The European Union: how to lose friends and alienate people.

It is not often that an Irish Times article generates much interesting discussion amongst its readers, but this article may be an exception. The dominant reaction amongst the 65 comments is to ask what planet Dr. Barrett is living on. Most (of the predominantly Irish) commentators regard the UK's decision not to join the Euro as an inspired dodging of a bullet rather than the strategic mistake Dr. Barrett alleged. Most commentators are also extremely sceptical that Ireland's positive engagement with the EU in recent times has yielded much more than the burdening of the state with an unsustainable level of debt within the context of an increasingly unstable and dysfunctional Eurozone which threatens to beggar us all if not rapidly and radically reformed.

My point is that many of the commentators seem to be on the point of giving up on the EU and advocating a closer realignment with the UK instead - an argument that would have been extremely rare until very recently. It may be little more than a straw in the wind at the present time, but Ireland's love affair with the EU seems to be very definitely over if so many seem willing to embrace the Auld Enemy instead.

So, which part of these commentators' criticism of the EU is wrong on the facts? The only logical mistake may be the view that Ireland must hitch its wagon to a larget entity. Therefore, if it can't be the Eurozone it will have to be Britain. Thay should have a talk with Alex Salmond.

This here commenter's love affair with the EU seems to be very definitely over. I seem to be on the point of giving up on the EU and advocating a closer realignment with Diogenes' barrel. And so on.

If you are not convinced, try it on someone who has not been entirely debauched by economics. — Piero Sraffa