Divide and Rule

[Chris...]

For centuries, Britain used the policy of ‘Divide and Rule’ to make Britain stronger, and those it wished to dominate, weaker.
How ironic that Britain is now thinking of using the same policy, against itself.
Putin must be so hoping for a Brexit.

 

[Danllan]

No, because we - as did many others - used it against otherwise unified opponents.

We are not and have not been 'unified' with continental Europe. And, of course, as Europhiles keep telling us, they are not our 'opponents' but our friends and 'partners' - who will, according to these same Europhiles, do all they can to make our lives difficult if we choose to leave the EU. Some friends, some partners. With 'friends' like that who needs...?

The UK's leaving the EU will most probably mean that one or two other will choose to leave and prosper as well - still as democracies and within the NATO framework - and that the remaining members become 'ever closer' and seek to expedite the current expansion of the bloc. Not ideal for Putin at all.

 

[Chris...]

Regarding Brexit; Head of Russia's Council on Foreign and Defence Policy recently said "For Russia it would be easier to deal with individual countries".

Of course it would. It would be much 'easier’ for Russia, to ‘deal’ with Texas. Than having to deal with the United States of America.
Smaller boys are so much easier to 'deal' with.

Divide and Rule

 

[Danllan]

Texas is not a country and the US is a nation-state... I would agree with you if you are inferring that the EU is trying to form itself into being a united state. (I have deliberately not written states.)

As for divide and rule being a better method for 'dealing' with - or 'controlling' - others, I guess that is why the EU initially introduced and, since, has tried to play-up at all opportunities, the 'regionalisation' of the member states of the EU. It hasn't really worked anywhere, least of all here in the UK.

But, as you wrote, 'Smaller boys are so much easier to 'deal' with. Divide and Rule', or is it different when the EU does or attempts to do it?

 

[nivilla1982]

Russia and other powers will seek to advance their own interests no matter the geo political environment the world is in. If we leave the EU we will still be a leading military and economic power. A leading member of NATO. If the EU is truly worried by Russia should it not be looking at recent Russian diplomatic efforts with Greece and Cyprus? Russian control of the gas pipes that feed Central Europe etc

 

[Chris...]

Thank you for pointing out Texas is not a country. I guess you missed my point.

Of course, Europe will eventually evolve into the United States of Europe. Similar to the USA model.
The UK can be part of that, or they can be on a seperate island nearby. Like Cuba is to the USA.

Population:
China: 1382M
EU: 742M
US: 324M
Russia: 143M

UK: 65M

 

[nivilla1982]

Quality not quantity!

 

[RobFZS]

Thank you for pointing out Texas is not a country. I guess you missed my point.

Of course, Europe will eventually evolve into the United States of Europe. Similar to the USA model.
The UK can be part of that, or they can be on a seperate island nearby. Like Cuba is to the USA.

Population:
China: 1382M
EU: 742M
US: 324M
Russia: 143M

UK: 65M

so you want to be part of a federal european superstate?

Remind me where countries coming together under a federal state has worked before?

 

[Chris...]

You say: "Remind me where countries coming together under a federal state has worked before?"
Err? UK and the USA?
I am sure Florida and Vermont and their citizens are prouder and feel safer, being to be part of the USA, and would not want to be separate countries.

Would England be stronger or weaker, if Scotland and Wales voted to leave the UK?

Divide and Rule

 

[RobFZS]

You say: "Remind me where countries coming together under a federal state has worked before?"
Err? UK and the USA?
I am sure Florida and Vermont and their citizens are prouder and feel safer, being to be part of the USA, and would not want to be separate countries.

Would England be stronger or weaker, if Scotland and Wales voted to leave the UK?

Divide and Rule

How long has the Uk been together now?

The usa has hardly any history together, slinging countries together, with alot of history to create some sort of marxist superstate never has worked, nor will it ever.

It still does not answer the question though, do you want a federal superstate? the premise of everyone lumping together to pull the same way is nice, if we were all robots, but we're not, we have different languages, different history, different attitudes and i'm afraid, it will never work.

 

[Ashtree]

so you want to be part of a federal european superstate?

Remind me where countries coming together under a federal state has worked before?

The EU!!
Managed to keep Europe at peace with itself since its inception.
Of course some of its members got bored and sallied off for a war or three outside Europe.

 

[RobFZS]

The EU!!
Managed to keep Europe at peace with itself since its inception.
Of course some of its members got bored and sallied off for a war or three outside Europe.

Funnily enough, the eu is not working, what's the youth unemployment levels now in greece/ spain italy? that's millions of people being left out on the scrap heap.

Nato kept the peace, the eu is doing a great job of undermining that, with it's pursuit for a superstate at any cost, with the backlash to this, of the far left and right cropping up everywhere.

 

[Stuart J]

Or you could say it's the EU stopping Spanish rural unemployment being 80%

Where is the correlation between the two?

 

[Chris...]

Rob: Act of Union between Scotland and England 1707; American Declaration of independence 1776
So to answer your question The UK has just 69 years more experience with political union than does the USA.

Two more things that may surprise you. EU is a capitalist based economy, not Marxist. Also the EU currently has different languages, different history, different attitudes – and no one is proposing to change the history, the culture, or for everyone to speak one language. Did you not know this?

 

[Ashtree]

Funnily enough, the eu is not working, what's the youth unemployment levels now in greece/ spain italy? that's millions of people being left out on the scrap heap.

Nato kept the peace, the eu is doing a great job of undermining that, with it's pursuit for a superstate at any cost, with the backlash to this, of the far left and right cropping up everywhere.

NATO's remit is to deal with aggression from an external source.

 

[alex04w]

Rob: Act of Union between Scotland and England 1707; American Declaration of independence 1776
So to answer your question The UK has just 69 years more experience with political union than does the USA.

Two more things that may surprise you. EU is a capitalist based economy, not Marxist. Also the EU currently has different languages, different history, different attitudes – and no one is proposing to change the history, the culture, or for everyone to speak one language. Did you not know this?

The union of Crowns was in 1603 when James 6th of Scotland also became James 1st of England. He was also Lord of Ireland. Admittedly the three kingdoms did have separate parliaments until 1707. With all 'facts' it is how you look at it.

There has of course been a civil war in both England and in the US. Maybe that is what brought about the lasting unions. That being the case, I guess we should get out of the EU now before the civil war starts there!

 

[Chris...]

Alex, I expect we can both agree that the countries in the EU have has their fair share of fighting each other. So hopefully their ‘civil’ war experience is behind them too!
It better be behind them, because I am a Brit living in France!

 

[RobFZS]

Rob: Act of Union between Scotland and England 1707; American Declaration of independence 1776
So to answer your question The UK has just 69 years more experience with political union than does the USA.

Two more things that may surprise you. EU is a capitalist based economy, not Marxist. Also the EU currently has different languages, different history, different attitudes – and no one is proposing to change the history, the culture, or for everyone to speak one language. Did you not know this?

3rd time of asking, do you want a federalist superstate, it's a real simple question, instead of waffling, i can see how the remainers have convinced themselves the eu is benign, but it is not.

Scotland and wales only start whinging about independence, when a tory gov gets in

 

[RobFZS]

Alex, I expect we can both agree that the countries in the EU have has their fair share of fighting each other. So hopefully their ‘civil’ war experience is behind them too!
It better be behind them, because I am a Brit living in France!

so those nasty french will start being nasty to you if we leave by democratic vote?! so much for keeping the peace eh, if tensions are that high, clearly tjhe stop gap has not worked and there needs to be a rethink, maybe a trading block where we trade freely together while not getting our noses in everyone else's business?

 

[Chris...]

Rob you say: "3rd time of asking, do you want a federalist superstate".
No idea what that means. As I have already said to you, I would like to see a powerful United States of Europe. Using a similar model to the United States of America. Of course that will probably take another 50 years to achieve.