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Voinescu, Sever
5 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.
Sever Voinescu on morality and greed in capitalism
With reference to the financial crisis Sever Voinescu analyses the role of morality and greed in the capitalist system for the weekly Dilema Veche. "We have been taught that the market - if not positively immoral - is certainly depraved. We have been taught that in the market there is only one thing that can stimulate competition: profit. Where should morality come from in this hard struggle? If you read Marx and Engels' definition of capitalism that is indeed how it is. But if you look at the theory of capitalism of someone like Max Weber, you discover something completely different. [There you learn] that ethics is the key to the performance of capitalism, to the flow of all money, goods and services, which ... only function if there is trust. Yet trusts depends on a sense of ethics. The American crisis has become so widespread because trust in the system has taken a severe battering. Someone somewhere was telling profound lies, so now all 'market actors' have become mistrustful. ... What has happened now is the most obvious proof that greed is definitely a bad thing. Greed, unrestrained by any law - for we can no longer speak of any moral norms in the market - is what is chiefly responsible for the crisis, which has had a grave impact worldwide. To blame are those who ... left the system unregulated so that they could make millions of dollars speculating on the stock market. To blame are those who saw this tsunami approaching and kept quiet. To blame are those who told convenient lies in their company reports. ... In short all those people are to blame who thought greed was a good thing, for that is what capitalism is."
» full article (external link, Romanian)
More from the press review on the subject » Fiscal Policy, » Weltanschauung, » Europe, » Global
EU laws in school-leaving exams
This year's school-leaving exams in Romania included tasks based on examples taken from EU legislation instead of the usual literary texts by well-known Romanian authors. The daily Cotidianul comments: "One argument put forward by the ministry of education was that pupils must get used to dealing with 'useful' tasks. According to the ministry the poems of Nichita Stanescu and essays by Ion Luca Caragiale lack any practical application, while the world of Brussels bureaucracy has its applications. If this is the general consensus within the ministry and not just a silly justification for a misguided decision we should also ban chemistry, maths and the large part of physics from the curriculum. Three-quarters of the knowledge imparted in school lessons has no direct application but still has other uses. This is because schools do not provide solutions, they broaden horizons."
» full article (external link, Romanian)
More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Education, » Europe, » Romania
A weakened NATO
NATO has reached its limits, says Sever Voinescu, commenting on the impending NATO summit in Bucharest. One of the reasons is the extension of the organization. "Obviously, since Romania and Bulgaria joined, NATO's door remains closed for the time being. Because the extension is hard to digest. Recently, high military functionaries from the 'old' NATO countries charged the new members of 'immediately passing along to Moscow what we discuss among ourselves.' ... Add to that the fact that it used be necessary for a would-be member country to prove it was stable and democratic. Now, membership is a route toward stability and democracy. The notion that the Balkans will stabilise through membership in NATO is misleading."
» full article (external link, Romanian)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Europe, » U.S., » Romania
The end of the EU constitution
Romania is not participating in the current debate about an EU treaty, Sever Voinescu complains. "Romania is represented on committees in Brussels and is entitled to voice its opinion and vote. But we're provincial islanders living in the furthermost corner of Europe. We are not competent to be an EU member state - the main issues on Europe's agenda are light years beyond us. Romania is completely absent from the discussion about a new draft of the European constitution. ... When Romania's politicians think of the EU, they think of one thing only: funding. We're not interested in assuming responsibility."
» full article (external link, Romanian)
More from the press review on the subject » EU enlargement, » EU Policy, » Domestic Policy, » Romania
The political commitment of Romania's intelligentsia
For some time now intellectuals in Romania have been expressing their views on political events. On Tuesday the country's most eminent intellectuals and non-governmental organisations staged a demonstration of solidarity with independent Justice Minister Monica Macovei, who is to be dismissed from office. Sever Voinescu was there: "What I found there was a basic attitude I thought we had lost and a dignity I thought had disappeared: I found people who demanded respect. Of course they were also demonstrating for the Justice Minister... and collecting signatures for a letter of protest to the Senate... But in addition this was the dignified demonstration of a country that refuses to be lied to. A Romania that wants to be respected."
» full article (external link, Romanian)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Social movements, » Romania
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