Tuesday 24 April 2012

WW2 And Communism Haven't Gone away

In the Thirties a drift towards more state intervention and an interest in communism was coming to the fore. The rise of authoritarian regimes in Germany, Italy and Russia, amongst others were the most dramatic examples. After the war, despite the evil contained within Nazism and the destruction it brought, even to Germany itself, it didn't quite result in a penitent nation. Germans, even with forced de-nazification programmes were still largely happier with Nazi control and a purge of Jews, than with what they had after.

Some of this was doubtless due to the fact that while Hitler was in power everything was wonderful at home. Then there was nothing. Germans struggled to put these things together, at best suggesting it should all just be forgotten. France, ever with an eye on the prize was looking for war reparations but didn't get them. Not only that but they too had done quite well under Nazi rule and lots of French people hankered for the day.

Communist and socialist parties were on the rise everywhere and this was not a swing to the left after Fascism, because the authoritarian is the way of the left. Fascism is more related to communism and its central planning and collectivisation. No, people were well aware that communism, in fine form under Stalin was not the way to go and yet they did. Except in Britain, where support for communism was minimal.

It just goes to show the differing mentalities; Britain stood firm whilst other European countries, primarily France just rolled over and became, on the whole willing collaborators. This then turned to a desire for more authoritarianism and the rebirth of the idea for a European superstate. It was the passion of madmen the like of which had started the war in the first place.

So it was here, from the post WW2 desire to have a planned economy, a planned society that our present distress was born. The current pig-headed approach to the Euro crisis is the same as the stupidity of the USSR and its five year plans and idiotic targets. The over-arching belief that France and Germany must run the whole of Europe, for its benefit and to do so requires the single currency. It doesn't matter how many ways you prove them wrong, they just carry on following an ideological dream.

How was Europe rebuilt after the devastation wrought by the war? By state spending, by raising taxes? No, the US launched the Marshall Plan which gave Europeans money to spend, pretty much as they liked, but to regrow their economies. Certainly the US saw some gain in doing so, but the plan was nevertheless very generous and very possibly genius. It saved Europe, without a doubt. Even at the time though, the French denied it helped, despite the fact that their nation may never have recovered without it. Some things never change.

So, the war left countries deeply in debt and with an enormous problem of homelessness due to the destruction of housing stock in addition to industry. How much did the Marshall Plan give, to kick start the rapid recovery that ensued? At today's prices, I understand it would be something like £200 billion.

Consider that and then think of the 'support' the IMF propose, the money being used to prop up Greece and Italy, Spain and Portugal. It vastly overwhelms the scale of the Marshall Plan, but what is the spending today achieving? Nothing. It is happening to support a currency that cannot work and a banking system that shows up the flaws. We are even inventing new money by printing it, to give to the banks.

We got into this mess through stupid political decisions and their effect on banking (forcing mortgages on those who couldn't afford it and lack of official over-sight) and it continues because of stupid politics. All of our problems stem from the wrong responses of our politicians to the shock of total war. Sixties architects forced dehumanising tower blocks on a bewildered society and praised themselves, until their folly was found out for what it was and some of the damned things fell down.

At least we learnt from that. The same cannot be said of politics, as it continues to career along towards collective planning and an authoritarian state, causing harm and devastation along the way. Look around you, from the Global Warming scam, born as it was of communist opportunism, seeing a chance to destroy capitalism, to the RSPCA and its attempts to seize control of its sector of society. The answer is always central control, central planning.

Time I think for some real politics, for some grown ups to take charge.


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