Word: maastricht
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...Maastricht is a prime example of how easily leaders can lose touch with their societies, even under democratic rule. The signers of the Maastricht Treaty sorely ignored popular opinion. Now, understandably, popular opinion is taking them to task...
...leaders' two major misjudgements at Maastricht were, first, an overestimation of Europeans' will to (super)power, and second, an underestimation of Europeans' fear and loathing of each other...
European leaders thought everyone wanted what they wanted--a European superstate. And Maastricht would have done much to bring that about. The treaty was a big step toward the creation of a European superpower which Europhiles hoped would be equal to or greater than the United States...
Secondly, the leaders failed to acknowledge how much fear Germany still inspires in Europeans. For instance, both sides in the French debate on Maastricht used anti-German arguments to bolster their cause. While the "non" side argued that France should not get in bed with a German dominatrix, the "oui" group argued that France should not get in bed with a German such "German demons" (as former Prime Minister Michel Rocard put it) could only be controlled by a tight embrace...
...highest officials of the British government have accused Germany of a "whispering campaign" and conspiracy to push the pound sterling out of ERM. They have also charged that this campaign is part of a "secret pact" between the French and German governments to go ahead with Maastricht over the objections of their European partners, not to mention substantial sections of their own populations...