open Democracy News Analysis - Tom Gallagher must be a very unhappy person, - Comments

lalu on "Tom Gallagher must be a very unhappy person"

lalu — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 18:12:29 +0100

@vxm566: thank you Sir, for telling me what and how I have to think about politics. Your suggestions will be a precious help in my future attempts to dare independent thinking and learn avoiding the traps of manipulative rhetoric. Given my very modest capacities, you should however condescend conceding me some tardiness in reaching your standards.

OldAvatar on "Tom Gallagher must be a very unhappy person"

OldAvatar — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 13:05:38 +0100

You may read some more here: http://georgero.bgdx.net/21/in-fact-whos-the-one-being-suspended/

vxm566 on "Tom Gallagher must be a very unhappy person"

vxm566 — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 09:37:53 +0100

We are not here to doubt Mr. Ghalager objectivity and neither to impose on what his opinion should be. However, if we take in account the larger context United Kingdom had nothing good to say about Romania. Although this article is one of the most researched I have read on Romania's current situation, the UK media's coverage of Romania's progress often amounts to nothing more than very cheap journalism written over a paint of beer at the local pub. Nevertheless, since Romania became an EU member, UK has the right to assess how their political allies progress in achieving EU integration. Yet, going as far as calling Romania an ally of Russia in the EU is bit to far a stretch. Romania's decision to form an alliance with US and UK at the start of Basescu presidency has not received a lot of encouragement from Russia. Moreover, there are historical sensitivities between Romania and Russia that will take some time to be forgotten. Romania is one of the most pro-western countries from all the former communist countries that joined EU and is spite of Mr. Gallagher's glooming condemnation the country will continue its commitment to democratic consolidation. Thankfully not all of us share Mr Gallagher's scepticism but rather understand that what take place in Romania presently is the result of a democratic process and not of destabilization of the Union. How can a marginal country like Romania threaten the unity of the EU? Is almost laughbale. Some here moan about anemities in Romania or lack thereof. Well, what a surprise! Is by now well-known that a characteristic of British ex-pats is always to moan about how good life is in the UK. No matter where they are. Nothing is as perfect as in the UK. Look at the mini-Britain created in Spain. For lalu I suggest you do a bit of independent thinking before unquestionably accepting entirely what someone writes. No matter how objective one might look in his approach everybody is partly biased by its own subjectivity on the matter. And Mr. Gallagher has his own in regard to Romania. Not once has he cast judgement without providence evidence. This is not to say that he is not knowledgeable about the situation in Romania and that he is not providing good warnings. But he also cleverly manipulates the story to say what he wants irrespective of the outcome.

Apithonor on "Tom Gallagher must be a very unhappy person"

Apithonor — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 02:24:06 +0100

"What is important in a country is not how many construction workers leave ... but in how many engineers, doctors in science and business managers do not." I disagree. Currently in the real estate sector there is a bit of a dire crisis that everyone is looking around to figure out what to do. Good, solid construction workers who have experience are leaving to points west (Spain is a good example) and with the booming market of build, build, build, this is leaving quite a few companies in a lurch. Certainly its not stalling much of anything - yet - but that doesn't mean that these people mean nothing to the market as a whole. To quote, oddly enough, Fight Club: "We cook your meals. We haul your trash. We connect your calls. We drive your ambulances. We guard you while you sleep. Do not [paraphrased] mess with us." Good leaders, engineers, and other white-collar workers are indeed important to the country, but to ignore the masses (or the mass exodus) is a mistake that may not be felt tomorrow, but it will be felt. Message was edited by: apithonor

alexcabuz on "Tom Gallagher must be a very unhappy person"

alexcabuz — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 22:10:45 +0000

The first post was not me. Initials are a coincidence. What is important in a country is not how many construction workers, truck drivers, waitresses and strawberry-pickers leave, but in how many engineers, doctors in science and business managers do not. Or do, in this particular case. The Polish and the Romanian tragedy, the real problem, is the brain exodus. It results in an antiselection process that favors the multiplication of opportunistic and clannish mentalities, of "small" thinking. It leads to a lower quality public discourse and debate, and a lower quality political class and decision making process. The Romanian secondary education system produces some of the best minds of the world, but instead of adding value to the Romanian society and economy these minds end up adding value to the American, German or British economies and societies. The kids leave. This is the problem that must be addressed. This problem of major _strategic_ importance in the medium and long term has finally, finally come to the attention of a major decisionmaker: the president Basescu. It remains to be seen what he can do about it.

lalu on "Tom Gallagher must be a very unhappy person"

lalu — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 16:26:56 +0000

Once again, Tom Gallagher provides the right clues to understand Romania. Excellent article ! It would be naive to think that communism meant only cleavage and tradition neglecting. Many traits have been conserved and tradition has been continued. This was the case with Romanian international policy. Thus, beyond historical fractures, the post-communist Romanian political elite has inherited a solid political savoir-faire on the international scene, leaning against a 700 years old tradition of zigzagging between considerable more powerful neighbours. Against an historical background of invaluable experience in manoeuvering the great powers of the moment, post-communist Romanian political elites had little difficulties to outsmart a clumsy and self-devouring European Union in a play, where Romanian political piranhas found a natural ally in European birocracy sharks. Of course, Cassandra warnings like those Gallagher's are not welcomed for these gentlemen.

Pathon on "Tom Gallagher must be a very unhappy person"

Pathon — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 20:48:42 +0000

You should have elaborated on your disagreements with Gallagher's article in this fashion in your first comment instead of throwing personal insults. But it was interesting to read your point of view. The only problem I have is that some of my friends from Poland were saying exactly the same. And today, millions of them are all over Europe (that is how good and promising their country within the EU turned out to be). Now, I am saying this not because I am against Romania joining the EU, but because I feel sorry for all the restrictions being imposed on you by major EU states. I believe that this is partly because of western experience with Poland. And, Romanians should be less emotional and more attentive to what people like Gallagher have to say about their country. After all, it is for your own good to tackle the problems you are experiencing and Gallagher is commenting on. Romania has progressed a lot, but is still way behind many of the EU states. In any event, good luck.

alexcabuz on "Tom Gallagher must be a very unhappy person"

alexcabuz — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 11:37:51 +0100

There is much in the article that is true. My first reaction though, was the same as that of the first post. The reason for this is that there is one idea in the article which is patently wrong: "...the story of the EU and Romania could be summed up as the consolidation of backwardness. " I am Romanian, and I am part of what Mr Gallagher calls the "privileged minority" (an oxymoron in any country). However it is exactly because I realize, probably even more than Mr. Gallagher, the serious problems that romanian society has faced and faces that I have to disagree with the evaluation quoted above. In the absence of the European Union Romania would probably be in a situation far far worse. One can take the Russian Federation satellites such as Uzbekistan, Moldova or Belarus as examples. The fact that there is a reformist government now in place with a justice minister that has managed to make real progress in the face of stauch opposition is entirely, ENTIRELY, due to Western European influence. Mr Gallagher is right to point out that the EU is economically interested in Romania. However the EU is far to be preferred to Moscow. And the fact that Europeans gain from Romanian growth is not a bad thing, as long as most romanians gain as well. For the time being unemployment is low, wages in certain thriving sectors such as construction have skyrocketed, and the IT and other sectors at least around Bucharest and in Transylvania have seen explosive growth mainly due to multinational direct investment. Call and research centers have been opened by the likes of Oracle and Microsoft, with other companies following suit. Telecom infrastructure has made significant progress. All of these improvements and many many others are due entirely to Western influence and "interests". It's true that banking has been taken over by foreigners to a large extent. But surely Mr Gallagher will recall the homegrown banking disasters of the 90s. I will take Erste Bank over Bancorex (2 billion euros evaporated in 1999) any day. Romania did not, and still does not completely understand how to run an efficient market economy. It is now learning from those who know. Abuses must be kept in check, of course, but European powers and civil society are far more vigilant than, say, the US equivalents. See for example the books of Joseph Stiglitz on globalization in the 90s. In short, whatever problems the EU will bring to Romania are far outweighed, for the time being, by the benefits. This will not continue forever, of course, but by then it is to be hoped that romanian civil society and institutions will have been put on a solid enough basis to be able to take the required steps, both internally as well as within the framework of European institutions. Whatever the short term negative consequences of premature european integration, they will be offset by the longterm benefit of having a voice inside the union (a voice which though small, will not be alone) at the crucial juncture where the future evolution and institutional structure of the union is being decided. It is far better that Romania join the EU now, before the pause that mr Barroso alluded to, than after, without having had a say in the decisions which will be made in the meantime. And president Basescu is the kind that can make himself heard, for better or worse. There are reasons for optimism, though one would not know it from Mr. Gallagher's article.

T.G.Gallagher@Bradford.ac.uk on "Tom Gallagher must be a very unhappy person"

T.G.Gallagher@Bradford.ac.uk — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 17:38:30 +0100

Despite the personal overtones, this is a helpful contribution. A worldwide poll whose findings were published this summer actually found that the two unhappiest peoples in the survey...were the Romanians and Bulgarians. The poll was widely discussed in the romanian media and it was thought to fairly account for the very gloomy national mood. I have no way of knowing but I suspect this contributor is one of the minority of Romanians who are doing very well during these tough transition years. i suspect he might even belong to the ranks of officialdom but again I have no way of knowing. Before 1989 anybody who wrote critically about the bad state of things in Romania stood the risk of being incarcerated in a mental hospital to receive corrective treatment for their unhappiness. Times are gentler now thankfully. If AC_1 has any spare Prozac, then I'm sure he will wish to help me out on my next trip to Bucharest. TG

Tom Gallagher must be a very unhappy person,

AC_1 — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 22:45:18 +0100

I just read Gallagher's article on EU and Romania and though I would never want to meet the guy. All that passionate sourness must come from a lot of personal unhapiness. A very, very long article .. too many words. I can tell the man has never been to Romania or if he has than only to Bucharest prior to 2004. One thing I never do is trust something that is entirley negative. Another thing I never do is question the truthfulness of what I see with my own eyes. I live in Romania and there are a lot of good things happening. Mr. Gallagher, take your frustration and title (Specialist in Easter E Read the rest of this post...