wars? It's like there's some magical theory where you have a club and not being a member of a club means you have to have a war. Of course such a theory is total nonsense.
Our elected and once sovereign parliament is ruled over by a central committee that styles itself the EU commission. The same committee rules over the so-called EU Parliament, which in reality is a powerless talking shop whose functions are to rubber stamp the decisions of the central committee, and to permit we plebs the illusion of an input into the process. The calculated cynicism of this illustrates the true regard for democracy within the EU. If we stay in this ghastly club, the annihilation of democracy will only deepen and solidify as the EU superstate reaches it's intended conclusion, whereby Britain, along with other former nation states will be reduced to mere regions, and the super national government will become ever more remote and unaccountable. And if you don't have the wit to see where this will lead, I pity you. All of this might not be quite so bad if the thing actually worked. But it doesn't. The Euro is a disaster. It has wrought economic destruction across southern Europe, and is the direct cause of the rise of the far right in the south of Europe. Uncontrolled borders and and resultant mass migration has opened the door to criminals, terrorists and massive social dislocation (that will probably end in civil uprising) and is the cause of the rise of the far right in northern Europe. EU bureaucracy is irredeemably corrupt, to the point where billions are stolen each year. The EU enjoys the worst annual growth of any major global region over many years, and it's share of world economic activity shrinks concurrently. Britain by contrast, has unequalled connections of language, culture kith and kin across the entire globe, yet we cannot exploit any of these advantages because our foreign trade policy is controlled by the EU. The left opposes nationalism and supports internationalism. This has led many on the left to support the EU, but the EU is not internationalist, it is globalist, it's determination to inflict the ghastly TPP treaty on us, along with the culpable destruction of Greece is clear evidence of this. The EU is a stalking horse for global corporate capital, posing as a social/economic organisation. It is obvious that the EU is in bed with the very trans-national corporate entities that constitute the most prescient threat to human and planetary well-being. How can anyone talk of reforming such a monstrosity? Clear thinkers on the left are beginning to see the truth of this. UKIP have always known it, yet have undergone a 20 year barrage of name calling for daring to say so. Now we have such luminaries as George Galloway sharing a platform with them. Does this mean that Galloway has moved to the right? Of course not. Galloway is simply an intelligent socialist who can see that the EU promises no good to working people. Nigel Farrage is an intelligent conservative who has always known it. There are growing numbers from across the political spectrum who can see the truth of a declining and dangerous EU. If enough of us do likewise, then we will escape back into the wider world, where we will once again be a sovereign democratic nation, with an international outlook and excellent economic prospects. Or we can stay in a declining EU, with it's ever centralising power structure and increasingly fascistic tendencies. The choice, therefore, is simple: take the path of fear and diminish our nation into some sad little region of the EU empire, or grasp our courage and shoot for the sunlit uplands of prosperity, vitality and freedom!
+Alexander “Alex” Kjeldsen WRONG. The EU was always meant to be about political integration and the building of a Uinted states of europe. Jean Monnet said “Europe’s nations should be guided towards the superstate without their people understanding what is happening. This can be accomplished by successive steps, each disguised as having an economic purpose, but which will eventually and irreversibly lead to federation.” Winston Churchill tales about a United states of europe as well but said britain should stay outside it. Even the first EU treaty the treaty of Rome says things to this effect. A common market is a good idea in my view which is what the British thought they were voting for in 1975 but the EU is not what the British want to be a part of.
oh well....
Legend!
GENIOUS!
His English is amazing, wish I could speak more languages as clear as him.
The only solution was to exit Eurozone. Of course the government could resist until everybody else gave up, but this is not what they promised.
Greece.
Sure they have been robbed, too.
The solution is Brexit and Pigsexit. Communications can be upheld, and trade deals can be constructed with the EU, without being inside of the disaster. This is made easier today ( in 2016 ) because of improved tech. Likewise. Any business can immediately change currency in a mobile device, and costs for hedging currency transactions are at record lows. Yanis is wrong about what will "happen" after half of the EU disbands. Nothing will happen that hasn't already happened, but for the South it will mean a chance ( the only chance ) for a true recovery and freedom.
Yanis, where were you when we needed you most x
Even in the so-called 'Unified Europe', the individual nations are bitterly fighting inside themselves against the constant intrusion of the Brussels into their individual, state affairs. The EU has shown time and again that it will bypass sovereign desires of Citizens within individual EU states if it serves their interest to do so, regardless of the consequences. Anyone in their right mind would willingly admit that this is a dictatorship by any other name. The people of Germany, who can see what is happening to their country without their consent, are the biggest supporters of Britain's Brexit.
One of the most interesting and articulate economic thinkers in the world today. But he is wrong about the Britain staying in Europe.
Seems legit, Greek economic talent? Wait, what?
And why the free movement is only in one direction..namely east to west. Why not even east to east ? The greedy butchers.
life is urgent life is real and the grave is not its goal
Greece should have left the EU, devalued its own currency, and restructured its debt. And not starved the Greek people. Look at how fast Iceland recovered.
Iceland was not part of the E/Z, and this is essential to its recovery. Furtermore part this recovery (which is not a recovery yet) is the fact that Iceland erased most of its debt. Bloomberg reported this as _"Icelandic Anger Bringing _*_Record Debt Relief_*_"_. Iceland among other things erased all national mortage debt, etc etc. This was never the case for Greece, *even if she was to exit the E/Z*. If Greece did what you propose, it would be in *far FAR worse* condition than Venezuela today.
Varoufakis is right on a lot, but not on the UK union. It is not a question of whether the English and Welsh have a problem recognising the Scots as a nation. They have no problem with that. The English and the Welsh have no trouble believing in a British nation. This is apparently the problem for the Scots. The only solution for them is to leave the UK in that case. Then the only question is what will be their options, if they leave the UK. This is not clear at all and Sturgeon will be irresponsible to call a referendum until it is. It was not clear at the last independence referendum either.
Comparison of Blair with the previous Labour Leader before Wilson is grossly unfair to Gaitskill. Blair was and is an opportunist Spiv. THE US says it aims at a more perfect Union the EU a closer. The EURO needs to be a parallel currency as I said before it was set. Smirkel imposed on Europe a mass of people the EU officials themselves say are 60% invalid. She, Germany needs pay for all. My expert Greek friends say the Germans colluded with Greece to enter the EURO 50 years before they were ready. Smirkel and Germany needs to pay for this and all damages done by the EURO. They are the people who gained by a low currency after all. Peter L. Dollins.
I am interested to know who Varoufakis means when he talks of the 'forces of evil? EXTREMELY INTERESTING DISCUSSION💗
Man. The EU is the very definition of Kafkaesque.
I truly love and respect Yanis! Such a brilliant Economist!
I agree it always worth listening too his opinions.
And Greece is doing so well after having him? We voted to leave the EU and not Europe.
He is one guy vs. the European Central Bank and the wealthy tax dodgers in Greece.
@@ericpmoss Who wants us to remain in the EU.
What would a truly democratic and federal europe's response be to the israeli genocide of palestinians?
I don't even want to think about what state we would be in if we stay in the EU. Brexit.
Amazing! Life changing! Thank you for both for doing this. I will follow you both indefinitely! WHAT an eye opener!
Yes, have the meetings of the EU Finance ministers with the IMF et al live streamed, have minutes, have decisions published. Its like the battle for country by country reporting of profits of multinational corporations - having those made public, and there to be a public multinational agency responsible and accountable - to be got rid of if they cover up -- like multinational private corporations all ready have in their loyal private Auditor companies. We cannot act alone - I dont think.
4:40 So you were given a loan, but not ongoing loans such as to continue the fictions that 1) your public sector "output" was genuinely part of your economy, and 2) your public sector workers (and those who service them) are producing output equal to the prices paid when it was German pockets that Greek hands were reaching into. a) You were in debt. b) You were part of the EU and could sell into the entire EU. c) You can work anywhere in the EU. d) If you fired half of your public sector workers, with 3/4 of all the job losses coming from those being paid above the median, you'd have all but solved your problems. e) Borrowing money to pay for public sector "output" so as to maintain a fictional "size" to the economy, and concomitant tax receipts, makes no sense. The "output" is worthless, and it never makes sense to give someone 100 Euros of borrowed money so that you can tax them for 30. f) The fraction of your output required to make the interest payments is tiny. Britain begun the welfare state and NHS when we had debt equal to 240% of GDP and a bombsite for a country. We had rationing into the fifties. Stop moaning. The world doesn't owe you a fashionable jacket and a smug mien. If you aren't German you could at least consider becoming usefully Germanic. Get your chin up off your chest, stop whingeing and get on with it. If you'd offered to pay your debts index-linked to inflation with no coupon right at the start that would have been accepted, but the experience has been that no matter what is done you always come back with a new moan and a new set of demands.
As said a lot on this board I am glad to hear Yanis reasoning and ideas but see his 'whish' for a democratic Europe no different from the mistaken reasoning of the 19th Century socialists who thought once the masses got democracy the voice of the down trodden would prevail. Which is something he talks of in this interview as a "Matter of philosophy".I am afraid that is all a democratic EU is a matter of philosophy. Not a potential reality.
A 🤷♂️
@28:50 Since *transparency of* the plans and actions of your owners is important for improving the democratic processes which elude most, then the WIkiLeaks model is a valuable resource, hopefully temporary, for ensuring this progress.
@38:00 this would of course put Wikileaks out of business! Bravo :-)
The interviewer does a great job. He does not blindly applaud, he does not exaggerate, and he wants to know (so as to avoid), "Will *not* the shitty status quo be maintained if UK jumps in with both feet?"
Was there a "f.. you" at 5:26?
Varoufakis you speak well and you mostly speak the truth. But Greeks were deceived from Tsipras and Syriza. This is why he went from 4% to 40%. Empty promises. After the referendum, he had to resign as you did.