The Rotten Heart of Europe

By Ted Belman

In 1995 Bernard Connolly wrote the book The Rotten Heart of Europe in which he had harsh words about the prospects of European monetary integration. According to the lead review in Amazon:

“The Brussels Commission has just suspended its senior economist, Bernard Connolly, for writing a book savaging the prospects for a common currency. There are many who now believe he should be lauded as a prophet.” (Observer, Editorial, 1 October 1995).

“Mr. Connolly’s longstanding proposition that the foisting of a common currency upon so many disparate nations would end in ruin is getting a much wider hearing…”. (New York Times, 17 November 2011).

When first published in 1995, The Rotten Heart of Europe caused outrage and delight – here was a Brussels insider, a senior EU economist, daring to talk openly about the likely pitfalls of European monetary union. Bernard Connolly lost his job at the Commission, but his book was greeted as a profound and persuasive expose of the would-be ‘monetary masters of the world.’ His brave act of defiance became headline news – and his book a major international bestseller.

In a substantial new introduction, Connolly returns to his prophetic account of the double-talk surrounding the efforts of politicians, bankers and bureaucrats to force Europe into a crippling monetary straitjacket. Hidden agendas are laid bare, skulduggery exposed and economic fallacies are skewered, producing a horrifying conclusion. No one who wants to understand the workings of the EU, past, present and future can afford to miss this enthralling and deeply disturbing book.”

Connolly sued for wrongful dismissal and the Court, in 2011,  upheld the dismissal and imposed court costs on Connolly.

Ambrose Evans-Pritchard wrote up the court case in the Telegraph.

Euro-court outlaws criticism of EU

THE European Court of Justice ruled yesterday that the European Union can lawfully suppress political criticism of its institutions and of leading figures, sweeping aside English Common Law and 50 years of European precedents on civil liberties.

The EU monetary crises is not yet over. Couple with the migration crises, the EU may be headed for the ash bin of history.