(After nearly eighth months the HistoryLynx is still working out how to present its "prey" and manage the blog. This is the first update since Update V on May 28th. I’ve not added any new activities here but I hope that the content and links will assist you in adapting or revising activities provided in the original posts. For those who might need them, all the linked items appear as full citations with their URLs in the RESOURCES section. Also, the Lynx would like to hear from you about HistoryLynx activities and resources that you’ve found useful in your classrooms or projects. Please use the blog’s email (historylynx@gmail.com). I look forward to hearing from you.)
This post covers the following topics:
1) Iraq's Syrian Dilemma
2) Syria's Economy under Sanctions
3) Finland and the Crisis in the Euro zone
4) A Community Empowerment Project in Kenya
5) Italy's Political and Economic Woes
UPDATE: In Syria: Six Months and Counting (September 21) I reported that the Iraqi government had joined the chorus calling for President Bashar al-Assad to resign. The spokesman who was the source of this news is now repudiating that it, claiming that he was quoted inaccurately. For a brief but nuanced exploration of what’s going on see Juan Cole’s post on Informed Comment, where he points out that this supports the view that "Iraq, of course, is being pulled in different directions over Syria by its Iranian and American allies." Cole notes that in addition to the original report (now denied) in the New York Times, it had appeared in a Kurdish source (link provided but its in Kurdish).
UPDATE: In the same post on Syria I suggested in passing that perhaps economic conditions will play a large role in the collapse of the Assad regime (if, in fact, that is what happens). In Who Will ‘Eat’ Syria (July 28th) I had pointed out that losing the loyalty of the business elite--if the economy tanked–would endanger the Assad regime. Since then it is apparent that international sanctions, especially the EU’s oil sanctions are biting much harder. This week the Syrian govt imposed rather severe import restrictions. At the same time it is facing difficulties as it tries to secure alternative markets for its oil. This is covered well by Ehsani, writing on Syria Comment, in a piece that includes several links and also republishes two recent articles from the Financial Times. Ehsani, a Syrian-American businessman, has been writing for Syria Comment since 2006 and recently, he and a colleague have taken charge of it (while Joshua Landis is busy writing a book). In the meantime, at the UN Security Council efforts to draft wider-based sanctions "bumped along an old rut" (as Neil MacFarquhar puts it) in which the major obstacles are the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) and the sanctions were dropped from the resolution.
UPDATE: The European debt crisis is now in the news every day and having a major impact on stock markert swings in the US and most other markets. In Finland: The Mouse That Roared (May 4th) I highlighted the potential of Finnish politics and public opinion to nix a pending bailout for Portugal. Finland and the Euro crisis were also included in Update V. In the meantime, the travails of the euro zone crisis have intensified, requiring a much larger bailout fund (that is, by most accounts, still too small). For weeks the focus has been on Greece, and to a somewhat lesser extent on Italy and Spain. In the Finnish Parliament on Wednesday (September 28th) the Finns voted to approve changes to the bailout in a measure ensuring that the Finns would ante-up their share if a bailout client defaults (actually doubling their liability). The Finns, however, are still insisting on some form of collateral. The New York Times article reporting this vote puts it into a larger perspective and mentions other proposal for dealing with the crisis. The Finnish vote leaves seven nations still on the ratification roster. Rumor has it that this time it will be the Slovokian mouse’s turn to roar–since many Slovaks resent being asked to helping out the wealthier Greeks. This would delay the fund’s ability to rescue Greece or any debt-endangered euro zone country. See also Simon Johnson’s Economix post, where he compares the current approach to the problem in Europe with the IMF’s economic stabilization strategy during Mexico’s 1994-95 currency crisis. Johnson is a former chief economist at the IMF.
UPDATE: Just before Mother’s Day New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof issued a plea to his readers, urging them to support organizations working to improve the lives of women and girls around the world. It did much to inspire my post, Mother’s Day–for Mothers Everywhere. In today’s column Kristof he tells us what was accomplished with the $135,000 that MothersDayMovement.org sent on to Shining Hope for Communities, a grassroots organization in Kenya. What Shining Hope is doing for people living in Kibera, one of Nairobi’s direst slums, should inspire us all. Go to their website for more about Kibera and what Shining Hope is trying to do for its people, especially its girls. And the Shining Hope story is a love story, too–don’t miss reading about it.
UPDATE: Italians are getting fed up with the soap opera being staged–daily it seems–by the Italian political elite. In Aretha Franklin and the ‘Italian Street’ (February 14th) I wrote about how protesting Italian women were challenging President Silvio Berlusconi to "respect women" and respond to their complaints. Now the Roman Catholic Church has registered its disgust with a government embroiled in scandals–while the public as a whole is becoming "increasingly intolerant of the ostentation of lifetyles that are shamelessly immoral" (Rev. Antonion Sciortino, as quoted in the New York Times). On September 15th an Italian court charged eight more people were the crime of supplying Berlusconi and his cronies with prostitutes–expecting in return jobs, contracts, or other favors. The next day Parliament approved an austerity package that included both higher taxes and large spending cuts. Angry Italians protested in the streets. Father Sciortino, who has criticized the government’s failure to support programs designed to assist families in need, will need to continue speaking out.
RESOURCES
Syria
Cole, Juan. "Iraq Denies Calling for Syrian President’s Resignation." Informed Comment (September 22, 2011): http://www.juancole.com/2011/09/iraq-enies-calling-for-syrian-presidents-resignation.html
Ehsani. "Syria Faces a New Economic Reality." Syria Comment (September 26, 2011): http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=12233
Krauss, Clifford and Neil MacFarquhar. "Feeling Pinch of Europe’s Oil Embargo, Syria Urgently Seeks New Customers." New York Times (September 27, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/28/world/middleeast/europes-oil-embargo-forces-syria-to-urgently-seek-new-customers.html?scp=1&sq=clifford%20krauss%20syria&st=cse
MacFarquhar, Neil. "Disagreements at U.N. Stall Sanctions on Syria." New York Times (September 28, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/29/world/middleeast/disagreements-at-un-stall-sanctions-on-syria.html?scp=4&sq=syria&st=cse
Schmidt, Michael S. and Yasir Ghazi. "Iraq Calls for Change of Syrian Regime." New York Times (September 20, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/21/world/middleeast/iraq-tells-bashar-al-assad-of-syria-to-step-down.html?ref=todayspaper
Finland and the European Debt Crisis
Ewing, jack and Stephen Castle. "Europe’s Bailout Fund Advances in Finland." New York Times (September 29, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/29/business/global/expanded-euro-bailout-fund-clears-hurdle.html?ref=todayspaper
"Parliament Passed nearly EUR 14 Billion in Loan Guarantees." Helsingin Sanomat (September 29, 2011): http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Parliament+passed+nearly+EUR+14+billion+in+loan+guarantees/1135269593661
Johnson, Simon. "What Would It Take to Save Europe?" Economix: New York Times (September 29, 2011): http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/29/what-would-it-take-to-save-europe/
Kibera Project
Kristof, Nicholas. "Just Look at What You Did!" New York Times (September 28, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/29/opinion/kristof-just-look-at-what-you-did.html?src=ISMR_AP_LO_MST_FB
Shining Hope for Communities: www.shininghopeforcommunities.org
Italy
"Eight Charged for Supplying Berlusconi with Escorts." AFP on Google (September 15, 2011):
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5guaoR2JM30-cyEnzotCz4-93edpQ?docId=CNG.e1465939d455269e644b03f32cb36848.01
D’Emilio, Frances. "Italy Gives Final Approval to Austerity Plan." BusinessWeek (September 16, 2011): http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9POPIR00.htm
Povoledo, Elisabetta. "Quiet for Years, Italian Church Blasts Behavior of the Nation’s Poltical Elite." New York Times (September 28, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/29/world/europe/italian-church-criticizes-licentious-conduct-of-the-elites.html?ref=todayspaper
Showing posts with label Finland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Finland. Show all posts
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Update V (2011)
(Apologies to anyone who has checked this blog recently and found nothing new. I’ve been very busy–bogged down is a better way to put it--working on posts about the mix of religious and ethnic identities in Syria. I hope to post these next week. Also, when I tried to post on Thursday night I couldn't get into BlogSpot--don't know why. As the school year winds down, I’d like to hear from teachers who’ve visited this blog and used its resources. What worked or didn’t work? If you are a teacher ed student or practice teacher, I especially want to hear from you. Send your feedback to my e-mail account: historylynx@gmail.com.)
This post provides updated or additional resources for recent posts and covers these topics:
1) Ivory Coast’s New Chapter
2) Journalists on the Frontlines: Ivory Coast
3) Journalists on the Frontlines: Libya
4) From Birtherism to Otherism
5) Finland and the Crisis in the Euro Zone
IVORY COAST'S NEW CHAPTER
On May 21 Alassane Outtara was inaugurated as president of Cote d’Ivoire, opening a new chapter and a return to constitutionality (as legislative elections are expected before the end of this year). At the inauguration twenty heads of state and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon listened as President Outtara called for national reconciliation and reiterated a strong commitment to investigating human rights abuses.
A slow economic recovery is underway. Cocoa exports have resumed (May 8), a harbinger of better days to come, yet some cocoa farmers are too afraid to return to their plantations. Also fearful are many displaced farmers who grow foodstuffs are staying away others, also fearful, are fields and this means that food shortages. These fears are not irrational as attacks on returnees are documented in the Amnesty International report (see Resources).
For the country’s internally displaced and Ivorian refugees in Liberia, the immediate future still looks grim. That’s 335,000 unfortunate people (200,000 in Cote d’Ivoire, 135,000 in Liberia) in need of humanitarian assistance, especially food. UN and other programs only 35% funded, amounting to deficit of $200 million over the next few months. (2)
This week Amnesty International released a report, based on a two-months of research and more than 100 interviews conducted inside Cote d’Ivoire. Press coverage of this report has highlighted (unfairly I think) a statement by Gaetan Mootoo, Amnesty’s chief investigator, that is alarmist. According to Mootoo, "Alassane Ouattara’s failure to condemn these acts could be seen as a green light by many of his security forces, and other armed elements fighting with them, to continue" (3). I’ve added the bold emphasis to make it clear that Mootoo, despite his reporting incidents of abuse and retribution occurring after Gbagbo’s ouster--was not accusing Ouattara of ordering or orchestrating such actions (though, perhaps, he meant to imply this).
Of course, the international community needs to hold Ouattara’s feet to the fire. How responsible is Ouattara? Now that he’s president, we can say that the "franc stops on his verandah" but that is quite different from alleging that he is the instigator. I have reservations about the extent to which Ouattara has firm control over the military–which is probably taking order from Guillaume Soro (4). In any case, we all need to read the report for ourselves, not rely on brief summaries in the media (see Resources).
The report gives a detailed account of abuses occurring during the civil war or immediately after former President Gbagbo was captured on April 11th, when tensions were running very high (when Ouattara had not yet had an opportunity to exert his authority over forces acting on his behalf). Those "loyal" forces were directly under the control of military men and warlords, whose self-interest was to leverage their own positions. The Duékoué massacre on March 29th was a horrible event and the Amnesty report is justified in pointing to the UN’s "fatal inertia" as a major enabling factor. Survivors told Amnesty that they asked the UN for help, repeatedly, but it never came. Also, very apparent in the report’s presentation is the ethnic dynamic at work. How ethnic identities and the legacy of Ivoirité play out in the coming months is what I’ll be watching out for.
Activities
READ/COMPARE the BBC, VOA and Guardian articles: ASK: Do you detect difference in POV? What exactly indicates these differences? Which article is a fairer, more balanced presentation of the Amnesty reports findings?
PLAN: The eye-witness testimonies embedded in the Amnesty report are primary sources (though, of course, the original recordings/transcripts from the field are "more" primary). Global studies and world history teachers may plan now (or make a note to follow-up over the summer) to incorporate a balanced selection in next year’s lessons. If you teach an elective course on genocide, this material is relevant.
FRENCH TEACHERS: Go to the French version of the Amnesty report and select eye witness testimony (short paragraphs, in quotation marks, in Chapters 3-4) to use as a translation exercise. Introduce the topic orally or use a news source. If time permits, discuss these accounts in French.
Resources
McClanahan, Paige. "West Africa Rising: Ivory Coast Recovering from Season of Violence." Christian Science Monitor (May 24, 2011): http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/Africa-Monitor/2011/0524/West-Africa-Rising-Ivory-Coast-recovering-from-season-of-violence
Nossiter, Adam. "Ivory Coast’s New leader Takes Oath, Urging Unity." New York Times (May 21, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/22/world/africa/22ivory.html?scp=2&sq=nossiter%20ivory%20coast&st=cse
Amnesty International. "‘They Looked at His Identity Card and Shot Him Dead’: Six Months of Post-Electoral Violence in Cote d’Ivoire." Amnesty International (2011): http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AFR31/002/2011/en
1) Adam Nossiter (see Resources). "Ivory Coast: Alassane Ouattara Warns of Mercenaries." BBC News (May 23, 2011): http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13500677
2) For details see "Ivory Coast Humanitarian Response Woefully Underfunded," Oxfam Ireland (May 23, 2011): http://www.oxfamireland.org/blog/2011/05/23/ivory-coast-humanitarian-response-woefully-underfunded/
3) Mootoo is quoted in The Guardian but the NOT in the Voice of America piece (despite its title); see articles in Resources.
JOURNALISTS ON THE FRONTLINES: IVORY COAST
(For Ivory Coast see posts listed above.)
During Cote d’Ivoire’s post-election stand-off and civil war the country’s journalists in working in both broadcast and print media–on both sides-- behaved badly, according to Reporters Without Borders. After Gbagbo was dislodged and arrested, Ouattara’s supporters have turned to harassing pro-Gbabgo journalists, looking for revenge. (1)
Recently, for Ivoirian journalists there have been a few positive signs--–but troubling news as well. One newspaper that had supported Gbagbo is now back in print and others expected to reappear within a week or so. But a warning by the new minister in charge of communications, Hamed Bakayoko, in which he stressed the desirability of limits on freedom of the press, is prompting organizations like Reporters Without Borders to voice their concerns. Speaking on World Press Freedom Day (May 3) Hamed Bakayoko (the new minister in charge of communications) spoke about freedom of the press in a manner worrisome to those who value it and advocate for the rights and protection of journalists. In addition, fears aroused by incidents, such as the torching of a radio station in a suburb of Abidjan, have been amplified by the news that a pro-Gbagbo radio journalist, Lago Sylvain Gagneto, who was arrested by pro-Ouattara forces earlier this month, was then summarily executed by them. On May 24 one of the directors of an opposition daily was arrested, perhaps to send a message before it resumes publication. (2)
I agree with CPJ spokesperson that Ouattara should act quickly "to rein in his forces and uphold the rule of law" (3).
Activities
These activities are recommended especially for journalism or global studies classes.
READ/DISCUSS: Distribute copies (or read online) the articles about the predicament of pro-Gbagbo journalists now that the former President has been arrested and his rival inaugurated (see Resources). ASK: What can/should President Ouattara to protect ALL journalists?
DISCUSS: Lift Minister Bakayoko’s remarks (as quoted in "Opposition Press Resumes Publishing") and put them into a hand-out. ASK students to respond: Does freedom of the press have limits? What limits might be appropriate or not, in a crisis situation? How might what he said apply--or not--to places in the news right now? (If you are an advocate of absolute freedom of the press, stop and think for a moment how radio messages were used to incite genocide in Rwanda.)
FRENCH CLASS: For a quick translation exercise (a good "bell-ringer") print-out the this page and/or listen to the audio (if you think it’s clear enough):
"Call to Avoid Media Vengeance by Civil War Victors," Reporters Without Borders (April 19, 2011): http://en.rsf.org/cote-d-ivoire-call-to-avoid-media-vengeance-by-19-04-2011,40061.html
"Opposition Press Resumes Publishing," Reporters Without Borders: (May 23, 2011): http://en.rsf.org/cote-d-ivoire-opposition-press-resumes-23-05-2011,40263.html
"In Ivory Coast, Pro-Ouattara forces Harass Journalists," Committee to Protect Journalists (May 24, 2011): http://cpj.org/2011/05/in-ivory-coast-pro-ouattara-forces-harass-journali.php
Notes
1) "Call to Avoid Media Vengeance by Civil War Victors," Reporters Without Borders (April 19, 2011); "In Ivory Coast, Pro-Ouattara forces Harass Journalists," Committee to Protect Journalists (May 24, 2011); see resources. For incidents after the disputed election see Nassirou Diallo with Mohamed Keita, "The Struggle Contines for Power, and Media, in Ivory Coast," Committee to Protect Journalists Blog (January 2011?): http://www.cjp.org/blog/2011/01/the-struggle-continues-for-power-and-media-in-ivor.php
2) "Opposition Press Resumes Publishing," Reporters Without Borders: (May 23, 2011): http://en.rsf.org/cote-d-ivoire-opposition-press-resumes-23-05-2011,40263.html; "Pro-Gbagbo Journalist Murdered, Newspaper Hounded as Reprisals Continue," Reporters Without Borders (May 25, 2011): http://www.rsf.org/cote-d-ivoire-pro-gbagbo-journalist-murdered-25-05-2011,40345.html
3) Mohamed Keita (CJP Africa Advocay Coordinator), as quoted in In Ivory Coast, Pro-Ouattara forces Harass Journalists," Committee to Protect Journalists (May 24, 2011)" (see note 1).
JOURNALISM ON THE FRONTLINE: LIBYA
Finally, on May 18th, after six weeks in detention, the Libyan government released four journalists: James Foley, Clare Gillis, Manuel Varela Brago, and Nigel Chandler. Foley, Gillis, and Brabo had been traveling near Brega when they were attacked by Libyan soldiers. They have now revealed that Anton Hammerl, a South African journalist who was with them, was o shot and left to die in the sand. The Libyan government had been claiming that it had no information about Hammerl. Perhaps as many as 15 international journalists are still being held in Libya.
This week those just released have begun to share their stories. I’m planning a post devoted to their stories, with background and links to their work. In the meantime, if you need an end-of-year video, consider showing the James Foley segment broadcast this week on PBS NewHour.
Resources
"Journalist Foley Details 6 Weeks of Captivity in Libya: 'I Could Make it.'" PBS NewHour (May 25, 2011): http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/world/jan-june11/libya_05-25.html
Jensen, Jon. "Reporters Release Tempered by news of Colleague’s Death." GlobalPost (May 19, 2011): http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/africa/110519/libya-journalist-death-anton-hammerl-james-foley-clare-gillis
FROM BIRTHERISM TO OTHERISM
See this post: "Birther Bigotry–in America and Ivory Coast" (April 29, 2011).
In the US President Obama’s decision to release the long-form birth certificate has put a damper on Birtherism and, after a flurry of attention, sidelined Donald Trump, who won’t be running in the Republican primaries in 2012. But for diehard Obama skeptics (including a subgroup of Obama-haters) there are other ways "to other" Obama: he’s a socialist, he thinks too much like a European, he doesn’t believe in the American experiment.
My post emphasized that in both the US and Ivory Coast "Birtherism" was a strategy for putting the "not us" label on a political opponent. David Corn’s piece is a swell way to convey to students how birtherism and otherism (regardless of the subjects directed towards) are both "delegitimizing" strategies (see Resources). It also presents a critique of American exceptionalism that is guaranteed to spark discussion.
You will find the Meneimer piece a fascinating unmasking of the WorldNet Daily’s agenda (CAUTION: there is "not-for-the-classroom" language in its quotations). Here you will find a link to the short satire in Esquire that so infuriated WorldNet’s publisher Joseph Farah (see Resources). I wonder, what’s really in store for Jerome Corsi’s book, Where’s the Birth Certificate?
Labeling Obama "not -us" is not a phenomenon limited to white or right-wing critics, however. Cornel West, Princeton’s leading African-American public intellectual, has been stirring up the racial identity cauldron by calling Obama "a white man with black skin." And while West’s disappointment with the Obama presidency is fueled by West’s progressive-cum-populist outlook, he can’t resist framing it in racial terms. For West, Obama isn’t simply a mascot and puppet of the US oligarchy/plutocracy but "a black mascot of Wall Street oligarchs and a black puppet of corporate plutocrats" (1). When West explains how Obama’s presidential decisions and policies have betrayed supporters on the left, he is expressing a genuine critique (making points that we should be talking about, whether or not we agree with them).
What is disturbing, however, is West’s resorting to an insidious race card style of "othering." Whether he intend it or not, the message he’s conveying is that Obama just isn’t black enough. While Newt Gingerich might think Obama’s too far out of the American mainstream, Cornel West is saying he’s too far out of the African American mainstream. Doesn’t West realize just how broad that mainstream is? And who is rising to Obama’s defense? None other than Al Sharpton, whose widely quoted statement I repeat here:
Activities
READ/DISCUSS: Use the David Corn article to explore the various tactics that politicians (across the spectrum) use "to other" their opponents. Aslo, use this piece to raise issues about American exceptionalism. ASK: Is exceptionalism just plain arrogance? Is there a middle road, such as acknowledging what’s special but stopping short of taking exceptionalism all the way to one end of a continuum? In a World History or Comparative Government class, expand the topic by mvoing on to other cases where exceptionalism is/was a core element of a faction or party’s political ideology.
READ/DISCUSS: The Hedges’s article draws heavily on interview with Cornel West, so it presents a less filtered version of West’s views (see Resources)so it is a good place to start the discussion. The issues may be inflammatory in many classrooms. ASK: What is West’s POV? How does it reflect his identity as an African American? What do you think of West’s criticism of President Obama? Is West’s rhetoric of race justified? Does it draw attention away from his criticism of Obama’s failure to live up to the 2008 campaign’s progressive messages?
Resources
Corn, David. "Birtherism Is Dead. Long Live Otherism." Mother Jones (May 19, 2011): http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/05/birtherism-otherism-romney-gingrich-2012
Meneimer, Stephanie. "WorldNet Daily Can’t Take a Joke." Mother Jones (May 25, 2011): http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/05/worldnet-daily-cant-take-joke
Thompson, Krissah. "Cornel West’s Criticism of Obama Sparks Debate among African Americans." Washington Post (May 18, 2011): http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/cornel-wests-criticism-of-obama-sparks-debate-among-african-americans/2011/05/18/AFlGTf6G_story.html
Hedges, Chris. "The Obama Deception: Why Cornel West Went Ballistic." Truthdig (May 16, 2011): http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_obama_deception_why_cornel_west_went_ballistic_20110516
Notes
1) Bold emphasis added. As quoted in Chris Hedges (with more context); also quoted in Krissah Thompson; both in Resources. DISCLOSURE: As the mother of two biracial children (and a grandmother) I do react strongly to these issues of identity.
2) Sharpton, as quoted in Krissah Thompson (see Resources) and also widely repeated in the media.
FINLAND AND THE CRISIS IN THE EURO ZONE
See previous post: "Finland: The Mouse That Roared?" (May 4, 2011).
"Anybody who is hoping the two sides can come together and work out a plan to control health care costs should plan a lengthy visit to some other country. I hear that Finland is nice."
For a few years now my sister and I have been joking about how we’d like to move to Finland (or Norway or Sweden or Denmark) to escape from the craziness of US politics. So I read, with more than a few chuckles, Anu Partanen’s fine op-ed piece about her Finnish compatriots, desperate for visas to America (see Resources). After living in Brooklyn (New York City) for two years, she returned home to discover that her boring homeland had been transformed by the run-up to, and startling results of, Finland’s recent election. Guess her friends haven’t heard much about the Tea Party (or Newt Gingrich or Sarah Palin)!
BREAKING NEWS: Yesterday (May 25) the Finnish Parliament, after a lively debate, voted 137-49 to approve the Portugal bailout. Four members of the True Finn Party broke ranks with their leader and abstained. Soini had argued that the bailout would benefit primarily German and French banks. Since Finland’s approval was required for the bailout to to go ahead, this news should make the G-8 meeting in Deauville, France, a little less gloomy. (For sources see note 1.)
The larger context of my post on the Finnish election was its possible impact on the viability of the euro as a common currency and thus the future of the euro zone (perhaps even the European Union)--with implications for economies of nations across European. Another part of the picture is the increasing popularity of right-wing parties, such as the True Finns, how worries over immigration are shaping politics and parliaments in several countries.
With the G-8 meeting this week (May,26-27), and the ongoing European economic crisis having a negative impact on the US stock markets, Americans need clear explanations about what’s at stake. Right now the debts and budget deficits of Europe’s PIIGS (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, and Spain) are a much more immediate threat to the global economy–and hence to the US economy--than our own short-term budgetary quandaries.
A good resource for teaching this topic is Paul Solman’s "Making Sen$e" (part of the PBS Newshour web site--see Resources). His overview of economies of eight countries--the PIIGS plus Germany, England, and Poland (with links to segments on France)–is an excellent place to send students (see "Obama’s European Trip" in Resources).
Activities
READ/DISCUSS: Anu Partanen’s "A True Finnish Spring" is a short, clearly presented POV on Finnish politics and Finland’s place in the world. ASK: Why do Anu’s friends want to escape to America? How do you think living in America has changed Anu’s POV?
LANGUAGE ARTS: Analyze "A True Finnish Spring" as a highly effective piece of writing. ASK: Why do the images in her intro (and elsewhere) draw the reader in? How has she woven otherwise blunt "facts" into her essay?
VIEW/REACT: Students watch the PBS NewsHour segment (May 23), take notes and/or review transcript. ASK: What do you think the Europeans can or should do to help other Europeans? What should the US do (or not do) about Europe’s economic crisis? DISCUSS: How are the Irish and Spanish perspectives and government responses different? What accounts for these differences?
RESEARCH: Post the first comment to the PBS segment and use it as a research prompt. Students search online to find out more: What are economists saying about Europe’s austerity budgets? Individual students may focus on the policies and consequences in particular countries.
READING/NOTE-TAKING: Students read "Euro Crisis Looms for Group fo 8" (online or printed copies) and list the issues on the agenda at the G-meeting in Deauville, France, on Thursday and Friday (May 26-27). EXPAND this lesson, if time permits, to a follow-up search of what actually happened at the meeting. What issues, among those reported as significant, did press coverage of the meeting pay most attention to? (Subsitute any similar preview article from your preferred national or international news source.)
Resources
Partanan, Anu. "A True Finnish Spring." New York Times (May 13, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/14/opinion/14Partanen.html?_r=1&ref=finland
Making Sen$e: PBS Newshour: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/makingsense/
Solman, Paul. "Obama's European Trip: Comparing Countries' Debt Troubles." PBS NewsHour (May 25, 2011: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2011/05/obamas-european-trip-comparing-countries-debt-troubles.html
VIDEO: "As Obama Kicks Off Trip, How Far-Reaching Is Europe's Economic Crisis?". PBS NewsHour (May 23, 2011): http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/jan-june11/europe_05-23.html
Note
1) "Finnish Parliament Backs Portugal Bailout," Financial Times (May 25, 2011):
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6855ade6-86db-11e0-9d41-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1NT7KcTtu. For more details about the debate see "Parliament Passes Portugal Bailout Package 137-49," Helsingin Sanomat (May 26, 2011): http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Parliament+passes+Portugal+bailout+package+137-49/1135266412585
This post provides updated or additional resources for recent posts and covers these topics:
1) Ivory Coast’s New Chapter
2) Journalists on the Frontlines: Ivory Coast
3) Journalists on the Frontlines: Libya
4) From Birtherism to Otherism
5) Finland and the Crisis in the Euro Zone
IVORY COAST'S NEW CHAPTER
On May 21 Alassane Outtara was inaugurated as president of Cote d’Ivoire, opening a new chapter and a return to constitutionality (as legislative elections are expected before the end of this year). At the inauguration twenty heads of state and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon listened as President Outtara called for national reconciliation and reiterated a strong commitment to investigating human rights abuses.
- For a quick rundown on Cote d'Ivoire since the overthrow of Laurent Gbagbo (April 11), see Paige McClanahan’s article in The Christian Science Monitor. The inauguration was widely covered in international media online (search your preferred sites) or check out the NYT article. (See Resources for both of these.)
A slow economic recovery is underway. Cocoa exports have resumed (May 8), a harbinger of better days to come, yet some cocoa farmers are too afraid to return to their plantations. Also fearful are many displaced farmers who grow foodstuffs are staying away others, also fearful, are fields and this means that food shortages. These fears are not irrational as attacks on returnees are documented in the Amnesty International report (see Resources).
For the country’s internally displaced and Ivorian refugees in Liberia, the immediate future still looks grim. That’s 335,000 unfortunate people (200,000 in Cote d’Ivoire, 135,000 in Liberia) in need of humanitarian assistance, especially food. UN and other programs only 35% funded, amounting to deficit of $200 million over the next few months. (2)
This week Amnesty International released a report, based on a two-months of research and more than 100 interviews conducted inside Cote d’Ivoire. Press coverage of this report has highlighted (unfairly I think) a statement by Gaetan Mootoo, Amnesty’s chief investigator, that is alarmist. According to Mootoo, "Alassane Ouattara’s failure to condemn these acts could be seen as a green light by many of his security forces, and other armed elements fighting with them, to continue" (3). I’ve added the bold emphasis to make it clear that Mootoo, despite his reporting incidents of abuse and retribution occurring after Gbagbo’s ouster--was not accusing Ouattara of ordering or orchestrating such actions (though, perhaps, he meant to imply this).
Of course, the international community needs to hold Ouattara’s feet to the fire. How responsible is Ouattara? Now that he’s president, we can say that the "franc stops on his verandah" but that is quite different from alleging that he is the instigator. I have reservations about the extent to which Ouattara has firm control over the military–which is probably taking order from Guillaume Soro (4). In any case, we all need to read the report for ourselves, not rely on brief summaries in the media (see Resources).
The report gives a detailed account of abuses occurring during the civil war or immediately after former President Gbagbo was captured on April 11th, when tensions were running very high (when Ouattara had not yet had an opportunity to exert his authority over forces acting on his behalf). Those "loyal" forces were directly under the control of military men and warlords, whose self-interest was to leverage their own positions. The Duékoué massacre on March 29th was a horrible event and the Amnesty report is justified in pointing to the UN’s "fatal inertia" as a major enabling factor. Survivors told Amnesty that they asked the UN for help, repeatedly, but it never came. Also, very apparent in the report’s presentation is the ethnic dynamic at work. How ethnic identities and the legacy of Ivoirité play out in the coming months is what I’ll be watching out for.
Activities
READ/COMPARE the BBC, VOA and Guardian articles: ASK: Do you detect difference in POV? What exactly indicates these differences? Which article is a fairer, more balanced presentation of the Amnesty reports findings?
PLAN: The eye-witness testimonies embedded in the Amnesty report are primary sources (though, of course, the original recordings/transcripts from the field are "more" primary). Global studies and world history teachers may plan now (or make a note to follow-up over the summer) to incorporate a balanced selection in next year’s lessons. If you teach an elective course on genocide, this material is relevant.
FRENCH TEACHERS: Go to the French version of the Amnesty report and select eye witness testimony (short paragraphs, in quotation marks, in Chapters 3-4) to use as a translation exercise. Introduce the topic orally or use a news source. If time permits, discuss these accounts in French.
Resources
McClanahan, Paige. "West Africa Rising: Ivory Coast Recovering from Season of Violence." Christian Science Monitor (May 24, 2011): http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/Africa-Monitor/2011/0524/West-Africa-Rising-Ivory-Coast-recovering-from-season-of-violence
Nossiter, Adam. "Ivory Coast’s New leader Takes Oath, Urging Unity." New York Times (May 21, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/22/world/africa/22ivory.html?scp=2&sq=nossiter%20ivory%20coast&st=cse
Amnesty International. "‘They Looked at His Identity Card and Shot Him Dead’: Six Months of Post-Electoral Violence in Cote d’Ivoire." Amnesty International (2011): http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AFR31/002/2011/en
- Available as both a PDF and HTML, in English and in French(page numbers below are those of the document itself, not the PDF). English PDF: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AFR31/002/2011/en/bb769d9e-874f-442e-9454-993977a35f95/afr310022011en.pdf
- Includes a concise summary of events since 2002, leading up to the election in November 2010 and Gbagbo’s unwillingness to cede power, the escalating violence, the conclusion of the civil war (Chapter 2).
- Chapters 3-4 cover crimes/abuses by all sides, including those perpetrated after Gbagbo was ousted. Eye-witness testimony is presented throughout these pages. The ethnic animosity involved is clearly apparent--very obviously pointed out in the title). For the Duékoué massacre and abuses in this area see pp. 37-44.
- See the ample footnotes (pp. 62-65) for more background sources, context, and detailed reports (for Ivoirité see notes 6, 20).
- "Ivory Coast: Both Sides Responsible for War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity." Amnesty International UK (May 25, 20110: http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=19469
- Doyle, Mark. "The Politics of Human Rights in Ivory Coast." BBC News (Mary 24, 2011): http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13528781
- Hennessy, Selah. "Amnesty: Ivory Coast’s Oattara Giving ‘Green Light’ to Violence." Voice of America (May 25, 2011): http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/west/Amnesty-Ivory-Coasts-Ouattara-Giving-Green-Light-to-Violence-122584629.html
- Smith, David. "Supporters of Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara ‘Killing Enemies.’" The Guardian (May 25, 2011): http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/25/alassane-outtara-supporters-committing-atrocities
1) Adam Nossiter (see Resources). "Ivory Coast: Alassane Ouattara Warns of Mercenaries." BBC News (May 23, 2011): http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13500677
2) For details see "Ivory Coast Humanitarian Response Woefully Underfunded," Oxfam Ireland (May 23, 2011): http://www.oxfamireland.org/blog/2011/05/23/ivory-coast-humanitarian-response-woefully-underfunded/
3) Mootoo is quoted in The Guardian but the NOT in the Voice of America piece (despite its title); see articles in Resources.
JOURNALISTS ON THE FRONTLINES: IVORY COAST
(For Ivory Coast see posts listed above.)
During Cote d’Ivoire’s post-election stand-off and civil war the country’s journalists in working in both broadcast and print media–on both sides-- behaved badly, according to Reporters Without Borders. After Gbagbo was dislodged and arrested, Ouattara’s supporters have turned to harassing pro-Gbabgo journalists, looking for revenge. (1)
Recently, for Ivoirian journalists there have been a few positive signs--–but troubling news as well. One newspaper that had supported Gbagbo is now back in print and others expected to reappear within a week or so. But a warning by the new minister in charge of communications, Hamed Bakayoko, in which he stressed the desirability of limits on freedom of the press, is prompting organizations like Reporters Without Borders to voice their concerns. Speaking on World Press Freedom Day (May 3) Hamed Bakayoko (the new minister in charge of communications) spoke about freedom of the press in a manner worrisome to those who value it and advocate for the rights and protection of journalists. In addition, fears aroused by incidents, such as the torching of a radio station in a suburb of Abidjan, have been amplified by the news that a pro-Gbagbo radio journalist, Lago Sylvain Gagneto, who was arrested by pro-Ouattara forces earlier this month, was then summarily executed by them. On May 24 one of the directors of an opposition daily was arrested, perhaps to send a message before it resumes publication. (2)
I agree with CPJ spokesperson that Ouattara should act quickly "to rein in his forces and uphold the rule of law" (3).
Activities
These activities are recommended especially for journalism or global studies classes.
READ/DISCUSS: Distribute copies (or read online) the articles about the predicament of pro-Gbagbo journalists now that the former President has been arrested and his rival inaugurated (see Resources). ASK: What can/should President Ouattara to protect ALL journalists?
DISCUSS: Lift Minister Bakayoko’s remarks (as quoted in "Opposition Press Resumes Publishing") and put them into a hand-out. ASK students to respond: Does freedom of the press have limits? What limits might be appropriate or not, in a crisis situation? How might what he said apply--or not--to places in the news right now? (If you are an advocate of absolute freedom of the press, stop and think for a moment how radio messages were used to incite genocide in Rwanda.)
FRENCH CLASS: For a quick translation exercise (a good "bell-ringer") print-out the this page and/or listen to the audio (if you think it’s clear enough):
- "Three Questions for Fraternité Matin’s New Managing Editor," Reporters Without Borders (April 28, 2011): http://www.rsf/cote-d-ivoire-three-questions-for-fraternite-29-04-2011,40137.html
"Call to Avoid Media Vengeance by Civil War Victors," Reporters Without Borders (April 19, 2011): http://en.rsf.org/cote-d-ivoire-call-to-avoid-media-vengeance-by-19-04-2011,40061.html
"Opposition Press Resumes Publishing," Reporters Without Borders: (May 23, 2011): http://en.rsf.org/cote-d-ivoire-opposition-press-resumes-23-05-2011,40263.html
"In Ivory Coast, Pro-Ouattara forces Harass Journalists," Committee to Protect Journalists (May 24, 2011): http://cpj.org/2011/05/in-ivory-coast-pro-ouattara-forces-harass-journali.php
Notes
1) "Call to Avoid Media Vengeance by Civil War Victors," Reporters Without Borders (April 19, 2011); "In Ivory Coast, Pro-Ouattara forces Harass Journalists," Committee to Protect Journalists (May 24, 2011); see resources. For incidents after the disputed election see Nassirou Diallo with Mohamed Keita, "The Struggle Contines for Power, and Media, in Ivory Coast," Committee to Protect Journalists Blog (January 2011?): http://www.cjp.org/blog/2011/01/the-struggle-continues-for-power-and-media-in-ivor.php
2) "Opposition Press Resumes Publishing," Reporters Without Borders: (May 23, 2011): http://en.rsf.org/cote-d-ivoire-opposition-press-resumes-23-05-2011,40263.html; "Pro-Gbagbo Journalist Murdered, Newspaper Hounded as Reprisals Continue," Reporters Without Borders (May 25, 2011): http://www.rsf.org/cote-d-ivoire-pro-gbagbo-journalist-murdered-25-05-2011,40345.html
3) Mohamed Keita (CJP Africa Advocay Coordinator), as quoted in In Ivory Coast, Pro-Ouattara forces Harass Journalists," Committee to Protect Journalists (May 24, 2011)" (see note 1).
JOURNALISM ON THE FRONTLINE: LIBYA
Finally, on May 18th, after six weeks in detention, the Libyan government released four journalists: James Foley, Clare Gillis, Manuel Varela Brago, and Nigel Chandler. Foley, Gillis, and Brabo had been traveling near Brega when they were attacked by Libyan soldiers. They have now revealed that Anton Hammerl, a South African journalist who was with them, was o shot and left to die in the sand. The Libyan government had been claiming that it had no information about Hammerl. Perhaps as many as 15 international journalists are still being held in Libya.
This week those just released have begun to share their stories. I’m planning a post devoted to their stories, with background and links to their work. In the meantime, if you need an end-of-year video, consider showing the James Foley segment broadcast this week on PBS NewHour.
Resources
"Journalist Foley Details 6 Weeks of Captivity in Libya: 'I Could Make it.'" PBS NewHour (May 25, 2011): http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/world/jan-june11/libya_05-25.html
Jensen, Jon. "Reporters Release Tempered by news of Colleague’s Death." GlobalPost (May 19, 2011): http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/africa/110519/libya-journalist-death-anton-hammerl-james-foley-clare-gillis
FROM BIRTHERISM TO OTHERISM
See this post: "Birther Bigotry–in America and Ivory Coast" (April 29, 2011).
In the US President Obama’s decision to release the long-form birth certificate has put a damper on Birtherism and, after a flurry of attention, sidelined Donald Trump, who won’t be running in the Republican primaries in 2012. But for diehard Obama skeptics (including a subgroup of Obama-haters) there are other ways "to other" Obama: he’s a socialist, he thinks too much like a European, he doesn’t believe in the American experiment.
My post emphasized that in both the US and Ivory Coast "Birtherism" was a strategy for putting the "not us" label on a political opponent. David Corn’s piece is a swell way to convey to students how birtherism and otherism (regardless of the subjects directed towards) are both "delegitimizing" strategies (see Resources). It also presents a critique of American exceptionalism that is guaranteed to spark discussion.
You will find the Meneimer piece a fascinating unmasking of the WorldNet Daily’s agenda (CAUTION: there is "not-for-the-classroom" language in its quotations). Here you will find a link to the short satire in Esquire that so infuriated WorldNet’s publisher Joseph Farah (see Resources). I wonder, what’s really in store for Jerome Corsi’s book, Where’s the Birth Certificate?
Labeling Obama "not -us" is not a phenomenon limited to white or right-wing critics, however. Cornel West, Princeton’s leading African-American public intellectual, has been stirring up the racial identity cauldron by calling Obama "a white man with black skin." And while West’s disappointment with the Obama presidency is fueled by West’s progressive-cum-populist outlook, he can’t resist framing it in racial terms. For West, Obama isn’t simply a mascot and puppet of the US oligarchy/plutocracy but "a black mascot of Wall Street oligarchs and a black puppet of corporate plutocrats" (1). When West explains how Obama’s presidential decisions and policies have betrayed supporters on the left, he is expressing a genuine critique (making points that we should be talking about, whether or not we agree with them).
What is disturbing, however, is West’s resorting to an insidious race card style of "othering." Whether he intend it or not, the message he’s conveying is that Obama just isn’t black enough. While Newt Gingerich might think Obama’s too far out of the American mainstream, Cornel West is saying he’s too far out of the African American mainstream. Doesn’t West realize just how broad that mainstream is? And who is rising to Obama’s defense? None other than Al Sharpton, whose widely quoted statement I repeat here:
- This is the first time in this country that we have an African American president. He is not the president of African Americans. The problem we’re seeing withtoo many odler-minded people is you don’t want the next generation. You want clones. And people don’t have to be your clone to validate your sacrifice (2).
Activities
READ/DISCUSS: Use the David Corn article to explore the various tactics that politicians (across the spectrum) use "to other" their opponents. Aslo, use this piece to raise issues about American exceptionalism. ASK: Is exceptionalism just plain arrogance? Is there a middle road, such as acknowledging what’s special but stopping short of taking exceptionalism all the way to one end of a continuum? In a World History or Comparative Government class, expand the topic by mvoing on to other cases where exceptionalism is/was a core element of a faction or party’s political ideology.
READ/DISCUSS: The Hedges’s article draws heavily on interview with Cornel West, so it presents a less filtered version of West’s views (see Resources)so it is a good place to start the discussion. The issues may be inflammatory in many classrooms. ASK: What is West’s POV? How does it reflect his identity as an African American? What do you think of West’s criticism of President Obama? Is West’s rhetoric of race justified? Does it draw attention away from his criticism of Obama’s failure to live up to the 2008 campaign’s progressive messages?
Resources
Corn, David. "Birtherism Is Dead. Long Live Otherism." Mother Jones (May 19, 2011): http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/05/birtherism-otherism-romney-gingrich-2012
Meneimer, Stephanie. "WorldNet Daily Can’t Take a Joke." Mother Jones (May 25, 2011): http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/05/worldnet-daily-cant-take-joke
Thompson, Krissah. "Cornel West’s Criticism of Obama Sparks Debate among African Americans." Washington Post (May 18, 2011): http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/cornel-wests-criticism-of-obama-sparks-debate-among-african-americans/2011/05/18/AFlGTf6G_story.html
Hedges, Chris. "The Obama Deception: Why Cornel West Went Ballistic." Truthdig (May 16, 2011): http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_obama_deception_why_cornel_west_went_ballistic_20110516
Notes
1) Bold emphasis added. As quoted in Chris Hedges (with more context); also quoted in Krissah Thompson; both in Resources. DISCLOSURE: As the mother of two biracial children (and a grandmother) I do react strongly to these issues of identity.
2) Sharpton, as quoted in Krissah Thompson (see Resources) and also widely repeated in the media.
FINLAND AND THE CRISIS IN THE EURO ZONE
See previous post: "Finland: The Mouse That Roared?" (May 4, 2011).
"Anybody who is hoping the two sides can come together and work out a plan to control health care costs should plan a lengthy visit to some other country. I hear that Finland is nice."
Gail Collins, New York Times (May 26, 2011)
For a few years now my sister and I have been joking about how we’d like to move to Finland (or Norway or Sweden or Denmark) to escape from the craziness of US politics. So I read, with more than a few chuckles, Anu Partanen’s fine op-ed piece about her Finnish compatriots, desperate for visas to America (see Resources). After living in Brooklyn (New York City) for two years, she returned home to discover that her boring homeland had been transformed by the run-up to, and startling results of, Finland’s recent election. Guess her friends haven’t heard much about the Tea Party (or Newt Gingrich or Sarah Palin)!
BREAKING NEWS: Yesterday (May 25) the Finnish Parliament, after a lively debate, voted 137-49 to approve the Portugal bailout. Four members of the True Finn Party broke ranks with their leader and abstained. Soini had argued that the bailout would benefit primarily German and French banks. Since Finland’s approval was required for the bailout to to go ahead, this news should make the G-8 meeting in Deauville, France, a little less gloomy. (For sources see note 1.)
The larger context of my post on the Finnish election was its possible impact on the viability of the euro as a common currency and thus the future of the euro zone (perhaps even the European Union)--with implications for economies of nations across European. Another part of the picture is the increasing popularity of right-wing parties, such as the True Finns, how worries over immigration are shaping politics and parliaments in several countries.
With the G-8 meeting this week (May,26-27), and the ongoing European economic crisis having a negative impact on the US stock markets, Americans need clear explanations about what’s at stake. Right now the debts and budget deficits of Europe’s PIIGS (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, and Spain) are a much more immediate threat to the global economy–and hence to the US economy--than our own short-term budgetary quandaries.
A good resource for teaching this topic is Paul Solman’s "Making Sen$e" (part of the PBS Newshour web site--see Resources). His overview of economies of eight countries--the PIIGS plus Germany, England, and Poland (with links to segments on France)–is an excellent place to send students (see "Obama’s European Trip" in Resources).
Activities
READ/DISCUSS: Anu Partanen’s "A True Finnish Spring" is a short, clearly presented POV on Finnish politics and Finland’s place in the world. ASK: Why do Anu’s friends want to escape to America? How do you think living in America has changed Anu’s POV?
LANGUAGE ARTS: Analyze "A True Finnish Spring" as a highly effective piece of writing. ASK: Why do the images in her intro (and elsewhere) draw the reader in? How has she woven otherwise blunt "facts" into her essay?
VIEW/REACT: Students watch the PBS NewsHour segment (May 23), take notes and/or review transcript. ASK: What do you think the Europeans can or should do to help other Europeans? What should the US do (or not do) about Europe’s economic crisis? DISCUSS: How are the Irish and Spanish perspectives and government responses different? What accounts for these differences?
RESEARCH: Post the first comment to the PBS segment and use it as a research prompt. Students search online to find out more: What are economists saying about Europe’s austerity budgets? Individual students may focus on the policies and consequences in particular countries.
READING/NOTE-TAKING: Students read "Euro Crisis Looms for Group fo 8" (online or printed copies) and list the issues on the agenda at the G-meeting in Deauville, France, on Thursday and Friday (May 26-27). EXPAND this lesson, if time permits, to a follow-up search of what actually happened at the meeting. What issues, among those reported as significant, did press coverage of the meeting pay most attention to? (Subsitute any similar preview article from your preferred national or international news source.)
Resources
Partanan, Anu. "A True Finnish Spring." New York Times (May 13, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/14/opinion/14Partanen.html?_r=1&ref=finland
Making Sen$e: PBS Newshour: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/makingsense/
- Paul Solman’s explanations of economist’s concepts and theories are "super-accessible" and thus constitute a great resource for social studies classes (not just high school or college Economics 101).
- Scroll down left-side to access items specific to the world’s regions.
Solman, Paul. "Obama's European Trip: Comparing Countries' Debt Troubles." PBS NewsHour (May 25, 2011: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2011/05/obamas-european-trip-comparing-countries-debt-troubles.html
VIDEO: "As Obama Kicks Off Trip, How Far-Reaching Is Europe's Economic Crisis?". PBS NewsHour (May 23, 2011): http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/jan-june11/europe_05-23.html
- Jeffrey Brown discusses Europe's continued financial struggles with the Financial Times' Gillian Tett and Harvard University's Kenneth Rogoff.
- Transcript available just below the video box.
- Use the comment by OLYCJ as a writing/research prompt.
Note
1) "Finnish Parliament Backs Portugal Bailout," Financial Times (May 25, 2011):
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6855ade6-86db-11e0-9d41-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1NT7KcTtu. For more details about the debate see "Parliament Passes Portugal Bailout Package 137-49," Helsingin Sanomat (May 26, 2011): http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Parliament+passes+Portugal+bailout+package+137-49/1135266412585
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Finland: The Mouse That Roared?
(Here’s another Baltic-oriented post, but its purpose is much broader. By calling attention to a small country’s ability to "roar" and make the world listen, I’m making a pitch for bringing the so-called periphery into the mainstream. I encourage history teachers to use this example of a small country’s supersized ability to shape events--at a specific juncture when the global economy’s recovery is still fragile–to help students understand what we expect when we ask them to consider the "bigger picture," a.k.a. "the world historical context." For Finland’s place in the world economy see the sections on Nokia and Rovio in my ... post,"Thanks, Finland!")
INTRODUCTION
Finland held a parliamentary election on April 17th and the results have stirred up plenty of anxiety among Europe’s worry-worts, and in particular among bureaucrats in the eurozone (the seventeen countries using the euro as a common currency). All previous Finnish governments have been staunch supporters of the European Union. Until now the EU could count on Finland–but a new coalition government must be formed and it is expected to include the True Finn Party, which represents a decidedly anti-EU and Euro-skeptic bloc of voters.
The True Finn Party’s success at the polls indicates a weakening of support for the euro that, depending on what compromises it extracts during the coalition-forming process, may have a very negative impact on the soundness of the euro as a global currency. This is scary because what’s at stake, ultimately, is the future existence of a common currency zone in Europe. This shift in attitude in Finland comes at a critical time, when the terms of a bailout for Portugal are being negotiated. If Finland refuses to go along with the bailout, "the whole support mechanism for the euro could unravel" (1). And the worst case scenario (though rather unlikely) would be severe damage to the EU that might bring about its dissolution.
This election produced "a big, big bang in Finnish politics" (2). As predicted, there was a backlash against the three parties that have been running the show in Finland for decades. Since no party won a majority in Finland’s 200-seat parliament, the party with the most seats, the National Coalition Party (NCP),will need to form a coalition with parties that up to now have been in the opposition. The biggest loser, the Centre Party (whose leader is the current prime minister), had been a strong supporter of the EU. Now it will voice its support as the main opposition party. The True Finns came in third, with nearly 20% of the votes, giving them 39 seats in Parliament, but compared to their showing in 2007, this was a dramatic increase, generally seen as a sign that more and more Finns are having serious doubts about "the European project."
As soon as the election results were announced the leader of NCP tried to reassure his fellow Finns as well as the outside world: since Finns are such reasonable people, "solutions always will be found" (3). Given Finland’s tradition of conducting politics by consensus, it was hope that a coalition, based on compromises, would emerge. There will be compromises–but not on the issue of the Portugal bailout. Today (May 3rd) the breaking news from Helsinki is that the True Finns have rejected the bailout–and no way it could be modified to make it acceptable. Moreover, they are adamantly opposed to the creation by the EU of a "permanent stability mechanism" (i.e. bailout funding agency) (4). Evidently, the True Finns don’t think that jeopardizing the euro, in the long-run, might be detrimental to Finland’s national interests. (Yesterday I thought that perhaps EU and European Commission bureaucrats, as well as euro-leaning economists and financiers, had gotten too worried too quickly? I was wrong.)
The source of all this anxiety stems from the fact that in Finland (unlike other eurozone countries) the Parliament gets to vote on EU policies, including bailouts. So the True Finn Party, with its anti-European Union and especially its anti-euro position, could "roar" if it wanted–and sabotage a bailout. Right now Finland’s pledge to the EU bailout fund is 8 billion euros. The fund total is 440 billion euros ($639 billion), but that amount is expected to increase and, if Spain and/or Italy had to be bailed out, it would have to increase substantially (5). Since any bailout requires a unanimous vote, Finland can effectively veto any proposal. Already, euro countries are thinking about how to get this roadblock. One path would be a series of bilateral agreements though a consensus
During the recent campaign the True Finns said they would block any bailouts. Nevertheless, speaking right after the election results had came out, their leader suggested that they were aiming at changing the terms of Portugal bailout–not totally nixing it. The outgoing prime minister, explaining that the bailout issue is too important for any interim government to decide, announced that he would not put it to a vote in Parliament. Moreover, the incoming prime minister also pledged to get push for tougher loan terms for Portugal. Since the EU wanted Finland’s position to be clear by May 16 (when euro zone finance ministers will be meeting in Brussels), pressure was building on the new coalition partners to resolve the issue. The True Finns still intend to join the coalition, despite their rejection of the bailout. Their position is totally in line with a recent poll in which nearly 80% of the party voiced opposition to loan guarantees (6).
When I first read about the possible European repercussions of Finland’s election--that a party coming in third in an election in a country of 5.4 million–could pose such a threat to the eurozone and perhaps even damage the global recovery--what leapt to mind was "the mouse that roared." This phrase comes from a 1950s satirical novel, The Mouse That Roared, with Cold War themes that were very relevant in the 1960s, when high school teachers encouraged their Boomer students to read it (7). The "mouse" is the imaginary Duchy of Fenwick, a tiny mini-state in the Alps that gets into a spat with the United States and then, with great bravado declares war. Amazingly, by accident, Fenwick’s invading army (a Field Marshall and twenty-odd men) lands in New York and obtains a mighty bomb. Thus, a tiny country manages to intimidate all other countries into accepting its terms (the inspection of all nuclear weapons, a ruse to effectively disarm them). Today, it seems that Finland is roaring, in the context of increasing resentment in the euro zone, where economically stronger countries keen to impose austerity measures on those requesting assistance.
Here’s my general point: Whenever a mouse roars, we ought to tune in and listen to the global channel–rather than dismiss that roar as background noise. We can tune in by asking: What is the global context? What is the "mouse" trying to accomplish by making such a racket? This applies to world history, too, where students taking the AP World History exam are expected to write about the "world historical context." . Whenever historians ignore a mouse that roared or simply do not hear it (because its roar is being drowned out by the roaring of history’s lions and tigers), we may miss a critical piece of the puzzle. This is a vulnerability in the field of world history--where, in my opinion, there is too much emphasis on the numerically, territorially, culturally dominant so-called "civilizations."
So Finland is roaring now--at least the Euro-skeptic portion of the electorate. During the campaign the True Finn message was loud and clear: Stop! We can’t keep bailing out the "squanderers" of the Euro zone (8). But most of those in charge of Finland’s industrial sector don’t agree. They argue that the country’s export-driven economy (one million jobs depend on exports) could be severely harmed by another financial crisis (9). And the Social Democrats (the other coalition partner), though they too would like to modify the plan for Portugal, have a record of strong support for the EU and the euro. Thus, Finnish pragmatism may still win out–if the new government decides, however reluctantly, that rescuing Portugal is in their own country’s national interest. Of course, the two coalition parties favoring a bailout would have to find additional votes–since the True Finns say they won’t vote for it.
Another aspect of the larger context is the anti-immigrant stance of the True Finns, a party perhaps better described as populist rather than right-wing party. Although name "True Finns" seems to echo claims made by the Tea Partiers in the US (we are the true Americans, the real patriots) and by the propagandists of Ivoirité (we are the real, natural-born Ivorians), I’d rather not (yet) jump to such a conclusion . From comments I’ve read I’ve gotten the impression that it is not a party of raving fanatics (aren’t Finns just too calm to rave?). It doesn’t seem so very right-wing by American standards (10). Yet, its stunning gains in this election suggest it may be another harbinger of a European shift to the right, motivated by concerns over immigration policy, the status of immigrant communities, and a failure to sufficiently integrate immigrants into the national milieu. To the extent that Americans are even aware of immigration issues in Europe, their attention is focused mostly on Britain, France and Italy (since the influx from North Africa is in the news). But debates about immigration policies are also a factor in the politics of Sweden and Belgium, too–indeed across much of Europe. As these debates continue, they bring forward nationalistic sentiments that seem to strike a chord with more and more voters (11).
Well, if the right-wing mice raised their voices in the recent election, they were amplified by those of the Euro-skeptics (or vice versa). There are good reasons to think that much of this roaring was in two-part harmony. Just as certain right-wing voices in the US are typically raised in two (or three or four)-part harmony.
In any case the most immediate threat is to the proposed plan to rescue Portugal. Like Finland, Portugal is a small country and in other circumstances it might (or has) played the role of the roaring mouse. Alas, Portugal is in no position to roar back.
Portugal and Bailout Politics
Looking at a map of Europe, it is obvious that Portugal’s size and location put it on the periphery. Geographically, it is on the southwestern edge, a position that, back in the 15th century (when the Atlantic world was opening up), was an advantage. Compared to its larger neighbors Spain and France, Portugal is a relatively resource poor country (this partly explains why it took to the seas five centuries ago). After joining the EU in 1986, it received EU subsidies that transformed its economy.
Is the Portuguese economy really facing a severe crisis? Taking into consideration how quickly Portugal emerged from the financial crisis of 2007-2008 (largely explained by the fact that its banks had not sponsored a housing boom), it is puzzling to see what has happened to its credit rating. With a level of accumulated debt below that of Italy, why should Portugal (and not Italy) have its rating downgraded to the point where its government has had to ask for relief? And, though its budget deficit has been revised upward, to 9.1% of GDP, it is still below that of several other Euro zone countries. Robert Fishman has pointed a finger at speculation and the bias of market fundamentalists among bond traders and credit analysts (12). In any case, the Portuguese sovereign debt crisis might have been prevented (or forestalled) by an EU bridge loan but no EU country was interested in a bilateral loan. The European Cental Bank might have averted a panic by quickly buying more Portuguese bonds.
When Portugal requested assistance from the EU on April 6th, it became the third country to do so, following Greece and Ireland. The European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund are also participating in the rescue, in the form of loans, for which the estimate is 80 billion euros ($118 billion) over three-years. What brought Portugal’s sovereign debt crisis a tipping point was an impasse in Parliament, reached when a much needed austerity package was voted down for the fourth time. The Socialist government of Prime Minister José Sócrates fell and an election was scheduled for June 5th. But the Social Democrats, who are expected to head a new coalition, also accept the need for deficit-lowering budget cuts (13).
For Greece, Ireland, and now Portugal, aid in the form of bailouts is alarming because it can become a "debt trap." Tough terms, forcing a government to drastically cut spending, can make it impossible for a government to generate growth and so "the pile of debt gets bigger with every passing day" (14). If a country uses it own currency, it can escape by devaluing it. Members of the euro zone do not have this option.
UPDATE: Yesterday (May 3rd) Portugal agreed to an a plan, for aid amounting to 78 billion euros ($116 billion), with terms more favorable than expected (and less onerous than those imposed earlier on Greece and Ireland). Outgoing Prime Minister José Sócrates, pleased with the longer timetable for cutting the deficit, called it "a good deal that defends Portugal" (15). Opposition parties will have to endorse it, but since the terms are reasonable this should not be a problem. The European Union must also approve the plan, which will be discussed at the May 16th meeting. The major obstacle will be Finland, Europe's roaring mouse.
During the bailout negotiations, a critical issue was whether the donors will allow Portugal to defer the targets being set for cutting its budget deficit. Such a deferral would mitigate the economic impact of the necessary austerity measures and, since drastic cuts in both Greece and Ireland have seriously damaged their economies, there are good reasons for agreeing to more lenient terms. In addition, it was feared that harsh terms, stimulating a flow of money out of the country, would lead to the "Zombie bank" phenomenon. This has already happened in Ireland, where investers are putting money in safer external banks because they suspect that the Irish government might suddenly secede from the euro zone (16).
Anxiety and resentments over member countries debts, deficits, and stagnant or shrinking economies will continue to plague the euro zone. The governments of Greece and Ireland, although they have received bailouts, have almost no cash to spend in ways that would help to grow their economies. And there are large deficits and weak economies in several other euro zone countries, particularly Spain, Italy, and Belgium. As Tyler Cowen points out, "All the ways forward look ugly" (17). But choices must and will be made. Will those choices bring forth new growth, stagnation, or a new economic crisis? What’s at stake is the viability of the European Union.
Other Examples
Are there other recent or historic examples that fit the "mouse that roared" scenario? Finding these might be a challenging assignment for students in economics and history classes.
In the euro zone, the governments of Slovakia and Hungary are also critical of bailouts, both passed and pending. Exploring their positions would fit well with any discussion of the True Finns rejection of the Portugal plan.
A closely related topic would be the 2008 Irish referendum in which voters rejected the EU’s Lisbon Treaty, deemed critical for European integration. Since all 27 EU states had to ratify it–before it could be implemented–and Ireland was the only country where ratification depended on a public vote, Ireland’s voters had great leverage. When the Irish anti-EU faction roared, there was angst in Europe. But a second Irish referendum passed late in 2009 and the Treaty came into force on December 1, 2009 (18).
A 2009 editorial in the Washington Times identifes another credible example–this time from Central Asia (19). This region’s spinoff republics (formerly part of the Soviet Union) seem remote (to most Americans) but very occupy strategic positions. From an American perspective its geopolitics are tied closely to the Afghan war, extending southwards to Pakistan and India, but Russia and China are players, too. Kyrgyzstan is one of the regions’ spoorest countries. In 2009, when the Kyrgystan mouse roared, the big lion blinked. That lion was the US, stunned when the Kyrgyzstan government decided to close the US air base at Manas, from which the US was ferrying troops and supplies to Afghanistan. It was fairly obvious that Russia--concerned about American influence in its backyard-- was the instigator here, having just agreed to provide Kyrgyzstan with a $2 billion aid package. In subsequent negotiations the US agreed to pay a much higher rent and to call the base a "transit center" so it remained open. The Kyrgyzstan mouse, with some help from the Russian bear, got a very good deal.
ACTIVITIES
Some of these topics, such as the mock meeting, would be suitable post-AP exam projects (AP World History, Ap/European History, AP/Economics).
EXPLAIN how a parliamentary system works and why Finland’s political parties must now form a new coalition.
RESEARCH: Can you think of other mice that have roared recently? How about historical examples?
SHOW the video "Portugal Seeks E.U. Bailout" (only 2:15 mins.) to introduce the bailout topic and its importance in the larger context of the European debt crisis. Then READ/DISCUSS Erlanger’s article about "Europe’s ‘Debt Trap.’" Why are economists pessimistic about the ability of Europe’s weaker countries to grow their economies? What does Erlanger mean when he says "We have a banking crisis interwoven with a sovereign debt crisis"?
READ/DISCUSS: Students read Cowen’s article about "Zombie banks." ASK: Why does Cowen think creating the euro was a mistake? Does he make points that Finnish voters
DISCUSS news articles that link Finland’s recent election results, the Portugal bailout negotiations, and the implications of both for the well-being of the euro zone. EXPAND the this discussion by asking students to imagine how Finnish voters from different parties might respond to views of Erlanger, Cowen, and/or Fishman in their respective articles.
GEOGRAPHY of European Debt: Send students to "Debt Rising in Europe" to do map work or answer questions based on this set of interactive maps (see Resources). Begin by having students use Map 1 to make two lists: 1) EU countries in euro zone; 2) EU countries not in the euro zone.
RESEARCH: Students (individually or in small groups) research the economic health of countries that are key players in the European debt crisis, their policy options with respect to bailouts, include the option of remaining or exiting the euro zone. Then hold a mock meeting of the European Commission in Brussels, with students representing different countries, to discuss policy issues and options.
RESOURCES: FINLAND
Helsingin Sanomat-- International Edition: http://www.hs.fi/english/
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/True+Finns+reject+Portugal+bailout+/1135265848625
"Poll: Portugal Bailout Splits Finns." Helsingin Sanomat (May 3, 2011):
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Poll+Portugal+bailout+splits+Finns/1135265848718
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13107620
"Truly Amazing." The Economist (April 18, 2011): http://www.economist.com/blogs/newsbook/2011/04/finlands_election
"A Suomi Shake-Up." The Economist (April 20, 2011): http://www.economist.com/node/18587287
"Eurosceptic Parties Make Gains in Finland." news24 (April 18, 2011):
http://www.news24.com/World/News/Eurosceptic-parties-make-gains-in-Finland-20110418#
"Finland Leads Rise of the Fair Right Across the EU."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/8458477/Finland-leads-rise-of-the-far-right-across-the-EU.html
Daley, Suzanne and James Kanter. "Finland’s Turn to the Right Sends Shivers Through Euro Zone." New York Times (April 21, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/22/world/europe/22finland.html?ref=europeansovereigndebtcrisis
FEATURE FILM DVD: "The Mouse That Roared." (Walter Shenson; Jack Arnold; Roger MacDougall; Stanley Mann; Peter Sellers). Culver City, CA: Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, 2002, 2003. (Also check the Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com)
RESOURCES: EURO ZONE AND THE PORTUGAL BAILOUT
European Commission: Home: http://ec.europa.eu/
English Welcome: http://ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm
International Monetary Fund: http://www.imf.org
European Center for International Political Economy: http://www.ecipe.org/
Times Topics: Euro: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/c/currency/euro/index.html?scp=3&sq=cowen%20euro%20vs%20invasion%20zombie&st=cse
Times Topics: European Sovereign Debt Crisis (2010-)
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/e/european_sovereign_debt_crisis/index.html?scp=2&sq=cowen%20zombie%20banks&st=cse
VIDEO: "Portugal Seeks E.U. Bailout." Reuters Business (2:15 mins). New York Times (April 7, 2011): http://video.nytimes.com/video/2011/04/07/business/100000000763313/portugal-seeks-eu-bailout.html?scp=2&sq=portugal%20bailout&st=cse
NYT INTERACTIVE: "Debt Rising in Europe." New York Times (December 20, 2011):
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/04/06/business/global/european-debt-map.html?ref=global-home
Erlanger, Steven. "In Portugal Crisis, Worries on Europe’s ‘Debt Trap,’" New York Times (April 8): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/09/world/europe/09portugal.html?scp=1&sq=erlanger%20debt%20trap&st=cse
Minder, Raphael. "Bailout for Portugal Will Put Politicans in a Vise." New York Times (April 10, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/11/business/global/11iht-bailout11.html?scp=2&sq=minder%20bailout%20vise&st=cse
Cowen, Tyler. "Euro vs. Invasion of the Zombie Banks." New York Times (April 16, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/business/17view.html?scp=1&sq=cowen%20zombie%20banks&st=cse
Armitstead, Louise. "Finland Leads Rise of the Far Right Across the EU." The Telegraph (April 18, 2011):
"Bailout May Ease Portugal Budget Targets, No Consensus Yet." Reuters (May 2, 2011):
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/02/portugal-bailout-idUSLDE7410U420110502
Shorto, Russell. " Marine Le Pen, France’s (Kinder, Gentler) Extremist."
New York Times Magazine (May 1, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/01/magazine/mag-01LePen-t.html?scp=2&sq=shorto%20russell&st=cse:
NOTES
1) Fredrik Erixon, director of the European Center for International Political Economy, as quote in Suzanne Daley and James Kanter, "Finland’s Turn to Right Sends Shivers" (April 21, 2011): see Resources.
2) Jan Sunderland (University of Helsink), as quoted in Louise Armitstead, "Finland Leads Rise of the Far Right," Telegraph (April 18, 2011): see Resources. Confirmed by the observation that it is "a watershed moment in Finnish politics" (news24). To make this post more accessible to students (who might be overwhelmed by too many names) I refer to political parties rather than their leaders. Timo Soini, head of the True Finns, is described as charismatic and fairly moderate relative to others in the party.
3) Quoted in news24 (April 18, 2011): see Resources.
4) "True Finns Reject Portugal Bailout," Helsingin Sanomat (May 3, 2011): see Resources.
5) "Political Situation in Finland Problematic for EU," Helsingin Sanomat (May 3, 2011):
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Political+situation+in+Finland+problematic+for+EU/1135265848913
6) Terhi Kinnunen, "Finland PM-Elect Says 5 Days to Decide On Portugal," Reuters (April 29, 2011): See "Poll: Portugal Bailout Splits Finns," Helsingin Sanomat (May 3, 2011): see Resources.
7) Leonard Wibberley, The Mouse That Roared (Boston: Little, Brown, 1955). Used paperback editions are still widely available. Translated into Korean (2005, 2010 editions) and Romanian (2009) according to information at www.worldcat.org. DVD of the 1959 movie (see Resources). Also check public libraries for older VHS videotapes (early 1990s). Christopher Segal, The Mouse That Roared (1963), a stage adaptation of the original novel, appears in searches and bibliographies.
8) See news24 (April 18, 2011); also Armitstead, Telegraph (April 18, 2011); see Resources
9) See news24 (note 3).
10) See Historylynx post, "Birther Bigotry–in American and Ivory Coast" (April 29, 2011). Also based on reading online comments, especially on Armitstead, Telegraph (April 18, 2011).
11) Armitstead, Telegraph (April 18, 2011); Daley and Kanter, "Finland’s Trun to Right," New York Times (April 21, 2011); Russell Shorto, " Marine Le Pen, France’s (Kinder, Gentler) Extremist," New York Times Magazine (May 1, 2011); see Resources.
12) For comparative data, based on 2009 figures, see "Debt Rising in Europe" (esp. Maps 2, 5, 6), New York Times (December 20, 2010): see NYT INTERACTIVE in Resources. Steven Erlanger, "In Portugal Crisis, Worries on Europe’s ‘Debt Trap,’" New York Times (April 8); Robert Fishman, "Portugal’s Unnecessary Bailout," New York Times (April 12, 2011); also David R. Cameron’s letter-to-the-editor rejoinder to Fishman, New York Times (April 18, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/19/opinion/l19portugal.html?ref=europeansovereigndebtcrisis; see Resources
13) Raphael Minder, "Bailout for Portugal," New York Times (April 10, 2011):http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/11/business/global/11iht-bailout11.html?scp=13&sq=minder%20portugal&st=cse
14) Erlanger (see note 12).
15) Raphael Minder, "Portugal Agrees to a $116 Billion Bailout," New York Times (May 3, 2011):
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/04/business/global/04portugal.html?scp=1&sq=minder%20portugal&st=cse
16) Tyler Cowen, "Euro vs. Invasion of the Zombie Banks," New York Times (April 16, 2011); see Resources.
17) See note 16).
18) Tom Peterkin, "EU Referendum: Ireland Rejects Lisbon Treaty," Telegraph (June 2008, 2010): http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/2122654/EU-referendum-Ireland-rejects-Lisbon-Treaty.html
19) "Editorial: The Mouse That Roared," Washington Times (February 11, 2009): http://www.washingtontime.com/news/2009/fed/11/the-mouse-that-roared; "In Reversal, Kyrgyzstan Won't Close a U.S. Base," New York Times (June 23, 2009):
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/world/asia/24base.html?ref=transitcenteratmanaskyrgyzstan
INTRODUCTION
Finland held a parliamentary election on April 17th and the results have stirred up plenty of anxiety among Europe’s worry-worts, and in particular among bureaucrats in the eurozone (the seventeen countries using the euro as a common currency). All previous Finnish governments have been staunch supporters of the European Union. Until now the EU could count on Finland–but a new coalition government must be formed and it is expected to include the True Finn Party, which represents a decidedly anti-EU and Euro-skeptic bloc of voters.
The True Finn Party’s success at the polls indicates a weakening of support for the euro that, depending on what compromises it extracts during the coalition-forming process, may have a very negative impact on the soundness of the euro as a global currency. This is scary because what’s at stake, ultimately, is the future existence of a common currency zone in Europe. This shift in attitude in Finland comes at a critical time, when the terms of a bailout for Portugal are being negotiated. If Finland refuses to go along with the bailout, "the whole support mechanism for the euro could unravel" (1). And the worst case scenario (though rather unlikely) would be severe damage to the EU that might bring about its dissolution.
This election produced "a big, big bang in Finnish politics" (2). As predicted, there was a backlash against the three parties that have been running the show in Finland for decades. Since no party won a majority in Finland’s 200-seat parliament, the party with the most seats, the National Coalition Party (NCP),will need to form a coalition with parties that up to now have been in the opposition. The biggest loser, the Centre Party (whose leader is the current prime minister), had been a strong supporter of the EU. Now it will voice its support as the main opposition party. The True Finns came in third, with nearly 20% of the votes, giving them 39 seats in Parliament, but compared to their showing in 2007, this was a dramatic increase, generally seen as a sign that more and more Finns are having serious doubts about "the European project."
As soon as the election results were announced the leader of NCP tried to reassure his fellow Finns as well as the outside world: since Finns are such reasonable people, "solutions always will be found" (3). Given Finland’s tradition of conducting politics by consensus, it was hope that a coalition, based on compromises, would emerge. There will be compromises–but not on the issue of the Portugal bailout. Today (May 3rd) the breaking news from Helsinki is that the True Finns have rejected the bailout–and no way it could be modified to make it acceptable. Moreover, they are adamantly opposed to the creation by the EU of a "permanent stability mechanism" (i.e. bailout funding agency) (4). Evidently, the True Finns don’t think that jeopardizing the euro, in the long-run, might be detrimental to Finland’s national interests. (Yesterday I thought that perhaps EU and European Commission bureaucrats, as well as euro-leaning economists and financiers, had gotten too worried too quickly? I was wrong.)
The source of all this anxiety stems from the fact that in Finland (unlike other eurozone countries) the Parliament gets to vote on EU policies, including bailouts. So the True Finn Party, with its anti-European Union and especially its anti-euro position, could "roar" if it wanted–and sabotage a bailout. Right now Finland’s pledge to the EU bailout fund is 8 billion euros. The fund total is 440 billion euros ($639 billion), but that amount is expected to increase and, if Spain and/or Italy had to be bailed out, it would have to increase substantially (5). Since any bailout requires a unanimous vote, Finland can effectively veto any proposal. Already, euro countries are thinking about how to get this roadblock. One path would be a series of bilateral agreements though a consensus
During the recent campaign the True Finns said they would block any bailouts. Nevertheless, speaking right after the election results had came out, their leader suggested that they were aiming at changing the terms of Portugal bailout–not totally nixing it. The outgoing prime minister, explaining that the bailout issue is too important for any interim government to decide, announced that he would not put it to a vote in Parliament. Moreover, the incoming prime minister also pledged to get push for tougher loan terms for Portugal. Since the EU wanted Finland’s position to be clear by May 16 (when euro zone finance ministers will be meeting in Brussels), pressure was building on the new coalition partners to resolve the issue. The True Finns still intend to join the coalition, despite their rejection of the bailout. Their position is totally in line with a recent poll in which nearly 80% of the party voiced opposition to loan guarantees (6).
When I first read about the possible European repercussions of Finland’s election--that a party coming in third in an election in a country of 5.4 million–could pose such a threat to the eurozone and perhaps even damage the global recovery--what leapt to mind was "the mouse that roared." This phrase comes from a 1950s satirical novel, The Mouse That Roared, with Cold War themes that were very relevant in the 1960s, when high school teachers encouraged their Boomer students to read it (7). The "mouse" is the imaginary Duchy of Fenwick, a tiny mini-state in the Alps that gets into a spat with the United States and then, with great bravado declares war. Amazingly, by accident, Fenwick’s invading army (a Field Marshall and twenty-odd men) lands in New York and obtains a mighty bomb. Thus, a tiny country manages to intimidate all other countries into accepting its terms (the inspection of all nuclear weapons, a ruse to effectively disarm them). Today, it seems that Finland is roaring, in the context of increasing resentment in the euro zone, where economically stronger countries keen to impose austerity measures on those requesting assistance.
Here’s my general point: Whenever a mouse roars, we ought to tune in and listen to the global channel–rather than dismiss that roar as background noise. We can tune in by asking: What is the global context? What is the "mouse" trying to accomplish by making such a racket? This applies to world history, too, where students taking the AP World History exam are expected to write about the "world historical context." . Whenever historians ignore a mouse that roared or simply do not hear it (because its roar is being drowned out by the roaring of history’s lions and tigers), we may miss a critical piece of the puzzle. This is a vulnerability in the field of world history--where, in my opinion, there is too much emphasis on the numerically, territorially, culturally dominant so-called "civilizations."
So Finland is roaring now--at least the Euro-skeptic portion of the electorate. During the campaign the True Finn message was loud and clear: Stop! We can’t keep bailing out the "squanderers" of the Euro zone (8). But most of those in charge of Finland’s industrial sector don’t agree. They argue that the country’s export-driven economy (one million jobs depend on exports) could be severely harmed by another financial crisis (9). And the Social Democrats (the other coalition partner), though they too would like to modify the plan for Portugal, have a record of strong support for the EU and the euro. Thus, Finnish pragmatism may still win out–if the new government decides, however reluctantly, that rescuing Portugal is in their own country’s national interest. Of course, the two coalition parties favoring a bailout would have to find additional votes–since the True Finns say they won’t vote for it.
Another aspect of the larger context is the anti-immigrant stance of the True Finns, a party perhaps better described as populist rather than right-wing party. Although name "True Finns" seems to echo claims made by the Tea Partiers in the US (we are the true Americans, the real patriots) and by the propagandists of Ivoirité (we are the real, natural-born Ivorians), I’d rather not (yet) jump to such a conclusion . From comments I’ve read I’ve gotten the impression that it is not a party of raving fanatics (aren’t Finns just too calm to rave?). It doesn’t seem so very right-wing by American standards (10). Yet, its stunning gains in this election suggest it may be another harbinger of a European shift to the right, motivated by concerns over immigration policy, the status of immigrant communities, and a failure to sufficiently integrate immigrants into the national milieu. To the extent that Americans are even aware of immigration issues in Europe, their attention is focused mostly on Britain, France and Italy (since the influx from North Africa is in the news). But debates about immigration policies are also a factor in the politics of Sweden and Belgium, too–indeed across much of Europe. As these debates continue, they bring forward nationalistic sentiments that seem to strike a chord with more and more voters (11).
Well, if the right-wing mice raised their voices in the recent election, they were amplified by those of the Euro-skeptics (or vice versa). There are good reasons to think that much of this roaring was in two-part harmony. Just as certain right-wing voices in the US are typically raised in two (or three or four)-part harmony.
In any case the most immediate threat is to the proposed plan to rescue Portugal. Like Finland, Portugal is a small country and in other circumstances it might (or has) played the role of the roaring mouse. Alas, Portugal is in no position to roar back.
Portugal and Bailout Politics
Looking at a map of Europe, it is obvious that Portugal’s size and location put it on the periphery. Geographically, it is on the southwestern edge, a position that, back in the 15th century (when the Atlantic world was opening up), was an advantage. Compared to its larger neighbors Spain and France, Portugal is a relatively resource poor country (this partly explains why it took to the seas five centuries ago). After joining the EU in 1986, it received EU subsidies that transformed its economy.
Is the Portuguese economy really facing a severe crisis? Taking into consideration how quickly Portugal emerged from the financial crisis of 2007-2008 (largely explained by the fact that its banks had not sponsored a housing boom), it is puzzling to see what has happened to its credit rating. With a level of accumulated debt below that of Italy, why should Portugal (and not Italy) have its rating downgraded to the point where its government has had to ask for relief? And, though its budget deficit has been revised upward, to 9.1% of GDP, it is still below that of several other Euro zone countries. Robert Fishman has pointed a finger at speculation and the bias of market fundamentalists among bond traders and credit analysts (12). In any case, the Portuguese sovereign debt crisis might have been prevented (or forestalled) by an EU bridge loan but no EU country was interested in a bilateral loan. The European Cental Bank might have averted a panic by quickly buying more Portuguese bonds.
When Portugal requested assistance from the EU on April 6th, it became the third country to do so, following Greece and Ireland. The European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund are also participating in the rescue, in the form of loans, for which the estimate is 80 billion euros ($118 billion) over three-years. What brought Portugal’s sovereign debt crisis a tipping point was an impasse in Parliament, reached when a much needed austerity package was voted down for the fourth time. The Socialist government of Prime Minister José Sócrates fell and an election was scheduled for June 5th. But the Social Democrats, who are expected to head a new coalition, also accept the need for deficit-lowering budget cuts (13).
For Greece, Ireland, and now Portugal, aid in the form of bailouts is alarming because it can become a "debt trap." Tough terms, forcing a government to drastically cut spending, can make it impossible for a government to generate growth and so "the pile of debt gets bigger with every passing day" (14). If a country uses it own currency, it can escape by devaluing it. Members of the euro zone do not have this option.
UPDATE: Yesterday (May 3rd) Portugal agreed to an a plan, for aid amounting to 78 billion euros ($116 billion), with terms more favorable than expected (and less onerous than those imposed earlier on Greece and Ireland). Outgoing Prime Minister José Sócrates, pleased with the longer timetable for cutting the deficit, called it "a good deal that defends Portugal" (15). Opposition parties will have to endorse it, but since the terms are reasonable this should not be a problem. The European Union must also approve the plan, which will be discussed at the May 16th meeting. The major obstacle will be Finland, Europe's roaring mouse.
During the bailout negotiations, a critical issue was whether the donors will allow Portugal to defer the targets being set for cutting its budget deficit. Such a deferral would mitigate the economic impact of the necessary austerity measures and, since drastic cuts in both Greece and Ireland have seriously damaged their economies, there are good reasons for agreeing to more lenient terms. In addition, it was feared that harsh terms, stimulating a flow of money out of the country, would lead to the "Zombie bank" phenomenon. This has already happened in Ireland, where investers are putting money in safer external banks because they suspect that the Irish government might suddenly secede from the euro zone (16).
Anxiety and resentments over member countries debts, deficits, and stagnant or shrinking economies will continue to plague the euro zone. The governments of Greece and Ireland, although they have received bailouts, have almost no cash to spend in ways that would help to grow their economies. And there are large deficits and weak economies in several other euro zone countries, particularly Spain, Italy, and Belgium. As Tyler Cowen points out, "All the ways forward look ugly" (17). But choices must and will be made. Will those choices bring forth new growth, stagnation, or a new economic crisis? What’s at stake is the viability of the European Union.
Other Examples
Are there other recent or historic examples that fit the "mouse that roared" scenario? Finding these might be a challenging assignment for students in economics and history classes.
In the euro zone, the governments of Slovakia and Hungary are also critical of bailouts, both passed and pending. Exploring their positions would fit well with any discussion of the True Finns rejection of the Portugal plan.
A closely related topic would be the 2008 Irish referendum in which voters rejected the EU’s Lisbon Treaty, deemed critical for European integration. Since all 27 EU states had to ratify it–before it could be implemented–and Ireland was the only country where ratification depended on a public vote, Ireland’s voters had great leverage. When the Irish anti-EU faction roared, there was angst in Europe. But a second Irish referendum passed late in 2009 and the Treaty came into force on December 1, 2009 (18).
A 2009 editorial in the Washington Times identifes another credible example–this time from Central Asia (19). This region’s spinoff republics (formerly part of the Soviet Union) seem remote (to most Americans) but very occupy strategic positions. From an American perspective its geopolitics are tied closely to the Afghan war, extending southwards to Pakistan and India, but Russia and China are players, too. Kyrgyzstan is one of the regions’ spoorest countries. In 2009, when the Kyrgystan mouse roared, the big lion blinked. That lion was the US, stunned when the Kyrgyzstan government decided to close the US air base at Manas, from which the US was ferrying troops and supplies to Afghanistan. It was fairly obvious that Russia--concerned about American influence in its backyard-- was the instigator here, having just agreed to provide Kyrgyzstan with a $2 billion aid package. In subsequent negotiations the US agreed to pay a much higher rent and to call the base a "transit center" so it remained open. The Kyrgyzstan mouse, with some help from the Russian bear, got a very good deal.
ACTIVITIES
Some of these topics, such as the mock meeting, would be suitable post-AP exam projects (AP World History, Ap/European History, AP/Economics).
EXPLAIN how a parliamentary system works and why Finland’s political parties must now form a new coalition.
RESEARCH: Can you think of other mice that have roared recently? How about historical examples?
SHOW the video "Portugal Seeks E.U. Bailout" (only 2:15 mins.) to introduce the bailout topic and its importance in the larger context of the European debt crisis. Then READ/DISCUSS Erlanger’s article about "Europe’s ‘Debt Trap.’" Why are economists pessimistic about the ability of Europe’s weaker countries to grow their economies? What does Erlanger mean when he says "We have a banking crisis interwoven with a sovereign debt crisis"?
READ/DISCUSS: Students read Cowen’s article about "Zombie banks." ASK: Why does Cowen think creating the euro was a mistake? Does he make points that Finnish voters
DISCUSS news articles that link Finland’s recent election results, the Portugal bailout negotiations, and the implications of both for the well-being of the euro zone. EXPAND the this discussion by asking students to imagine how Finnish voters from different parties might respond to views of Erlanger, Cowen, and/or Fishman in their respective articles.
GEOGRAPHY of European Debt: Send students to "Debt Rising in Europe" to do map work or answer questions based on this set of interactive maps (see Resources). Begin by having students use Map 1 to make two lists: 1) EU countries in euro zone; 2) EU countries not in the euro zone.
RESEARCH: Students (individually or in small groups) research the economic health of countries that are key players in the European debt crisis, their policy options with respect to bailouts, include the option of remaining or exiting the euro zone. Then hold a mock meeting of the European Commission in Brussels, with students representing different countries, to discuss policy issues and options.
RESOURCES: FINLAND
Helsingin Sanomat-- International Edition: http://www.hs.fi/english/
- Short, easy to read news articles–in English
- Archive is excellent resource for all kinds of information about Finland!
- Click "Old Archive" and go back to 2000, then "Old Daily Archive to go back to September 14, 1999
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/True+Finns+reject+Portugal+bailout+/1135265848625
"Poll: Portugal Bailout Splits Finns." Helsingin Sanomat (May 3, 2011):
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Poll+Portugal+bailout+splits+Finns/1135265848718
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13107620
"Truly Amazing." The Economist (April 18, 2011): http://www.economist.com/blogs/newsbook/2011/04/finlands_election
"A Suomi Shake-Up." The Economist (April 20, 2011): http://www.economist.com/node/18587287
"Eurosceptic Parties Make Gains in Finland." news24 (April 18, 2011):
http://www.news24.com/World/News/Eurosceptic-parties-make-gains-in-Finland-20110418#
"Finland Leads Rise of the Fair Right Across the EU."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/8458477/Finland-leads-rise-of-the-far-right-across-the-EU.html
- Recommended for its SIX links to other articles about the European debt crisis
- Link to blog of Carl Bildt (Sweden’s foreign minister)
Daley, Suzanne and James Kanter. "Finland’s Turn to the Right Sends Shivers Through Euro Zone." New York Times (April 21, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/22/world/europe/22finland.html?ref=europeansovereigndebtcrisis
FEATURE FILM DVD: "The Mouse That Roared." (Walter Shenson; Jack Arnold; Roger MacDougall; Stanley Mann; Peter Sellers). Culver City, CA: Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, 2002, 2003. (Also check the Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com)
RESOURCES: EURO ZONE AND THE PORTUGAL BAILOUT
European Commission: Home: http://ec.europa.eu/
English Welcome: http://ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm
International Monetary Fund: http://www.imf.org
European Center for International Political Economy: http://www.ecipe.org/
Times Topics: Euro: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/c/currency/euro/index.html?scp=3&sq=cowen%20euro%20vs%20invasion%20zombie&st=cse
Times Topics: European Sovereign Debt Crisis (2010-)
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/e/european_sovereign_debt_crisis/index.html?scp=2&sq=cowen%20zombie%20banks&st=cse
VIDEO: "Portugal Seeks E.U. Bailout." Reuters Business (2:15 mins). New York Times (April 7, 2011): http://video.nytimes.com/video/2011/04/07/business/100000000763313/portugal-seeks-eu-bailout.html?scp=2&sq=portugal%20bailout&st=cse
NYT INTERACTIVE: "Debt Rising in Europe." New York Times (December 20, 2011):
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/04/06/business/global/european-debt-map.html?ref=global-home
Erlanger, Steven. "In Portugal Crisis, Worries on Europe’s ‘Debt Trap,’" New York Times (April 8): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/09/world/europe/09portugal.html?scp=1&sq=erlanger%20debt%20trap&st=cse
Minder, Raphael. "Bailout for Portugal Will Put Politicans in a Vise." New York Times (April 10, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/11/business/global/11iht-bailout11.html?scp=2&sq=minder%20bailout%20vise&st=cse
Cowen, Tyler. "Euro vs. Invasion of the Zombie Banks." New York Times (April 16, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/business/17view.html?scp=1&sq=cowen%20zombie%20banks&st=cse
Armitstead, Louise. "Finland Leads Rise of the Far Right Across the EU." The Telegraph (April 18, 2011):
"Bailout May Ease Portugal Budget Targets, No Consensus Yet." Reuters (May 2, 2011):
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/02/portugal-bailout-idUSLDE7410U420110502
Shorto, Russell. " Marine Le Pen, France’s (Kinder, Gentler) Extremist."
New York Times Magazine (May 1, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/01/magazine/mag-01LePen-t.html?scp=2&sq=shorto%20russell&st=cse:
NOTES
1) Fredrik Erixon, director of the European Center for International Political Economy, as quote in Suzanne Daley and James Kanter, "Finland’s Turn to Right Sends Shivers" (April 21, 2011): see Resources.
2) Jan Sunderland (University of Helsink), as quoted in Louise Armitstead, "Finland Leads Rise of the Far Right," Telegraph (April 18, 2011): see Resources. Confirmed by the observation that it is "a watershed moment in Finnish politics" (news24). To make this post more accessible to students (who might be overwhelmed by too many names) I refer to political parties rather than their leaders. Timo Soini, head of the True Finns, is described as charismatic and fairly moderate relative to others in the party.
3) Quoted in news24 (April 18, 2011): see Resources.
4) "True Finns Reject Portugal Bailout," Helsingin Sanomat (May 3, 2011): see Resources.
5) "Political Situation in Finland Problematic for EU," Helsingin Sanomat (May 3, 2011):
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Political+situation+in+Finland+problematic+for+EU/1135265848913
6) Terhi Kinnunen, "Finland PM-Elect Says 5 Days to Decide On Portugal," Reuters (April 29, 2011): See "Poll: Portugal Bailout Splits Finns," Helsingin Sanomat (May 3, 2011): see Resources.
7) Leonard Wibberley, The Mouse That Roared (Boston: Little, Brown, 1955). Used paperback editions are still widely available. Translated into Korean (2005, 2010 editions) and Romanian (2009) according to information at www.worldcat.org. DVD of the 1959 movie (see Resources). Also check public libraries for older VHS videotapes (early 1990s). Christopher Segal, The Mouse That Roared (1963), a stage adaptation of the original novel, appears in searches and bibliographies.
8) See news24 (April 18, 2011); also Armitstead, Telegraph (April 18, 2011); see Resources
9) See news24 (note 3).
10) See Historylynx post, "Birther Bigotry–in American and Ivory Coast" (April 29, 2011). Also based on reading online comments, especially on Armitstead, Telegraph (April 18, 2011).
11) Armitstead, Telegraph (April 18, 2011); Daley and Kanter, "Finland’s Trun to Right," New York Times (April 21, 2011); Russell Shorto, " Marine Le Pen, France’s (Kinder, Gentler) Extremist," New York Times Magazine (May 1, 2011); see Resources.
12) For comparative data, based on 2009 figures, see "Debt Rising in Europe" (esp. Maps 2, 5, 6), New York Times (December 20, 2010): see NYT INTERACTIVE in Resources. Steven Erlanger, "In Portugal Crisis, Worries on Europe’s ‘Debt Trap,’" New York Times (April 8); Robert Fishman, "Portugal’s Unnecessary Bailout," New York Times (April 12, 2011); also David R. Cameron’s letter-to-the-editor rejoinder to Fishman, New York Times (April 18, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/19/opinion/l19portugal.html?ref=europeansovereigndebtcrisis; see Resources
13) Raphael Minder, "Bailout for Portugal," New York Times (April 10, 2011):http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/11/business/global/11iht-bailout11.html?scp=13&sq=minder%20portugal&st=cse
14) Erlanger (see note 12).
15) Raphael Minder, "Portugal Agrees to a $116 Billion Bailout," New York Times (May 3, 2011):
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/04/business/global/04portugal.html?scp=1&sq=minder%20portugal&st=cse
16) Tyler Cowen, "Euro vs. Invasion of the Zombie Banks," New York Times (April 16, 2011); see Resources.
17) See note 16).
18) Tom Peterkin, "EU Referendum: Ireland Rejects Lisbon Treaty," Telegraph (June 2008, 2010): http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/2122654/EU-referendum-Ireland-rejects-Lisbon-Treaty.html
19) "Editorial: The Mouse That Roared," Washington Times (February 11, 2009): http://www.washingtontime.com/news/2009/fed/11/the-mouse-that-roared; "In Reversal, Kyrgyzstan Won't Close a U.S. Base," New York Times (June 23, 2009):
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/world/asia/24base.html?ref=transitcenteratmanaskyrgyzstan
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