European Union wins Nobel Prize for Peace

Surprise.  The Nobel Prize for peace has been awarded to the crisis stricken European Union.

Ironically, the award of prestige has been focused on the long historical role even when the panel of judges appear to be substantially concerned with present political conditions

Reports the New York Times 

Thorbjorn Jagland, the former Norwegian prime minister who is chairman of the panel awarding the prize, said there had been deep concern about Europe’s destiny as it faces the debt-driven woes that have placed the future of the single currency in jeopardy.

“There is a great danger,” he said in an interview in Oslo. “We see already now an increase of extremism and nationalistic attitudes. There is a real danger that Europe will start disintegrating. Therefore, we should focus again on the fundamental aims of the organization.”

Asked if the euro currency would survive, he replied: “That I don’t know. What I know is that if the euro fails, then the danger is that many other things will disintegrate as well, like the internal market and free borders. Then you will get nationalistic policies again. So it may set in motion a process which most Europeans would dislike.”

In announcing the award, Mr. Jagland described it as a signal focusing on the union’s historical role binding France and Germany together after World War II and its perceived impact in spreading reconciliation and democracy beyond the Iron Curtain that once divided Europe and on to the Balkans. “The stabilizing part played by the E.U. has helped to transform most of Europe from a continent of war to a continent of peace,” he said.

I have pointed out that increasing capital controls and rising political tensions from bailouts have led to increasing border controls. 

Nevertheless UK Independent Party’s Nigel Farage has a stirring rebuke on this. 

"You only have to open your eyes to see the increasing violence and division within the EU which is caused by the Euro project" he said.

"Spain is on the verge of a bail-out, with senior military figures warning that the Army may have to intervene in Catalonia. In Greece people are starving and abandoning their children through desperate poverty and never a week goes by that we don't see riots and protests in capital cities against the troika and the economic prison they have imposed.

"The next stage is to abandon the Nation state: the awarding of this prize to the EU brings it into disrepute."

Mr Farage added, " The last attempt in Europe to impose a new flag, currency and nationality on separate states was called Yugoslavia. The EU is repeating the same tragic mistake.

"Rather than bring peace and harmony, the EU will cause insurgency and violence."

Let me add that interventionism, inflationism, protectionism, and all other coming government or political –isms from EU politicians and the bureaucracy will signify as seeds to political and social conflicts. 

If social conflict should arise, the Nobel Prize would further erode its credibility.