Mark Steyn, Call Your Office
"This book," Mark Steyn writes in America Alone, "is about...the larger forces...that have left Europe...enfeebled....The key factors are: 1. Demographic decline; 2. The unsustainability of the advanced Western social-democratic state; 3. Civilizational exhaustion." Today, four years after the publication of America Alone, the New York Times confirms the enfeeblement of Europe in every particular. Excerpts:
In Athens, Aris Iordanidis, 25, an economics graduate working in a bookstore, resents paying high taxes to finance Greece’s bloated state sector and its employees. “They sit there for years drinking coffee and chatting on the telephone and then retire at 50 with nice fat pensions,” he said. “As for us, the way things are going we’ll have to work until we’re 70....”
According to the European Commission, by 2050 the percentage of Europeans older than 65 will nearly double. In the 1950s there were seven workers for every retiree in advanced economies. By 2050, the ratio in the European Union will drop to 1.3 to 1.
“The easy days are over for countries like Greece, Portugal and Spain, but for us, too,” said Laurent Cohen-Tanugi, a French lawyer....
The news here isn't real news--Mark's readers will have learned all this four years ago. The news is that the European collapse has finally become so obvious that even the grey lady can no longer ignore it. You'll find the article, "Crisis Imperils Liberal Benefits Long Expected by Europeans"--a title that Mark could almost have used as a chapter heading, if, that is, it weren't so boring--here.
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Re: Mark Steyn, Call Your Office
Conor Friedersdorf: Mr. Steyn is absolutely right that demographic decline and the unsustainability of the social-democratic welfare state are enormous problems for Europe -- and James Poulos is right that we shouldn't be sanguine about the prospects of civilizational exhaustion in Europe.
But I can't help but feel as though the diagnosis of imminent, catastrophic failure leaving "America alone" is overwrought. [...] shouldn't we be less defeatist about Europe, and more proactive in encouraging measures capable of addressing its serious but far from insurmountable problems?
Yep, Conor, I think we should -- then again, I'm an American. Were I an Englishman, well... it's not surprising to me that so many of America's best British commentators, whatever their political stripe, place a hope in the US greater than the one sometimes we ourselves do.
At any rate, I'm so bummed out and horrified by the dark Steynian vision because it's so bloody plausible. My only real analytical departure (as you know) comes courtesy of my abiding faith in the not-so-parochial cultural resources of the French -- which at least have the potential, when precious little else does, to save Europe from another long bout of deep misery.
May '10
Re: Mark Steyn, Call Your Office
I've noticed that Conor Friedersdorf likes to criticize people that are more famous and suceesful than he as a way of drawing attention to himself.
May '10
Re: Mark Steyn, Call Your Office
Robert,
I've got a lot of praise for those more successful than myself, and a lot of criticism too. Both are the result of honestly held opinions. Since you haven't any way of knowing my motivations, I'll thank you to refrain from speculating on them going forward. But agree or disagree with me, I'll look forward to your criticism, and presume it is offered with the best of intentions.
Meanwhile, thanks for affording an opportunity to correct your mistaken impression.
May '10
Re: Mark Steyn, Call Your Office
I have spent the last 11 years living in England - Spain - England. While I understand mark's arguments and agree with his logical progression - i have difficulty emotionally accepting it.
1. A world without Jamon Iberica de Bellota, great wines from Rioja and Ribera del Duero and the best sea food (northern Spain) found anywhere in the world (including Japan) is simply too deppressing to contemplate. they also give a populace much to live for.
2. within a year of mark's book - which brought dreams of patriotic (yet tragically not realized) training programs to spur the birthrate - almost every woman under 35 in my head office in santander became pregnant or adopted from Russia/China.
3. i admit it is difficult to see anything resembling the old globe dominating society in britain today, but even Mark would admit - the brits will get pushed only so far and then have always come roaring back.
4. Societies and cultures that bounced back from the Black Death, WWI & WWII should not be written off - and have proven themselves to be amazingly resilient.
Hard to argue against Mark's numbers - but never forget the je ne sais quoi, No Pasaran (although they did) spirit of "old Europe."
May '10
Re: Mark Steyn, Call Your Office
The threat of civilizational exhaustion is different from the above three. Disease and war threaten living standards in an overt way. The damage done by both is universally undisputed. However, threats that approach in the form of erroneous ideas, particularly in epistemology and ethics, can ruin a civilization while receiving acceptance.
What would Europe do today if faced with another belligerent like Nazi Germany? The contemporary European mentality is so repelled by war per se, that the level of violence and the amount of resolution required to win a war today completely exceed the tolerance of most Europeans. The influence of postmodern philosophy and multiculturalist ethics has crippled Europe intellectually.
May '10
Re: Mark Steyn, Call Your Office
And now the immigrants are emigrating.
I hope I have my "im's" and "em's" in the correct spots.
May '10
Re: Mark Steyn, Call Your Office
Junker, I know that many Czechs tend to bemoan their fate mid-century, but keep in mind that they were one of two Central European states allowed un-tampered elections, and unlike the Hungarians they voluntarily voted for a communist majority. Not to mention that the other Czech parties were highly socialist. (Although the Slovaks were a different story). That being said, the Czechs seemed to learn their lesson better than most in the 1990s and have proven the most libertarian-minded, broadly speaking of the post-Communist states. My own experience, supported by the recent election results though sadly suggest that's changing to some degree.
May '10
Re: Mark Steyn, Call Your Office
As for the broader question of whether the US can rely on CE Europe, I'm also skeptical. While I find there is definitely a much ardent support for traditional Western values within significant portions of the population, there are also no shortage of individuals who wouldn't hesitate to return to communism. CEE politics is traditionally schizophrenic, and thus never reliable in the long run. Furthermore, while they tend to be more open to new ideas (the Flat Tax being a key example), they also face the same structural problems of Western European socialism, only without the developed economic backbone. Since they have so little immigration into their countries, the region isn't going to face the issue of Islam domestic, but it's anybody's guess as to how they'll react to the changes in the west. Turn to Russia, turn back to socialism or fascism, bunker down in the American corner? I'd say anything could be possible. That being said, what's to say that the US will even pay attention? Central Europe has traditionally been low on America's FP priorities.
May '10
Re: Mark Steyn, Call Your Office
For Karen Luttrell:
Go for it! (Them) Father-of-six encourages you.
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Re: Talented Immigrants. Just think of the talent that was turned away when people fleeing Nazi Germany were turned away! Yes, we did get many winners, but certainly lost more.
May '10
Re: Mark Steyn, Call Your Office
Um, where is Mark Steyn anyhow???
May '10
Re: Mark Steyn, Call Your Office
"Britain, exhausted by war, battered by German bombs, spent the next decades pursuing the disastrous policies that Margaret Thatcher would help undo."
And all of Margaret Thatcher's good work has been undone in the last decade by the Labour government . Britain, I believe, is in worse shape now then it was before Thatcher and I don't see things improving any time soon.
Sep '10
Re: Mark Steyn, Call Your Office
Like all good Bond villains, he is submerged beneath the Mediterranean in a Frank Lloyd Wright New Hampshire Aquatic Fortress of Solitude.