The formation of a new Finnish cabinet has reached a dead end. The two leftist parties were thrown out due to their uncompromising attitudes towards economic decisions, the True Finns left when it became clear the new government would back the Portugal aid package. The National Coalition Party has lost two of four big parties and the largest small party. With that it seems the next government will be formed of pretty much the same parties as were part of the previous one, despite the massive losses they faced in this election. That happens only if the Centre Party decides to change it's previous statements about going over to the opposition due to the election loss. But even if they do change their minds and Jyrki Katainen finds a deal for the next cabinet, it will be a short-lived one. The opposition will find reason for a motion of no confidence and they will have a chance for getting a majority on their side in the parliament. That would mean a dissolution of the government and a new election. Poison for SDP and Centre Party, which lost seats and will continue losing seats to the True Finns, but perhaps something that is necessary for the creation of a democratically elected government.
During the election, the resounding opinion seemed to be that socialism is not a viable way to go anymore. It was claimed that the leftist parties were outdated and their views would hamper more than aid in the current economic situation. Frankly, people who say such things couldn't be more wrong. And it showed in the election results as well. SDP lost few seats compared to most other parties and the Left Alliance lost only a three seats. Even the climb of populist True Finns could not break the Left Alliance, which under Paavo Arhinmäki pushed back and was very vocal against the True Finns who tooted their horn about supposedly being the only party that was opposing cabinet policies.
I admit that neither SDP nor the Left Alliance stand for good old-fashioned socialism anymore. SDP especially has lost it's touch over the last couple of decades. The Left Alliance with their Green Socialism are the best that Finland still has to offer that's a viable political force.
In current economical times, with Greece and Ireland and Portugal facing bankruptcy despite aid from other EU nations, the need for socialist ideals is even greater than before. Finland has as much loan that it can't pay back as Portugal and it will only get worse if it keeps spewing money to relieve countries just for the money to end up in the hands of British, German and American banks.
What we need right now is to remove nations from the reach of banks and corporations. In these current times, money is drastically undermining the sovereignty of nation states. Common currencies, countries acting according to their customs despite international treaties, disregarding EU policies and the common disregard for the EU founding document which specifically says no to any involvement in aiding countries with economic difficulties. Globalization, the European Union and the economic crisis that started from American banks is not the problem - it's the result. It's the result of weakened national integrities in the face of conglomerates and moneyhungry businessmen.
I'm not saying that there's a conspiracy. It's far from that. If there were a conspiracy of some sort, the economic situation would be much more stable and foreseeable than it is. The facts are that banks have been for decades been churning out loans that they know cannot be paid back. They hold individual people in just as much of a stranglehold as they do countries such as Iceland, Greece, Ireland and Portugal. It's not that they are being malicious or wish to dominate the globe, not at all. It's all because of good business practices. You give someone a loan, you tend to wish for it to come back your way with interest; it's how banks roll. Unfortunately for the banks, they are plenty and all of them have been financing utterly ludicrous national projects that have benefited nobody but the few upper echelons of the social structure. The world is once more becoming polarised and subsidies to banks and large businesses will not aid in preventing that.
What is needed is for banks to be responsible for their actions. They have knowingly lent money they would not get back. There must be a system to watch over banks and corporations for wrongdoings and business practices that would in the end lead to situations such as the one in Greece. There must be a system where people can decide where their money goes off to, not one where the decider is some banker with a new quarter million dollar car on the parking lot of his private luxury residence.
But the blame doesn't reside wholly on banks. Governments must realize that the money they get isn't a luxury for them to use up into private salaries and benefits. They must use the money to benefit the people of their nations. They must build infrastructure, provide job opportunities, give healthcare to those who need it, enable the growth of their economy by investing in their own citizens.
If governments do not realize that the people are the ones they should serve, then the future will look very bleak. The current situation will continue in one way or another until it sparks a revolution against the established policies. And one thing we do not want is for a vengeful mob rule.
During the election, the resounding opinion seemed to be that socialism is not a viable way to go anymore. It was claimed that the leftist parties were outdated and their views would hamper more than aid in the current economic situation. Frankly, people who say such things couldn't be more wrong. And it showed in the election results as well. SDP lost few seats compared to most other parties and the Left Alliance lost only a three seats. Even the climb of populist True Finns could not break the Left Alliance, which under Paavo Arhinmäki pushed back and was very vocal against the True Finns who tooted their horn about supposedly being the only party that was opposing cabinet policies.
I admit that neither SDP nor the Left Alliance stand for good old-fashioned socialism anymore. SDP especially has lost it's touch over the last couple of decades. The Left Alliance with their Green Socialism are the best that Finland still has to offer that's a viable political force.
In current economical times, with Greece and Ireland and Portugal facing bankruptcy despite aid from other EU nations, the need for socialist ideals is even greater than before. Finland has as much loan that it can't pay back as Portugal and it will only get worse if it keeps spewing money to relieve countries just for the money to end up in the hands of British, German and American banks.
What we need right now is to remove nations from the reach of banks and corporations. In these current times, money is drastically undermining the sovereignty of nation states. Common currencies, countries acting according to their customs despite international treaties, disregarding EU policies and the common disregard for the EU founding document which specifically says no to any involvement in aiding countries with economic difficulties. Globalization, the European Union and the economic crisis that started from American banks is not the problem - it's the result. It's the result of weakened national integrities in the face of conglomerates and moneyhungry businessmen.
I'm not saying that there's a conspiracy. It's far from that. If there were a conspiracy of some sort, the economic situation would be much more stable and foreseeable than it is. The facts are that banks have been for decades been churning out loans that they know cannot be paid back. They hold individual people in just as much of a stranglehold as they do countries such as Iceland, Greece, Ireland and Portugal. It's not that they are being malicious or wish to dominate the globe, not at all. It's all because of good business practices. You give someone a loan, you tend to wish for it to come back your way with interest; it's how banks roll. Unfortunately for the banks, they are plenty and all of them have been financing utterly ludicrous national projects that have benefited nobody but the few upper echelons of the social structure. The world is once more becoming polarised and subsidies to banks and large businesses will not aid in preventing that.
What is needed is for banks to be responsible for their actions. They have knowingly lent money they would not get back. There must be a system to watch over banks and corporations for wrongdoings and business practices that would in the end lead to situations such as the one in Greece. There must be a system where people can decide where their money goes off to, not one where the decider is some banker with a new quarter million dollar car on the parking lot of his private luxury residence.
But the blame doesn't reside wholly on banks. Governments must realize that the money they get isn't a luxury for them to use up into private salaries and benefits. They must use the money to benefit the people of their nations. They must build infrastructure, provide job opportunities, give healthcare to those who need it, enable the growth of their economy by investing in their own citizens.
If governments do not realize that the people are the ones they should serve, then the future will look very bleak. The current situation will continue in one way or another until it sparks a revolution against the established policies. And one thing we do not want is for a vengeful mob rule.