It is no coincidence that it was the first country in that part of the world to sign an association agreement with the Union, and there are some who, in the name of the well-known theory of the clash of civilisations, might have an interest in setting one side of the Mediterranean against the other, given that unity in the Mediterranean region would allow the wider Euro-African area to prosper.

Although I am convinced that large companies – the multinationals – are certainly a source of employment and development for the whole of Europe, a few remarks must be made: to say that we do not agree with some of the behaviour indulged in by European capitalism is neither a secret nor a shock: a capitalism which, in theory, is completely committed to the free market, to pure competition and to the flexibility of the global market but which, in reality, expects to be generously assisted time and again, requiring tax incentives from national governments and all kinds of structures, infrastructures and facilities from local administration ...[+++]s, not to mention the granting of Community funds.

In theory, that then causes a blow that is similar to a blow in the head, the person's ability to act in a voluntary way is suspended, and they then commit the act of murder, let's say, or attempted murder.

Theory teaches that there are a number of mechanisms in a currency union that allow the system to absorb any asymmetrical economic impacts.

The problem with that, and with some of the big bang theory, is that different people are controlling different parts of the game.