Recently the President of the Czech Republic visited the US and gave a speech at the CATO Institute. In it, he outlined what he, believed were the greatest dangers to the handful of free nations in the world. The list may surprise some of you, one of them surely caught me by surprise.
Neostatism
He worries that the centralism impulse is strong in many free nations and is getting stronger. Here, he is chiefly concerned about moves in Europe and the US to place social democratism over the rights of individual freedom and liberty. He cites the power of such "isms" as internationalism, multiculturalism, feminism, environmentalism, and europeism as milder forms of communism. The goal of all these "isms" is to reform society for some greater goal or good of the masses.
Europeism
The move towards supra national governments such as the EU. The EU has moved from a group of cooperating nations to a pan national controlling bureaucracy. Smaller nations use their seats to change policies in other nations that have nothing to do with the original goal of opening trade and minimizing chances of war. Today, the EU operates largely on the basis on dictate, little is done by vote and the various nations have less and less say in the affairs of this supra national body. That some nations are unhappy about this is evidenced with some states opting for less involvement with the EU and the voting down of an EU Constitution. Europe is going from representative elected government to rule by bureaucracy.
Environmentalism
He identifies environmentalism as an ideology run amok. Many adherents want to change society and mankind in ways that few would likely approve of if they ahd any influence on the plans. Environmentalism as a ideology, dispises the free market, property and individual rights, overlooks or ignores the ability of tcehnology to improve both human life and use of natural resources. Environmentalism preaches a Malthusian belief in the doom of dwindling resources rather than one in which individuals can and will change life for the better of humanity. All of this based on predictions that over the last 40 odd years have been remarkedly off base. Furthermore, only environmentalism practices the precautionary principle which HALTS, not slows technological advancements in society. This belief alone would stop any further implemention of progress unless there is no chance of 'harm' to the environment. Not a 85% chance but absolute, think what that result would be for humanity and the planet.
Vaclav Klaus, persident of the Czech Republic since 2003. One of the first prime ministers and financial ministers of the nation after the fall of Communism there. Strong advocate of privatism/downsizing of government and vocal champion of individual rights.
recommend this
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 6
We need to take good care of things, but I believe in God and I believe he gave the Earth to us for our use. That's USE not ABUSE. Environmentalists and the PETA type groups go too far IMHO.
The U.N. today is far from being such an institution, but it's still the best we've got. When we need peacekeeping forces, for instance, we go running to the U.N.
It's quite silly to compare, say, environmentalism and multiculturalism to communism. Communism operated under the belief that a small elite with a special knowledge of the singular key to history could use any means necessary in pursuit of their aims. None of the movements Klaus cites comes close to believing this--they generally believe in democracy, transparency, and the right of a variety of voices and perspectives to be heard. Klaus is taking a brutal history through which he lives as the key to understanding history, misapplying it to cases that it does not fit.
Ethan G., Oct 29, 2007, 6:24pm EDT
You lost me right there.
I mainly agree with the Neostatism definition which I think is going on now to reform society for a greater good.
such things as this. Thanks for the info.