Yes, Minister on the EEC

[Roipoisson]

I am outraged that the other clip, wherein Appleby explains why Britain joined the EEC -- in order to muck it up, as they had for the last 500 years -- has been blocked by the BBC "on copyright grounds". Can they kiss Brussels's ass with any more tongue?

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[pranjalYkumar]

"some of you best friends are greeks" :D

[martin29976]

excellent exposé of xenophobic Britain



[zedhed2]

Can you imagine something like this being written today?

[AdurianJ]

That description is soo true even today.

[SkylgeZeeland]

Brilliant and timeless, as now in 2011 nothing has changed, and the EEC/EU mess is bigger than ever before.....

[dorisig]

Why Europe nations are in the Europian union - quite funny

[EnglandPerson]

ha national intrest what a joke

[DerPortugiese15]

"That certainly does not apply to the Germans!" "No, the Germans went into it to cleanse themselves from genocide and to apply for re-admission to the human race." Splendid, wonderful, genius :D! The best aspect of this witticism is, that it is even true. And I'm German (well, half-German..^ ^)

[hasablad69]

@DerPortugiese15 Sie sind ein aschluch wirchlich.

[anonUK]

@DerPortugiese15

Well, no-one thinks along those lines now, (apart from anyone who's actually met a Nazi on Youtube and most of those neonazi cretins aren't German anyway). However, you have got to admit that at the time of the Treaty of Rome, the Germans were not many people's cup of tea and Europe was your best hope of gaining a reputation for modern virtues of fairness and democracy. However, this doesn't mean you still have to pay all the bills for the feckless Greeks in 2011- or does it?

[DerPortugiese15]

@anonUK I do agree with you that nowadays, it does not apply that much as it did in 1957 and I do think that another rise of a militarist Germany is rather unrealistic. And I do agree with you that this shouldn't be the reason why we're still part of the EU - but you could argue that in the context of today's EU there should be some kind of European solidarity towards countries in need and Germany does have a certain complicity as they ignored for a long time the Greek mismanagement.

[TacoBot5000]

There's a ghost at 3:42!

[Kenta19191919]

They have the organising ability of the Italians, the flexibility of the Germans, the modesty of the French, that's tipped up by the imagination of the Belgians, the generosity of the Dutch and the intelligence of the Irish.

[MebefromBelgium]

@Kenta19191919 'The Imagination of the Belgians' would he mean surrealism?

[Kenta19191919]

@MebefromBelgium

Belgians run their colonies so badly that when they left, the natives started civil war.

[MebefromBelgium]

@Kenta191919 Just like the British, in the German colonies we took over we also adopted the German systems that were already there. So the civil wars there are the fault of the Germans not the Belgians.

As for the Congo when the Belgians left they left a healthy, but weak nation, Congo didn't want to hear from the 30 years plan Belgium had to create a Congolese elite who could govern the place. In overall the Belgian system was similar to the British system. I'm not going to discuss that further

[Kenta19191919]

@MebefromBelgium

Oh, I am so sorry to put my foot into your embarrassing history. By the way, how is your new King? I hear that your country wants to split into two. I was given to understand that the policy of "divide and rule" was not for master country.

[MebefromBelgium]

@Kenta19191919 Hahahaha, embarrasing, if the colonization had been ambarrasing for me I wouldn't have replied, I was just pointing your historical inaccuracy, I can assure you that I'm not proud of what King Leopold II started, we didn't need it and we didn't want it, but embarrassed, no. Well I don't know how fast news passes through to the Japanese people but but our new king rules already since 1993.

[Kenta19191919]

@MebefromBelgium

His brother died that long ago? Time flies, obviously. His older brother his Late Majesty King Baudouin commanded so much respect from many world leaders. I hear that he was a true symbol of unity of all Belgians and the talks about devolution were rather sedate. Why now talk of dividing the country? The new king is incapable of maintaining the unity?

[MebefromBelgium]

@Kenta19191919 I don't know if he is incapable of maintaining the unity, but the fact that his Dutch is not so well makes him a stranger to many Flemish nationalists. In the end we don't know him really. And the talk of dividing the nation is there since 1915. This idea is actually German, not Belgian. The Germans wanted to destroy Belgium completely after it's heroic defense in 1914 that resulted in a trench warfare for the next four years.

[MebefromBelgium]

@Kenta19191919 And no, Belgium doesn't want to split in two it's a minority of Flemish nationalists who don't foresee the catastrophe a split up would be for Flanders. How's that man who claims to have calculated 5000 billion decimals of Pi going?

[Kenta19191919]

@MebefromBelgium

I have no idea how he is doing but I imagine he would be busy trying to roll out faster algorithms. Are you a mathematician?

[MebefromBelgium]

@Kenta19191919 No I just saw the article it in the newspaper.

[Kenta19191919]

@MebefromBelgium

And he should add the faithfulness of the Chinese and the humour of the Japanese.

[MebefromBelgium]

@Kenta19191919 They were not in the EEC

[Kenta19191919]

@MebefromBelgium

Indeed not. But I hope you get the meaning.

[MebefromBelgium]

@Kenta19191919 Yeah, I get it. This kind of stereotypes are rather international.

[Krifko]

Many thanks for posting this video. Absolutely brilliant political satire. "I am pro Europe but anti Brussels." That sentence must resonate with every European:-)

[samm3004]

I hate Poland !

[AngloSaxonUnion]

UK begged to join the EEC, the EEC was just a economic union.

Now it has changed to the EU which is a political and economic union!!!!!! UK did not join the EU, we didnt want a political union

[8DX]

@AngloSaxonUnion Then why did you sign to all the bloody agreements? =8)-DX Pity there isn't a common language and uniting history in Europe - the EU would be a much better workable project then..

[Myndir]

@8DX Europe has a united history: a common history of war, imperial competition and a grand competition over who gets to dominate the Eastern Europeans.

[smooth1operator]

Isnt it facsinating how Britiain claim not to be Europeans yet they begged to join the Eu. When given chance by Prime minister Ted heath what did they do.....vote to remain in EU by 2-1 margin. So stop crying over EU they never begged u to join it.....u begged to join them.

[kibblesworth]

Yes...we saw the advantage of economic union. We never signed up to political union, did we? And yet EU law passes through our Parliament every day.

[juzt156]

@smooth1operator. Yes but it was not the EU then It was the EEC, essential a big joint venture trading organisation. No one ever voted to be part of a increasingly political Union. In Fact most Eu countries tend to support the EU in prnciple but when it comes to giving away power to the EU they back off. Look at France for Example or Holland

[lisamanelli]

jesus.., at least I tried!

[lisamanelli]

First of all : Awesome video!!!

I'm gonna get involved into the dispute going on here. I wish people on youtube would stop arguing so much on right/wrong! I think you (tjmuk and MTSK87) are both right. One one hand Britain always followed a policy of splendid isolation. On the other hand they ARE Europeans, they may be British first, but they are Europeans and they did get pulled in the conflicts and politics happening on the continent, over time. That's just MY opinion. Good day!

[hasablad69]

Britains are never Europeans, never have been, and never will be. They're Britains pure and simple, always have been and always wil be. It's like trying to say that the Irish are intellectuals. Britain - Rule Britannia! They're very unique - how can such arrogance be accomodated by such

blatant incompetence.

[ss3cleric]

The Germans went in to cleanse themselves of genocide and apply to redamission to the Human race! Fantastic

[britishleylandcrap]

Love the part at 2:28 to 2:34.

[asmodeus585]

Yes, it is much worse.

[newsgirlok]

This is too good...if only to hear the bit about why the Germans joined - to cleanse themselves of genocide and re-join the human race...just classic

[britishleylandcrap]

2:28 - 2:35 Brillaint.

[bedsitter1982]

No!

0:01 - 4:35 Brilliant ;-)

[lankykinghasreturned]

the average common market afishal the processing ability of the Italians ( so non ) the flexibility of the Germans ( wont move for his own mother ) the modesty of the French ( as we all no there is no such thing in France as modesty unless his a tourist ) the imagination of the belgums ( it simple doesn't exist ) the generosity of the dutch ( who would rather kick a man then give him a penny) the intelligence of the irish ( well enuf said there ).

[lankykinghasreturned]

it makes sence to a point we are english not europions the english did not get a vote to go into europe and non of use want to be in it accpet soem shitty politations. and its done us no good. its all a bad political desishon that were suffering for. sorry for all the bad spelling

[TheBarryFerguson]

We did vote for it, in a referendum in 1975

[asmodeus585]

It wasn't a vote for European Union.

[asmodeus585]

Europe is a continent and Britain is an island. It might be near this continent but still it is clearly separated from it and I think it would be best if that was true not only in geographical terms but also in the political as well.

[lankykinghasreturned]

thankyou most English men heck most of Europe agrees with you

[MTSK87]

Eh ? what kind of moronic logic is this ? it's like saying that Japan is not in asia because asia is a continent and Japan is a set of islands ? Pehaps also Corfu is not in Greece because Corfu is separated from the mainland ?

[asmodeus585]

You probably have very little understanding of history and geopolitics. My words were just a metaphor - one should not interpret them verbatim. Anglosphere has a quite different cultural mindset from the one that is dominant on the continent. It's much more individualistic and libertarian.

Besides, Japan is not as much separated from Asian continent as Britain is from Europe. In geography we do not cosider Britain nor Ireland to belong to the "Continental Europe". Look it up in Wiki. ;-)

[MTSK87]

And you probably have very little understanding of the word "metaphor" but anyway!

I am sorry to break this to you but Britain is in Europe both geographically and culturally and was involved in shaping European history throughout the ages.

Thanks for the suggestion but I am familiar with the term "continental Europe" and I don't really like wikipedia, so I' ll leave that to you

[tjmuk]

They were less involved in European history than Russia and Turkey, or indeed the United States.

To pretend countries like France and Britain are legally, economically and socially similar animals is social democrats' fantasy.

[MTSK87]

@tjmuk Teach yourself history, since the establishment of the United Kingdom (even before) Britain was involved in almost every single European affair from Napoleonic wars to the 2 World wars, to the establishment of the EU

[tjmuk]

@MTSK87 Teach yourself some history:

The Schleswig Wars

The Austro-Prussian War

The Franco-Prussian War

The Russo-Turkish War

The Greco-Turkish Wars

The Revolutions of 1848

The Unification of Germany

The Unification of Italy

In fact, both world wars happened because Britain tried to avoid getting involved in European affairs.

[MTSK87]

@tjmuk

And yet, Britain was involved in most of these wars through diplomacy and otherwise.

A very OBVIOUS example of your ignorance is that Britain along with France were the powers that ended the Greco-Turkish "wars" (more like a revolution than war) by defeating the Turks at Navarino.

Britain was not involved in the unification of Italy? What about the Mille expedition?. What is the descent of your Royal Family btw? What's their relation with the European royalty? Thanks...

[Humanophage]

Europe is a culture. There is no physical geographic boundary between Europe and Asia, for instance. That does not necessitate economic cooperation, especially under the banner of the ridiculous Social Democracy. No one deserves such a fate.

Yet many European nations share the British knack for the laissez-faire - say, Denmark or Switzerland. Or even Estonia. Many nations perceive themselves as utterly unique and separate from everyone, but that is seldom true when one looks at the big picture.

[Nintendomanwill]

Fair point, where states have extended their power is where they have historically been able to thus extend. That is to say, different states signify different culture and geographical factors which affect economic development. Of course such divisions reduces the size of the world market which undoubtedly reduces the wealth of the world. The answer is that state authority needs to be reduced, until we are all free and rich.

[gally3000]

hillarious - good old britain and their sour grapes from losing half the world..

[Phranky]

And look what the world has done with it.

[jamie5358]

As opposed to the massive flemmish empire....Now whos got soure grapes! The only peolpe who surrender faster than you guys are the French. At least the Italians change sides

[lankykinghasreturned]

ya at least we got half the world.

[tjmuk]

Losing? Britannia gave up most of her empire voluntarily and peacefully - unlike most of her European neighbours.

[MTSK87]

@tjmuk Are you intentionally ignoring the role of all independence and anti-imperialist movements as well as the attrocities committed by the British Empire? The legacy of the divide and rule policy still haunts most of the ex-empire

[tjmuk]

@MTSK87 I said "most" not "all". Yes, there were cases of violence to repress indepence campaigns, but within the British Empire these were the exception rather than the rule.

[MTSK87]

@tjmuk

The legacy of the divide and rule policy in the Indian subcontinent, in Cyprus, in Sudan/Darfur. All around the world, from Sierra Leone to Sri Lanka, the violent legacy of British colonialism can still be witnessed

[tjmuk]

@MTSK87 So I suppose violence never existed in these places before the British turned up?

[MTSK87]

@tjmuk uummm....the "divide and rule" policy and its destructive legacy is something that has been extensively studied. The crimes of the colonial administration is also something that has been extensively studied. Yes, violence did exist in those countries before the British but, I hope you realised, that is something largely irrelevant to my argument

[Soliloquy657]

@tjmuk are u serious???

[tjmuk]

@Soliloquy657 Why would I not be serious? You can check it out yourself. Find a list of countries that were once owned by Britain, and then group them into the ones that needed a war to get independence and the ones that didn't. You'll find the latter group is a lot larger.

[CurtHowland]

Yeah, let's all standardize on Windows, and Word.

[GunmanProductionsTV]

"Yes, Minister, Yes, Quite so, Minister, Yes..."

[boghead]

Bugger the EU!! :)

[cancel131]

I am afraid the "humble vessel" forgot another reason that -long time ago Great- Britain joined the E.U. The danger of bankruptcy during the 70s was quite an incentive I am afraid. And if you allow me to say that Greece had an average growth of 7% from 1951-81.

[jennifersman]

Hysterical! I love how Bernard says;

"If I am to understand you are both in agreement?"

"NO WE'RE NOT!" They slam and praise all of Europe at the same time! Classic!

[cleaverwielder]

He doesn't say that at all, he says "perhaps if I may interject, you are infact in agreement"

[Progressive75]

"Yes, Minister. Quite so, Minister."

Priceless!

[MALOSINZ]

I enjoy watching Bernard looking to Humphrey for his cue on how to react. :) HAHA...

[DaniMajor]

I love with he says: Really Minister....

Sir Humphrey is just great..I d´have a idol, I think that it would Sir Humphrey Appleby!

[DaniMajor]

I love with he says: Really Minister....

Sir Humphrey is just great..I d´have a idol, I think that it would Sir Humphrey Appleby!

[UbiquitousChe]

"Listen - humble vessel...."