Shortly, the “progressive” call will be for a Europe “that protects”. Democratic socialists have already started to use that term, when apparently at the same time if not before, French President Macron has also been talking about it as he tries to position the party he founded two years ago within the European political spectrum.
The slogan makes sense even though it gives evidence of the retreat that pro-European strategists have been obliged to make over the last fifteen years.
Prior to that, there was no need to emphasize Europe’s ability to afford protection to its citizens. European construction had acquired so much momentum and prestige, that it was completely safe to believe it would also act as protector. The main draw was that Europe had become the motor by which people could improve the quality of their lives in the most natural manner, so much so that more and more countries wanted to join it.
That time is now over. Austerity, immigration, financial scandals, youth unemployment, the rise in poverty did introduce a climate of insecurity which has to be pushed back. Otherwise, populism will carry everything before it.
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Historic forecasts
Years ago, post the levelling of the Berlin wall and the collapse of the USSR, an American academic proclaimed that history had come to an end. We were reaching, so he claimed, a “consensus” about the management of our societies that would henceforth be subject to the rules of the free market about which there would be no dissent. This amounts to more than an oversimplification of his arguments, but it does cover his essential point.
That this perspective is/was well off the mark is now quite clear.
Almost at the same time, another American professor prognosticated that the strongest conflict the world would be experiencing was “religious”, between Islam and other competing faiths. Here once again, such a presentation of his ideas carries an arguably extreme element of simplification. Still, this forecast – though possibly closer to reality than the previous one – does not take us very far.
The fundamental problem is that the doors were opened for globalisation to roll, without anybody having had any clear idea about why/how/when the developments being triggered were to be monitored/guided.
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The consumer
Much is said about how at national and European levels, consumers are finding continually upgraded support systems by which to fight back against abuses which even high reputation sellers still commit in order not to deliver on their promises. Yet, one cannot be convinced that the support available is quite enough.
Perhaps the problem stands out most in the field of services: such as when the savings of families come to be invested; regarding guarantees given on apparata like mobiles and computers bought off the shelf in a hurry; the ways by which health insurances covering travel are implemented one way or the other when accidents happen during voyages; the compensation one should be entitled to for damages incurred after being given incorrect professional advice.
It is surprising how many instances there still are of consumers finding themselves powerless to obtain satisfaction after having been wronged... even when they are aware of the fact that yes, they have been cheated.