Ingabe IYurophu Iyoke Ibe Nobunye?

UMA ukuthola kunzima ukukholelwa ukuthi iYurophu izimisele ngobunye, kudingeka nje weqe imingcele embalwa kuphela yamazwe ayo. Abantu manje sebehamba ngokukhululeka besuka ezweni eliyilungu le-European Union (EU) beya kwelinye. Cishe sekuphelile ukulinda emingceleni. Yiqiniso, abahamba amazwe bayajabula ngalokho—kodwa akubona bodwa abazuzayo. Manje izakhamuzi zamazwe e-EU sezingafunda, zisebenze futhi zivule amabhizinisi kalula noma kuphi emazweni ayingxenye ye-EU. Lokhu, kuye kwaphumela ekuthuthukeni kwezomnotho ezindaweni ze-Union ezimpofu.

Ukweqa kalula imingcele ngokuqinisekile kuwushintsho olukhulu. Nokho, ingabe kufanele siphethe ngokuthi iYurophu isinobunye kakade futhi azisekho izithiyo ezingavimbela ubunye? Ngokuphambene, izithiyo zibonakala ziyisongela, ezinye zazo ziqeda amandla. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba sixoxe ngazo, ake sibheke elinye lamagxathu amakhulu kakhulu aya ebunyeni aye athathwa kuze kube manje. Ngaleyo ndlela singase siqonde kangcono ukuthi kungani abantu benethemba elingaka lobunye.

Izinyathelo Zokwenza Uhlobo Olulodwa Lwemali

Ukulondoloza imingcele kungase kubize. Izintela zezimpahla eziya nezivela emazweni angu-15 angamalungu e-EU zake zafinyelela kuma-euro ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-12 ngonyaka. Yingakho nje isimo esisha emingceleni yaseYurophu siye sathuthukisa ezomnotho. Uma ucabanga ngezakhamuzi ze-EU eziyizigidi ezingu-370 ezihamba ngokukhululekile zisuka kwelinye izwe ziya kwelinye zithenga ngamanani afanayo, kusobala ukuthi amandla ezomnotho azokhula ngempela. Yini eyenza kube nentuthuko enjalo?

Emuva ngo-February 1992, abaholi bakahulumeni bathatha igxathu elikhulu endleleni eya ebunyeni ngokusayina iSivumelwano kuyi-European Union, noma iSivumelwano SaseMaastricht. Lesi sivumelwano sabeka isisekelo sokusungula imakethe ehlangene eYurophu, ibhange elikhulu nohlobo lwemali olulodwa. Kodwa kwakusazolandela esinye isinyathelo esibalulekile: ukuqedwa kokushintshashintsha kwamanani okuhwebelana. Phela, inani lokuhweba lesikhathi esizayo lingashintsha izivumelwano zamabhizinisini anamuhla.

Lesi sithiyo esisendleleni eya ebunyeni sagudluzwa ngokumisa i-Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) nokwethula i-euro njengohlobo lwemali oseluzosetshenziswa. Manje azisekho izindleko zokuhwebelana, futhi amabhizinisi akusadingeki azivikele ekuweni okungase kubangwe amanani okuhwebelana. Lokhu kwenza izindleko zamabhizinisi zibe phansi futhi kwandisa ukuhwebelana phakathi kwamazwe. Kanti, lokhu kungase kuholele ekuvulekeni kwamathuba emisebenzi namandla engeziwe okuthenga—okungazuzisa wonke umuntu.

Ukusungulwa kwe-European Central Bank ngo-1998 kwaphawula esinye isinyathelo esibalulekile ekusebenziseni uhlobo olulodwa lwemali. Leli bhange elizimele, elisedolobheni laseFrankfurt, eJalimane, yilo eliyingqongqo kwezezimali kohulumeni abangamalungu. Lilwela ukugcina izinga lokwehla kwamandla emali liphansi emazweni asebenzisa i-euro, okungamazwe angu-11,a nokuqeda ukushintshashintsha kwamanani okuhwebelana phakathi kwe-euro, i-dollar ne-yen.

Ngakho-ke, uma kuziwa kwezezimali, kuye kwathathwa amagxathu amakhulu aya ebunyeni. Nokho, izindaba zezimali zibonisa uqhekeko olukhulu olusekhona phakathi kwamazwe aseYurophu.

Ziseningi Izindaba Ezithinta Izimali

Amazwe ampofu e-EU anezikhalo zawo. Anomuzwa wokuthi amazwe acebile angamalungu awawahlephuleli ngokwanele umnotho wawo. Alikho izwe emazweni angamalungu eliphikayo ukuthi kuyadingeka ukuwaxhasa ngokwezimali amazwe ampofu angozakwabo aseYurophu. Nokho, amazwe acebile anomuzwa wokuthi anezizathu ezizwakalayo zokuwagodlela usizo.

Ngokwesibonelo cabangela iJalimane. Intshiseko yalelo zwe yokuxhasa ubunye beYurophu isinciphe ngempela manje njengoba umthwalo walo ongokwezimali usumkhulu. Izindleko zokuhlanganisa iMpumalanga Jalimane neNtshonalanga Jalimane kuphela ziye zamba eqolo—cishe izigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu ayisithupha zamaRandi ngonyaka. Leyo ingxenye yesine yokwabiwa kohlelo lokusetshenziswa kwemali yalelo zwe! Le ntuthuko iye yabangela ukuba sinyuke kakhulu isikweletu sezwe laseJalimane kangangokuthi iJalimane kwadingeka yenze imizamo emikhulu ukuze ihlangabezane nezindinganiso zokwamukelwa i-EMU.

Amalungu Amasha Acela Ukwamukelwa I-EU

Okwamanje, abasekeli bokusetshenziswa kwemali eyodwa bathemba ukuthi amazwe e-EU angakangeni kuyi-EMU azozinqoba izithiyo zawo ngaphambi kokuphela konyaka ka-2002, okulindeleke ngawo ukuba ama-euro awuhlweza nangamaphepha athathe indawo yemali yanamuhla yamazwe aseYurophu. Uma iBrithani, iDenmark neSweden eyeka ukuba manqikanqika, ngisho nabantu abakula mazwe bangase babone opondo, ama-kroner nama-kronor esethathelwa indawo i-euro.

Okwamanje ayisithupha amanye amazwe aseYurophu acela ukuba amalungu e-EU. ICyprus, iCzech Republic, i-Estonia, iHungary, iPoland neSlovenia. Amanye amazwe amahlanu asalindile yilawa, iBulgaria, iLatvia, iLithuania, iRomania neSlovakia. Ngeke angene ngemali encane. Kulinganiselwa ukuthi phakathi konyaka ka-2000 no-2006, i-EU kuyodingeka ikhiphe ama-euro ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-80 ukuze isize la mazwe amasha afikayo ayishumi aseMpumalanga Yurophu.

Nokho, imali okuyodingeka amazwe amasha abe nayo ukuze ahlangabezane nezimfuneko zokungena kuyi-EU inkulu ngokuphindwe kaningi kunemali yokuwasiza ayoyithola kuyi-EU. Ngokwesibonelo, iHungary kuyodingeka ichithe ama-euro ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-12 ekuthuthukiseni imigwaqo yayo nojantshi. ICzech Republic kuyodingeka ichithe ama-euro angaphezu kwezigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-3,4 ekuhlanzeni amanzi kuphela, kanti iPoland kuyodingeka ichithe ama-euro ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezintathu ukuze inciphise ukukhishwa kwesibabule. Noma kunjalo, amazwe enze izicelo zobulungu anomuzwa wokuthi izinzuzo zinkulu kunezindleko. Isizathu siwukuthi, ukuhwebelana kwawo namazwe e-EU kuzokwenyuka. Nokho, amazwe afake izicelo kungase kudingeke alinde isikhashana. Ngokombono womphakathi wamanje, amazwe amasha kufanele amukelwe kuphela lapho i-EU isiqondise izindaba zayo ezingokwezimali.

Intukuthelo, Ubuzwe Nokuntuleka Kwemisebenzi

Naphezu kwayo yonke imizamo eseyenziwe yokwenza ubunye, kokubili ngaphakathi nangaphandle kweYurophu kunokukhathazeka ngentuthuko yeZwekazi. Kunokungakhululeki futhi ngendlela yokubhekana nezingxabano zobuzwe, njengalezo zokuhlukana kwesifundazwe saseBalkan—okokuqala impi yaseBosnia bese kuba izingxabano zaseKosovo. Amazwe angamalungu e-EU avame ukungavumelani ngendlela yokusingatha izingxabano ezinjalo eYurophu nakwezinye izindawo. Njengoba i-EU ingekhona ukuhlanganiswa kwemibuso futhi ingenayo inkambiso efanayo yokusebenzelana namazwe angaphandle, ezimweni eziningi kulawula izithakazelo zezwe. Ngokusobala, izithakazelo zezwe ziyisithiyo esikhulu ‘e-United States of Europe.’

IYurophu inenye futhi inkinga eyicindezelayo—inani elikhulu lokuntuleka kwemisebenzi. Ngokwesilinganiso, bangamaphesenti ayishumi abantu abanamakhono okusebenza kodwa abangaqashiwe. Lokhu kusho ukuthi abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-16 abasebenzi. Emazweni amaningi, intsha cishe eyakha ingxenye yesine yenani labantu bamazwe e-EU, iye yenza imizamo emikhulu yokuthola umsebenzi kodwa yahluleka. Yingakho nje abantu abaningi benomuzwa wokuthi ukulwa nokuntuleka kwemisebenzi okukhulu kangaka kuyinselele enkulu yeYurophu! Kuze kube manje, imizamo yokudala amathuba emisebenzi iye yaphelela eboyeni njengesithukuthuku senja.

Nokho, kusenokukhulu okuvimbe indlela eya ebunyeni.

Ubani Ophethe Izintambo?

Ububusi buseyisithiyo esikhulu ekufinyeleleni iYurophu enobunye. Amazwe angamalungu kufanele avumelane ngokuthi azimisele ngezinga elingakanani ukudela ububusi bezwe. Inhloso ye-EU ukusungula uhlobo lokubusa olungenakuvinjelwa imingcele yezwe. I-Monde iphawula ukuthi uma lokhu kungenzeki, ukwethulwa kwe-euro kuyomane nje kube “ukunqoba kwesikhashana.” Nokho, amanye amazwe angamalungu akuthola kunzima ukwamukela umbono wokudela amagunya. Ngokwesibonelo, umholi welinye izwe eliyilungu le-EU wathi izwe lakhe “lazalelwa ukuba umholi wamazwe, hhayi ukuba umlandeli.”

Kuyaqondakala ukuthi amazwe amancane angamalungu esaba ukuthi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, amazwe amakhulu angase athathe izintambo futhi enqabe ukwamukela izinqumo ezingase zilimaze izithakazelo zawo. Ngokwesibonelo, amazwe amancane ayazibuza ukuthi kuyonqunywa kanjani ukuthi amahhovisi ahlukene abameleli be-EU ayoba kumaphi amazwe. Lesi yisinqumo esibalulekile ngoba abameleli abanjalo bavula amathuba emisebenzi emazweni abakuwo.

Uma ucabangela lezi zithiyo zobunye eziqeda amandla—ukungalingani ngokwezomnotho, impi, ukuntuleka kwemisebenzi nobuzwe—kungase kube lula ukudangala uma ucabanga ngobunye beYurophu. Nokho, iqiniso liwukuthi sekwenziwe intuthuko enkulu kakhulu. Ukuthi ingakanani intuthuko esazokwenziwa akwaziwa. Ngokuyinhloko izinkinga ezikhungethe labo abazama ukuhlanganisa iYurophu yizinkinga ezifanayo nalezo ezikhungethe bonke ohulumeni babantu.

Ingabe kuyoke kwenzeke ukuletha uhulumeni ongaxazulula izinkinga ezinjengombango wobuzwe, ukuntuleka komsebenzi kubantu abaningi, indlala nempi? Ingabe kunengqondo ukucabanga ngezwe lapho abantu beyohlala ngobunye beqiniso? Isihloko esilandelayo sizocabangela impendulo engase ikushiye ubambe ongezansi.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 6]

Nansi I-euro!

Nakuba imali ewuhlweza nengamaphepha yamazwe angamalungu e-European Union esasetshenziswa manje iyolokhu ikhona kuze kube ngu-2002, ama-euro aseyasetshenziswa kakade ekuhwebelaneni okungahileli ukheshe. Lokhu kushintsha kwemali kuye kwaba umsebenzi omkhulu emabhange. Nokho, manje aselungisiwe amanani okuhwebelana phakathi kwemali yamazwe angamalungu ne-euro. Izindawo zokudayisa amasheya ziveza amanani nangama-euro. Izitolo eziningi manje sezibeka amanani ezimpahla zazo ngama-euro nangemali yendawo.

Ezentengiselwano ezinjalo ziletha ushintsho olukhulu—ikakhulukazi kubantu abaningi abadala, abangeke besakwazi ukusebenzisa i-deutsche mark, i-franc noma i-lira abayijwayele. Ngisho nemishini yokuthengisa ezitolo nemishini yokukhipha nokufaka imali kudingeka ilungiswe. Ukuze kwenziwe lolu shintsho lushelele ngangokunokwenzeka, kuye kwahlelwa imikhankaso esemthethweni yokwazisa abantu ngokufika nokusetshenziswa kwe-euro.

Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yiziphi izithiyo ezisekhona, i-euro iyeza. Eqinisweni, ukwakhiwa nokunyatheliswa kwe-euro sekuqalile kakade. Futhi kuwumsebenzi ngempela. Ngisho nasezweni elincane njengeNetherlands, elinezakhamuzi eziyizigidi ezingu-15, imishini yokulakha neyokulinyathelisa iyosebenza iminyaka emithathu ilandelana ukuze kuthi kufika u-January 1, 2002, ibe isikhiqize imali ewuhlweza eyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-2,8 nemali engamaphepha eyizigidi ezingu-380. Uma yonke le mali entsha engamaphepha ibingabekwa ndawonye, ibingenza inqwaba engamakhilomitha angu-20 ukuphakama!

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 7]

“Ukuqothula Kwe-euro”?

Ngasekuqaleni kuka-1999 i-European Commission, isigungu se-European Union (EU), sasinda ngokulambisa egalelweni elacishe lasihlehlisela emuva. Le khomishani yamangalelwa ngokukhwabanisa, inkohlakalo nokukhetha. Kwakhiwa ikomiti ukuze ihlole lokhu kumangalelwa. Ngemva kokuhlola okwathatha amasonto ayisithupha, ikomiti yathola ukuthi kwakukhona ukukhwabanisa nokusetshenziswa kabi kwezimali kuyi-European Commission. Nokho, ikomiti ecwaningayo ayitholanga bufakazi bokuthi amalunga ekhomishani ayezicebisa wona.

Ngemva kokunyatheliswa kombiko wekomiti, bonke abantu ababekuyi-European Commission bashiya phansi ngo-March 1999—into eyaba yisimanga. Kwabangela inhlekelele enkulu kuyi-EU. Umagazini i-Time uyibiza ngokuthi “ukuqothula kwe-euro.” Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kuzocaca ukuthi yimiphi imiphumela le nhlekelele ezoba nayo enqubweni yobunye beYurophu.

[Isithombe ekhasini 5]

Sekulula kakade ukunqamula imingcele eYurophu

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

I-European Central Bank, eFrankfurt, eJalimane, yasungulwa ngo-1998