Us 'n' them

An interesting piece in The Telegraph today written by an academic, Dr. Patricia Hogwood, in which she draws attention to one particular factor likely to arise when the negotiations commence between 'us 'n' them'!  Of course, money and power and prestige will loom large but beneath there will be a greater gulf, according to Dr. Hogwood - cultural differences.  To 'them', we Brits appear "arrogant, insensitive and contrary", no, really, that's what the lady tells us.  I'm shocked, I tell you, shocked!

Part of this stems, she suggests, from our 'winner takes all' political system in which, by and large, just one party wins and then that party rules - absolutely.  Of course, 'just over there', election results are rarely that clear cut and various factions needs must cut deals with each other in order to keep the governmental machine running.  Of course, to us straight-up, straightforward, British chaps, that smacks of slipperiness and corner-cutting!  Dr. Hogwood puts it this way:

"For Europeans, a good outcome is one that combines as many common interests as possible. For the UK, it means getting our own way."

I have no expertise in the matter but for sure there is a latent, and sometimes blatant, dislike of Britain and the British by the Europeans.  'Quelle dommage' and all that sort of thing and one would hope for some sort of rationality in the forthcoming talks - but I ain't holding my breath!  The experts tell us that the negotiations will go on and on for years.  My guess is that they will end sooner rather than later when Mrs. May 'does a Maggie', picks up her handbag and departs.  "A consummation devoutly to be desired"!

 

 

 

Comments

[backofanenvelope]

The Europeans don't all feel the same way about us. There are the Germans who resent that we beat them. The French etc, who resent that we rescued them from the Germans. No one likes being grateful. I remember talking to a young Austrian woman once. She disliked Germans and Hungarians. Thought that Italians were dirty and the French couldn't be trusted. As for Romanians......... She quite liked the English. But we were a long way away.

[David Duff]

Oh come on, BOE, you can't just end the story there ... what happened next?

[Whitewall]

When I attended the University of Graz, Austria many moons ago, many Austrians made no bones about their appreciation for the English and even us Americans. Nice people.

[Whyaxye]

"For Europeans, a good outcome is one that combines as many common interests as possible. For the UK, it means getting our own way."

Yes, do you remember all those protracted and caring negotiations with Napoleon and Hitler?

[Pat]

Europeans are used to policy being carved up in back rooms by career politicians.
This has the effect of preventing the views of the people being considered.

[Malcolm Pollack]

Quite so, Pat.

"For Europeans, a good outcome is one that combines as many common interests as possible."

Typically smug and self-righteous rubbish. Tell that, for example, to the Sweden Democrats, against whom all other parties formed a coalition to isolate them from power.

[Whitewall]

Hitting the giggle juice again?
http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/03/30/eu-prez-vows-revenge-for-trump-backing-brexit-will-call-for-texan-independence/

[Bob]

Dear Europeans,

Please reimburse the roughly $120 Billion in current dollars we spent on the Marshall Plan. It worked for a while and kept the Soviets in check, but now that the USSR is (not quite) dead you've decided Putin is a fine chap as long as he helps you indulge old rivalries. In addition, we hope you'll understand we're just a bit suspicious of Farage's ties to Wikileaks, Marine Le Pen's to Russian banks, Arron Banks, and so on:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/12103602/America-to-investigate-Russian-meddling-in-EU.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/21/marine-le-pens-russian-links-us-scrutiny/

[AussieD]

Whyaxe you forgot the Kaiser and that was a four year long negotiation.

[Whyaxye]

AussieD, thanks for reminding me. They all seem to blend together, these consensus-seeking negotiations, don't they!

[TheBigHenry]

WW,

"... Austrians ... Nice people."

Just before blowing his brains out, Hitler (who was Austrian) vowed, "Nächstes Mal nicht mehr Herr Nice Guy."

[Antisthenes]

My many years of living in France tells me the French like us Brits not one bit. What little I know of the rest of the Continent makes me believe they generally like us.

As for long and protracted negotiations that appears what Brussels want. However their preconditions to negotiations would suggest that talks are never likely to happen. They are making demands that are tantamount to the ones the Germans made to Serbia prior to WWI. So offensive and draconian that they could never be accepted making war inevitable.

[Whitewall]

I'll bet PM May tells Brussels to "stuff it" by Sept.1 this year.

[David Duff]

Whiters, I think that will depend very much on whether the 'Euros' are determined to play hard ball.