At the end of European Communism, there was a widespread, euphoric hope that freedom and democracy would bring a better life; eventually, though, many lost that hope. The problem, under both Communism and the new liberal dispensation, was that those pursuing grand social projects had embraced ideology instead of philosophy.
considers what an Albanian Marxist philosopher can tell us about liberty in today's world.
For the US, Slovakia's general election may produce another unreliable allied government. But instead of turning a blind eye to such allies, as President Joe Biden has been doing with Poland, or confronting them with an uncompromising stance, the US should spearhead efforts to help mend flawed democracies.
reflect on the outcome of Slovakia's general election in the run-up to Poland's decisive vote.
伦敦——在刚刚结束的欧盟峰会上,卡梅伦首相爆发了英国积累了数十年之久的对欧关系的不满。在峰会的最后时刻出台了有吹毛求疵之嫌的银行监管协议,该协议被认为有碍欧盟国家预算管制协议的突破性进展,欧洲人对此感到十分震惊。卡梅伦的英国支持者对此欢呼雀跃,将他视为新丘吉尔,说他抵制住了欧洲大陆罪恶暴君的威胁。
英国人对欧洲的态度向来暧昧而易变。20世纪60年代早期,保守党政府希望加入欧洲经济共同体,但被法国总统戴高乐拒绝。戴高乐模仿琵雅芙(Edith Piaf)的歌讽刺英国的野心——这首歌讲的是一位流落街头的贵族:“别哭,老爷。”最后,英国还是摆脱了孤立的状态,但英国领导人一向觉得,自己并不十分受到欧洲统一进程的欢迎。
过去,英国曾经说过两次“不”,对欧洲货币发展起到了决定性的作用。1978年,德国总理施密特和法国总统季斯卡提出了一项汇率安排方案——欧洲货币体系(EMS),以重塑欧洲汇率的稳定。一开始,由德国和法国与英国进行三方协商,但进展缓慢冗长且迟迟产生不了结果。
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