History / Poland - problem for Germany? (historically continual hostility of German state on Poland) [154]


A long term gas contract on russian gas will expire in 2022. From then on Poland will rely on Norwegian gas from Baltic Pipe, LNG from the US (and spot contracts from other countries) and its own gas resources. Russian will be treated as an optional, spot contract, gas provider when the price is [low] right.

Germany on the other hand will be hooked on Russian gas, and on a Putin's leash. And they will also screw Ukraine at the same time. This needs to be repeated over and over again to ukrainians so they'll lose any hope of German political protection. You can't have your cake and it eat too.


Is that the official AFD stance on Ukrainians? And what is it based on?


Weimarer, so you're an Ossi. Funny how you're still using a word "comrade" to refer to your colleagues. Are you a national-socialist?

Life / Are Poles mentally more Eastern European or Western European? [170]


I would argue if Germany could be considered a Western country. Sociologically speaking, they are more of a Byzantine type of civilisation

Feliks Koneczny, a Polish pre-war historian and philosopher, has defined types of culture and civilisations as follows:

Latin civilization in which ethics are source of law. If some laws are not ethical, then they are changed. Individuality, self-rule and decentralization are highly valued. He considered it the highest type of civilisation

Byzantine civilization - in which the legal government has absolute authority and its orders are not doubted

Turanian civilization in which the government is the source of law and ethics and stands above the law and ethics.

Jewish civilization in which the law, which derives from Talmud, is the source of ethics. The law cannot be changed. However, the same law can be differently interpreted, which leads to ethical relativism.

Life / Are Poles mentally more Eastern European or Western European? [170]

Poles are Central Europeans which is a quality of its own.

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]


Dealing with ZUS is like curing a drug addiction on a scale of a whole society. You know that's it's not good for you yet it will be painful to break the habit and you will feel bad before you start feeling better.

ZUS has no future and the longer we will prolong its life, by burning cash, the more painful it will be to recover from this scheme.

It's the same with any other state social insurance in Europe, and the only answer most politician's got is to take in a massive amount of young immigrant to pay for pensions for ageing European population. Which is a short sighted policy

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]


Don't play naive. Both Libertarians and National Capitalists are legalists and they want to solve this problem and end a current public pension system and opt-out the young generation from it.

The older generation which contributed their whole life to this [ineffective] public pension scheme would get their pensions.

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]


Sure, when you are an entrepreneur there are some ways. Or when you're a farmer. And most people aren't and they've got their ZUS contributions deducted from their monthly salaries.


Let's take a look at other taxes.

VAT tax in Switzerland: standard rate is 7.7% (special 3.7%, reduced 2.5%)

Normal rates of VAT tax in the EU: Austria 20%, Belgium 21%, Denmark 25%, Germany 19%, UK 20% and so on...

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]


There are some good answers on quora.

How-can-Switzerland-have-such-an-amazing-welfare-system-when-the-taxes-are-so-low-where-does-the-money-come-from

Christian Wentzel from Switzerland:

> the welfare system is financed by public money only in small part

> company pension fund and individual pension scheme adds most funds to this package.

Company I'm working in in London run a similar fund from which one can opt out. And I did. One can invest and/or save this extra money in better ways than a company do.

And now a little challenge: I dare you to opt out of public pension scheme. Just try and see what happens :-)


Then take a look at the numbers

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_Switzerland#Income_tax

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]


All those countries had capitalist economies before the switch and now they are burning their accumulated wealth. Also, socialism wasn't introduced to them 80 years ago and not in the same scale.

West Germany was a very capitalist country in 50's and 60's, which has built foundations for their present wealth. And even now when compared to Sweden or France they still are much less socialist. But it's slowly changing now.

Switzerland doesn't belong in the group of "social market economies". Switzerland has a low income tax rates and very competitive and specialized economy. They've also rejected a guaranteed basic income in a 2016 national referendum.

bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36454060

And yes, they do have a welfare system but it's minimal when compared to other Western European nations. Swiss are a very proud and hard working nation. And both of those virtues: "proud" and "hard working" are hostile to socialism :-)


Once you stop paying taxes for public schooling you'll be able to afford it.

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]


Well, in Britain you have to pay twice too: once to state run NHS [which you never use but still have to pay for it] and the second time to a private dentist. It's exactly the same scheme as in Poland. I know many Brits who travel to Poland, Czechia or Romania to get their teeth fixed.

And the reason is because private dentists had a better service: better equipment, no ques, better quality fillings.

Private initiative will always beat state-run institution on quality because they have to be competitive to stay in the market. A state-run institutions are being kept alive with our taxes - they don't care about any standards.

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]

Or when they run out of money.
Progressive socialism and bloated welfare state will drain the budget and the final nail to the coffin would be millions of uneducated, permanently unemployed "refugees" milking social benefits. Have 'faith' in socialism, it has never worked in a long run and it never will :-)

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]


You're still thinking inside the box. People are getting more ignorant not because of the availability [or lack of thereof] of education but because of its quality [or rather lack of thereof].

And also because of a political bias, especially on universities, which nobody even disputes anymore because its a fact. Technical schools are doing better since there's a little chance to inject PC agenda into calculus :-). So much easier to change history or to distort literature.

Another issue is "free for all". There's no such thing as "free education". Like Margaret Thatcher used to say "there's no such thing as government money". It all comes from taxes, it all comes from our work and our wallets.

So why does it have to be public or "state run" education? I think that private education would be much better. That way we would have much more influence over what our children learn.

The only difference is that we would pay for it directly not indirectly in taxes. So I think that psychological barrier plays a main role here and the government uses it against us. Citizens have been conditioned that it is normal that the State taxes their money and spend it without asking them first. And they also don't even touch that money since it is being taken away from them and all they see is their net salary.

So that's why people think it's "free".


Standards are fine. Thanks to high standards at Schools of Architecture the roofs are not falling down on our heads. For the same reason - standards - I always go to a private dentist and avoid state run NHS butchers (although I still have to pay for it no matter if I use it or not).


Let's not despair :-). We have the power to change it.

If a bunch of a neo-marxists could build it and run it, we can destroy it and erect a much better construction in its place. It would be offensive to think otherwise.

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]


It's not conspiratorial. EU "elites" are doing it in a broad daylight and they're not even hiding their intentions anymore.

They are clearly stating that they want to build an "European superstate" at a cost of sovereignty of EU members which citizens suppose to melt into some "Homo Europeanus". A new breed of Homo Sovieticus.

Most western societies have been so stupified by mandatory "education" and mass media that they don't even protest anymore. And when they do (like they do now in France), those protests are not aimed at a core of a problem.

A new creature - cause I would call it a conscious human being - with no free will, without past, without traditions, without religion and ethical values. A pulp which those elites can can shape into form they would wish for. A modern Homo Sovieticus

Basically they've started using Orwell's and especially Huxley's works as a manuals, and not a warning for humanity.

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]

Polexit would be the second best option for Poland.

Disassembling the EU from within and building a simple free trade zone on its corpse would be the best option.

Being a part of an EU in its current form is the worst possible option.

PS: Some groups want to change the EU without demolishing its foundations. Effectively changing an EU apparatus which is deeply rooted in socialism and run by '68 generation of neo marxists is next to impossible.

History / Why are Poles/Poland disliked by Germans? [140]

@Ziemowit such a poll should always be preceded by a warm up questions to make people realize what they're supporting:

> Are you up for an unelected EU bureaucrats deciding crucial political matters over national Parliament's heads?

> Are you up for mandatory taking in of a violent, permanently unemployed North African muslim "refugees" just because some other EU country (Germany in this case) have decided that you have to?

> Are you up for giving up your country's Christian values and traditions to make space for a new neo-marxist ideology which is being forced by the EU core?

> Are you up for building an EU Army, basically a Bundeswehr on steroids, which aims to be a direct competition to NATO and sees the United States as one of their enemies?

History / Why are Poles/Poland disliked by Germans? [140]


Yet, the time works to our advantage. The young generation of Poles is mostly EU-sceptical. They see clearly that the EU that Poland has joined in 2004 doesn't exist anymore and that decisions - which shapes it for worse - are being made over our heads.


That's why I said that Polish support for the EU is not unconditional.

History / Why are Poles/Poland disliked by Germans? [140]


IBRIS poll for "Polityka" weekly in 2017 has shown that over 51 % of Poles would rather leave the EU instead of taking in mandatory "refugee" quotas to Poland

wiadomosci.wp.pl/zaskakujace-wyniki-sondazu-polacy-wola-wyjsc-z-unii-niz-przyjac-uchodzcow-6140848547620481a

pbs.twimg.com/media/DD6QY6xXoAAb0rZ.jpg

History / Why are Poles/Poland disliked by Germans? [140]


Not a huge majority, but yes, there's still a majority supporting our participation in the EU. It is supported mostly by middle-aged Poles. Yet it's not an unconditional support: add mandatory refugees quotas to this equation and most Poles wants to leave the EU.

The young generation, a future voters, are more EU-sceptical in all those aspects.

History / Why are Poles/Poland disliked by Germans? [140]

Źródło: Instytut Spraw Publicznych/Gazeta Wyborcza

Wrong again @BratwurstBoy

History / Why are Poles/Poland disliked by Germans? [140]


That's what I'm proposing here on PolishForums. Read more closely my posts, Pawian.


Young generation of Poles has mostly right-wing and centre right-wing political views

66% of 15 to 24 year olds declares themselves right-wing supporters.

44% declares themselves centre-right
22% regular right-wing

geekweek.pl/news/2017-03-24/mlode-pokolenie-polakow-to-prawicowi-patrioci_1661227/

History / What is Poles opinion on Intermarium (Międzymorze)? [188]


And they never did respect the treaty. Only a cowardly Western European politicians have turned a blind eye to an obvious fact that Russians had such weapons at least since 2012.

Not to mention that the whole treaty banned only a land-based missile launchers with ranges 500-5000 kilometres.

Russians have build naval vessels capable of launching 3M-14/3M-14T Kalibr missiles with an effective range of up to 2500 kilometres. They could reach all parts of Europe right from a Baltic Sea.

The whole pact became just a shell and it only blocked NATO from developing an effective response to this threat.

History / What is Poles opinion on Intermarium (Międzymorze)? [188]


Russia is getting more and more nervous, making aggressive moves towards their neighbours. First Ukraine and now they're even putting more pressure on Belarus...that's a good news in a way. The world sees it. Russia is showing that they are willing to attack or at least discipline their friends and allies.

rferl.org/a/analysis-under-moscow-pressure-could-belarus-s-balancing-act-come-crashing-down-/29720188.html

They've even made a peace loving Swedes to increase their military spendings and make a new national defense plan.

defensenews.com/global/europe/2018/09/12/new-swedish-government-advocates-for-greater-defense-spending/

Also the US, and Trump, wants to block NorthStream II, which is to be or not to be for Russia. So he can publicly tap Putin on the back but in his Oval office he's still making decisions which hits Russia.

fortune.com/2019/01/14/nord-stream-2-sanctions/

And let's not forget that Trump has recently suspended the INF treaty. Hardly a pro-Russian step.

History / Why are Poles/Poland disliked by Germans? [140]


Your own words, @BratwurstBoy. It would be rude of me to disagree with you. Especially when there's an occasion to agree


My main question here is: more of an useful idiot or a guy with an agenda?

History / What is Poles opinion on Intermarium (Międzymorze)? [188]


V4 cooperation is fueled by two engines:

Positive one: an economic cooperation between countries with similar-level economies and a similar political past. There are some large regional projects in making like a Via Carpathia highway, power transmission grids and gas and oil pipelines.

Negative one: a migrant crisis, and a threat of a mandatory migrant quotas, which would especially hits Hungary. Yet, opposition to taking "refugees" is very high in all V4 countries.

Right now both of those engines are running at full power


US is a global power. US backing acts as an umbrella in case other players would want to play "dirty". Once the US will see a greater economic interest in cooperation with V4, they will be more likely to act on our behalf.

Poland needs it until we build up out economic and military power to a level in which it would be completely unprofitable, thus highly unlikely, to attack us. Basically to a point of a mutual destruction in case of aggression. Something that a much smaller Israel has achieved in Middle-East.

Until then we need the US in Europe.

History / Why are Poles/Poland disliked by Germans? [140]

"Many Poles are said to be chaotic, messy, disorganised, inconsequent, rebellious"

This empty statement can be dated back to Goebbels propaganda.

"messy"

I pass through Germany on a fairly regular basis and I can vouch that Polish cities and cleaner than German towns.

law abiding

More like : "orders must be obeyed at all times" than law abiding citizens.

consequent in what they do

This is true, I won't argue with that. Despite losing 2 world wars their still trying to enforce their "mittleeuropa" project in Central Europe.


Sure. Poles should forget and never mention those unbelievable atrocities because this could upset poor Germans ;-) Pawian, have you ever considered you may be a victim of a Stockholm syndrome?

History / What is Poles opinion on Intermarium (Międzymorze)? [188]


Linguistic has nothing to do when economic interests are at stake. Poland and Hungary have always had close political connections and language was never a great barrier between us. Even if Hungary satisfy their energy needs with gas from Russia, which is their own choice, they'll not block transfer of Polish gas to other 3SI countries.

The whole V4 and 3SI initiative block work on voluntary cooperation and not on German domination like the EU does.

Of course, this move is against both: Russian and German interests and they'll do anything to stop it, but with the US backing we can make it happen.

The US is not doing it for free either, they are a large LNG producer now, which is great cause such an alliance should be based on a solid economic foundations and not a political whim.

Once we build an infrastructure this will solidify the new economic order in Intermarrium for decades.

History / What is Poles opinion on Intermarium (Międzymorze)? [188]

"Warsaw boosts LNG options and Baltic pipe project in drive to become regional hub"

ft.com/content/d1b9d764-febd-11e8-aebf-99e208d3e521

That's a very important step which will not only boost economic independence of Poland but also make Central Europe less not dependant on Russian gas from both sources: russian pipelines and German "Opal" pipeline pumping gas from NorthStream.

This will basically change the entire game for Central Europe, V4 and Intermarium and make those regional political and economical alliances possible.

Work / 15000 pln gross in Poland or 1.20 lac take home in India [24]

15 000 PLN/m sounds about right for a senior code developer. That's also 2.5 times as much as you're making in India now. My friend is making the exact same amount as a Perl developer in Krakow.

In the UK you can count on average £65000 per annum which stands for 25000-30000 PLN per month. Twice as much but the rent prices are much higher, especially in London. On the other hand if you move to Southall in West London, you won't even feel that you've ever left India at all :-P

Genealogy / Perception of hair color in Poland [14]

I don't think a foreigners, especially those from outside of Europe, are judged by their hair color in Poland. Since there's not many of them in Poland, especially those of a different race, they are just named by a part of the world they came from. And it has nothing to do with Germanic race typology, like you've mentioned before.


In where I come from (NE Poland) majority of people have blue eyes and brown hair, blondes are not uncommon but redheads and brunettes are rare. That's too bad cause I like Celtic redheads :-)

Language / Your perception of the Polish accent [145]


You've penetrated our Slavonic soul and exposed our weak spot, Miloslaw :-)

And that's why I always greet people at work with "howdy"

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]


Who said anything about leaving Europe? The public discussion is about leaving the EU.

EU is an antithesis of Europe. European culture was build upon Greek philosophy, Roman law and Christianity and the foundations of the EU are neo-marxist.

EU is not even "a dwarf standing on the shoulders of giants" it's just a cancer that's grown on the body of Europe.