THE WEST IN A TAIL-SPIN.

These postings refer regularly to the demise of the old western world. For much of my lifetime, the christian based European and American axis, in general, could be relied upon to do the decent thing, but is now beginning to lose it's way. Surprisingly, I suspect that the reasons are more self inflicted rather than outside influences.

The first of a new TV series presented by Niall Ferguson,' Civilization: is the West History?' starts a few centuries ago at the time of the Ming Dynasty. Initially, the Chinese were outward- looking and travelled/sailed to distant shores. The dynasty, however, ultimately made this type of exploration a crime, and so China returned to being an inward-looking society. About that time the European nations started to chance their respective arms, venturing further afield; The Portugese, Spanish, French, Dutch, not to mention the British. This meant much competition and, therefore, considerable success. We can look down our respective noses at what became colonisation, but, if each nation's discoveries were not claimed, then others would be along to claim these far off lands.

The moral here being, that competition guarantees success; whereas centralization destroys progress. The new single seat of power in Europe now being Brussels, a law making, tax collecting monolith, curtails such progress.

The respected City of London observer, Alex Brummer, recommends the following action:
Abolish the Equality Act, tear up National Wage bargaining, cut Corporation Tax, divorce Britain from European Employment Law, abolish the 50p Tax Band for earners above £150,000, end the Climate Change Tax lie, kill the National Insurance rise, Education Reforms, a real bonfire of the quangos and radically reform the Banks. Well it's a start. All these activities have large departments, employing thousands at the working sector's expense. In addition, it is another red mist over democracy.


WE'LL SEE IF FERGUSON GETS CLOSER TO THESE POINTS OVER THE SERIES.