Freedom Or Enslavement?

The Shape of Things to Come” was written by H.G.Wells in 1933 and he wrote the screenplay for the film “Things to Come” (1936). Among other things he predicted a “technological revolution” which would be used by the state in a highly authoritarian way. However, he was trying to envisage what the world would look like in 2106 not 2010 or 2015.

An analysis for Statewatch by Tony Bunyan examines the proposals of the Future Group and their relation to existing and planned EU policies. It shows how European governments and EU policy-makers are pursuing unfettered powers to access and gather masses of personal data on the everyday life of everyone – on the grounds that we can all be safe and secure from perceived “threats”.

"It is sobering to note that the mass surveillance of all telecommunications and mass fingerprinting of all are two proposals that have not been proposed in the USA – thus the EU is set to become the most surveilled place in the world."

Bunyan continues that Commission Vice President Frattini (who is now a minister in Berlusconi's Italian government) is on record as saying "Individual rights can only flourish in an atmosphere of collective security" and Bunyan comments that "To which one can respond that if "collective security" demands the surveillance of all movements and all telecommunications and the collection of all the fingerprints of everyone living in the EU there can be no individual freedom, except that sanctioned by the state. "Freedom" is not just about rights it is also the freedom "from" state surveillance and control. Put another way, if "collective security" requires the state, in "the name of all", to set the limits, boundaries and sanctions of all our actions it is a recipe not for "freedom" but enslavement."

This analysis is quite old now, having been written in 2008, and although quite lengthy, for those who have not read it, it is however worthy of repetition. It is also worth pointing out that this is the 'future', something that Cameron, Brown and Clegg would appear to be quite happy to have imposed on the people of Britain - a country that has centuries of history involving the fight for freedom, not just for ourselves but others.

Odd this subject was never broached by the three numpties during their debates  is it not?