So when I’m thinking about ending western imperialism one of the first institutions that is a major block is the EU. Not only does it facilitate global exploitation in favor of the global north, but it also forces austerity in Europe and my understanding is that you literally cannot be a socialist government in the EU- this is not something we can change/take power of, but something that must be ended entirely.
In terms of the current crisis, the EU is leading the charge to essentially rid Europe of all Russian energy. As someone who does not and has never lived in Europe, I’m wondering if I’m witnessing the beginning of the end for the EU and how easy or realistic it would be for countries to escape its grasp. I would also like to extend the time frame we’re looking at a bit- if this crisis doesn’t directly cause people to leave the EU this winter it could still cause it down the line. It just comes down to how decoupled Russia and China become from the west at the end of all this. Especially 10 years down the line, it is inevitable many countries side with China over the US if they’re forced to choose just 1. That’s not even including the amount of countries that are totally fucked without Russian gas. I just don’t get how the EU could maintain itself through such a crisis, a self caused one at that.
The EU is a prison for the proletariat. The countries that suffer the most under EU-imposed austerity, catastrophic policies and Euro-related economic crises are also the most dependent on the EU. Meaning, the bourgeoise in those countries benefits massively from the EU.
Corporations and governments gain a lot of subsidies from schemes painted as promoting “investement”, “research” and “education”. The economies of those countries rely a lot on imports and tourism, which is boosted by the EU free travel and tarrif-free transport of goods. Free travel also increases the labour pool, which promotes low wages.
Just look at the Greek referendum to deny austerity measures. The majority of people voted against austerity. The government was voted in on exactly this platform. But threats from the EU and subsequent pressure from the Greek elites forced the government to go against the will of the people and plunge the country in poverty.