The
aftermath of 'Brexit' continues, the UK with a new Prime Minister,
Chancellor, Home Secretary and a generally altered Cabinet structure
and personnel.
However,
contrarian to the voting British public's distaste for the EU –
with central issues of immigration, the Brussel's 'gravy train' and
a supposedly looming federal super-state – the second part of this
weblog intentionally looks back across The Channel (or 'La Manche')
and back in time to the year of 1971 and the mannerisms of a cult
European character.
1971
was the year when UK decimalisation was introduced, designed to align the Pound to the French Franc, German Deutschemark,
Italian Lira etc, and more easily calculate exchange
rates to promote European commerce and leisure travel.
The previous decade had prompted innovative outcomes from Wilson's 'White Heat of Technology' speech, ranging from the shift to (the then) 'clean diesel' and cleaner still diesel-electric hybrid locomotives on the state railways, the continuation of the Modernists' dream in public housing, and new era downsized cars - even in the luxury segment, such as the Jaguar XJ and Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow; which also sold well in Europe.
The previous decade had prompted innovative outcomes from Wilson's 'White Heat of Technology' speech, ranging from the shift to (the then) 'clean diesel' and cleaner still diesel-electric hybrid locomotives on the state railways, the continuation of the Modernists' dream in public housing, and new era downsized cars - even in the luxury segment, such as the Jaguar XJ and Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow; which also sold well in Europe.
Prior
to the UK's joining the EEC, Prime Minister Edward Heath stated...
...”It
is going to be a gradual development...but from the point of view of
our everyday lives we will find there is a great cross-fertilisation
of knowledge and information, not only in business but every other
sphere”.
Britain
had been denied EEC membership in both 1963 and 1967 because of the
French disbelief regards British commitment. But that friction had
been overcome with Anglo-French joint ventures such as the
breath-taking supersonic Concorde by BCA (later BAe) and Aerospatiale
in 1969 for the respective national carriers of BOAC (later British
Airways) and Air France.
Similarly given the enthusiasm for cross-continental relations talks were again re-initiated regards reviving the old 19th century idea of a Cross-Channel Tunnel; which after enormous effort finally materialised in 1994. This achievement providing the new foundations for for various later joint projects, culminating in the astonishing Millau Bridge between constructor Eiffage and Foster Associates architects in 2004.
Similarly given the enthusiasm for cross-continental relations talks were again re-initiated regards reviving the old 19th century idea of a Cross-Channel Tunnel; which after enormous effort finally materialised in 1994. This achievement providing the new foundations for for various later joint projects, culminating in the astonishing Millau Bridge between constructor Eiffage and Foster Associates architects in 2004.
With
emotional unification of the world in mid-1969 thanks to the first
Moon Landing, the early 1970s promised greater pan-European
unification ideals via the expansion of the Common Market so aligning
national interests and destinies.
As
Britain experienced a weakened economic grasp upon its former colonies because of each's national independence movement, so it remoulded
itself to operate within the European sphere. That argument used
today by the 'Brexiteers' highlighting the proven and future economic
potential of the emergent world – the BRICs, CIVETS, MINTS regions
etc.
Yet
'Brexit' obviously adds yet more resistance to the already previously
harsh headwinds facing the UK, with political confusion and as yet
unproven change creating a general short/medium term loss of
confidence, and the knock-on effect, as seen with international
downgrades from the ratings agencies and renewed spasms within what
should by now have been well-stabalised capital markets and western economies.
Better
Balancing Britain's Interests -
Of
course the world is economically a very different place to the
western-centricism of the early 1970s, new giants have indeed emerged
moving through the national development time-frame in a matter of
decades not centuries, as was the case with Europe.
But
if the Middle-East was the birth of civilisation, then Europe was
undoubtedly its cradle and créche, from the Roman Empire onward an
improving merging of cultures, commerce and technical progress.
The
Brexit vote was an undoubted shock to European leaders and many
Europeans themselves who have seemingly always seen the British Isles
as (physically and metaphysically) close enough for support, but not
too close for comfort; and being in that idiosyncratic position
perhaps able to best balance its own national identity and that of a
European partner; and as such perhaps a leading light of 'collective individualism'.
This
important and very enabling position should not be underestimated nor
threatened by an angry reactionary British public. Never has the
horrible phrase “kick a dog and see it bite another dog” been so
apt, referring to the far too sensationalised issue of migration. Yet
that has been the outcome whereby marginalised people don't look to
the failed socio-economic responsibilities of their past leaders, but
to blaming the 'under-dogs' who themselves only sought better lives
elsewhere.
Where
bridges have been burned and trenches dug, the very opposite is
required.
The reconfigured distancing sought by the dissaffected masses, should only be created if deemed truly appropriate by those unbiased experts whose knowledge itself en mass about the plethora of issues involved, can be stitched together for the optimal perception of the situation.
The reconfigured distancing sought by the dissaffected masses, should only be created if deemed truly appropriate by those unbiased experts whose knowledge itself en mass about the plethora of issues involved, can be stitched together for the optimal perception of the situation.
Thus
not reliant upon the supposed 'wisdom of crowds', which itself is
largely fed via the media.
The
critical need today is not to alienate Britain from Europe, but to
extricate itself from the any truly prohibiting regulation and
maximise commercial and cultural relationships.
[NB
this said, as the creche of civilisation, the EU's strong protective
stance regards Human Rights should remain].
Thus
Britain must not wholly nail the Union Flag to the mast of the
Emerging Nations' - no matter how apparently promising - but
prosaically and sensitively balance its European Interests with its
Global Interests.
The old foreign policy phrase used by Britain was that " we have no friends, simply interests" has never so apt, from many perspectives.
The old foreign policy phrase used by Britain was that " we have no friends, simply interests" has never so apt, from many perspectives.
Looking
Back to Monsieur Hulot -
It
is precisely because of the created tumult that greater
understanding, foresight, humility, diplomacy and creativity is
needed. A very different and far more substantive real-politik that
properly handles such issues, as opposed to the media-compelled
'sound-bite' personas so rife today; from celebrities to politicians
and into much of the general populace.
Whilst
the new Prime Minister Theresa May might be initially seeking overt
populism by highlighting the sought role of employee representation
of company boards to mimic German practice - a double-edged sword
depending upon the commercial acumen of such representation - she
does at least appear to have the qualities of caution, sobriety and
tenacity.
These
qualities might seem "dull" with the media's quick
comparison as a female John Major, but she at least appears more
dynamic and is PR savvy. To this end, the power of both British and
European cultures should be deployed to create a convincingly
constructed stepping-stone pathway for Britain's optimal future.
The
same approach needed today as was seen in the run-up to Britain's
1973 EEC entry, with the ability to merge the best elements of imbued
cultures.
The
prescient 'decimalisation' year of 1971 saw the last populist artwork
of the quirky film-maker Jacques Tati. And the last venture of his
socially observant, cross-zeitgeist straddling, character Monsieur
Hulot, within the subtle comedy 'Trafic'.
Monseuir
Hulot came to prominance through the previous films: 'Les Vacances'
('53), 'Mon Oncle' ('59) and 'Play Time' ('67), within Tati's highly
pictorially structured pictorial (and periodically audiby assisted)
story-telling process. With for the most part no or very sparse
dialogue, he sought to reflect the rapidly changing era as France
embraced the American-centric future through Hulot's eyes.
The
prevailing French demi-high-brow polemic was deployed, itself the
driving force of America's counter-culture 'beatnik' movement, which
sought to question unquenched consumerism and materialism, (as
encapsulated by Jacque Karouac's 'On the Road'). Silent action and
mime was used as its central visual motif – wherein the very visual
and behavioural actions of characters and the use of inanimate
objects speaking louder than words. All to represent his own distaste
for increasing Americana and Hollywood's exportation of overtly
formulaic low-brow cultural popularism.
The
foundational aspect of his film-making was a need to reclaim an
increasingly marginalised 'La Belle France'; done so via the
trickle-down of ideas from 'Rive Gauche' philosopher set - Hulot
himself demonstrating aspects of the 'Flaneur'.
(NB
Hollywood's soft-power play for Europe - seen with Dutch-born Audrey
Hepburn in both 'Roman Holiday' ('53) and 'Funny Face' ('57) - sought
to strengthen the Euro-Anglo-American relationship).
Thus
1953 saw the introduction of Hulot (after
Fete de Jour in 1949) via release of a low-budget, idiosyncratic and
parochially French 'Les Vacances' depicting the minutiae
of life including exploration of common-folk's petit-borgeois distain
of Hulot the awkward 'social misfit' who nonetheless sees more and so
experiences more.
He
prefers the oft over-looked beauty of nature (vs the starkly
geometric man-made), the antiquated environs of the cobbled old-town
(vs steel, glass and concrete), the innocence of children (vs the
socialised madness of adults), the true 'humanity' of dogs (vs
societal hypocracy), the warmth of bird-song (even when caged)...and
an appreciation for design simplicity and 'fitness for purpose: as
exemplified by his unglamorous and so unfashionable yet wholly
perfected VeloSolex motorised bicycle.
In
essence this seemingly 'out of time' quiet man has the eye of an
artist, the mind if an engineer and the consciousness of a yogi,
insightful and far beyond the 'BS'.
Importantly,
unlike the initial three films in which he merely observes other
people's consumer slavishness, in 'Trafic' Hulot puts his
observational capabilities to good use as an active participant in
commercial creativity. As design head for the fictional Altra (Car)
Company and creator of a very functional (though intentionally
comically over-stylised) 'Camping Car'.
Throughout
the next three films the seemingly austere and rational Monsiuer
Hulot – though more deeply human under the surface - would himself
philosophically 'shine a light' upon what he saw as the
ridiculous extremes of the new, fashionable, and supposedly more
convenient status based consumerism.
From
the folly of domestic architecture wherein modernism meets modern art
to create not a home but a highly inconvenient show-piece, to the
increasing dominance of dehumanised organisational environments, with
a tendency of aspirational humans to willingly self-mould to the
corporate machine image; this tendency wholly unfathomable to Hulot given his innate naturalness.
Jacques
Tati depicted the character as essentially out of place, somewhat
austere, old-fashioned, quiet, logical, sombre, simple and yet a
questioning and active man, his mind always elsewhere on higher
things, and so never 'in the moment' or with 'the crowd'.
Counter
to today's fashion of 'inter-connected this' and 'democratic that'
created by social-media, it is these aforementioned qualities that
are required more than ever today by the political, investment and
industrial leaders of Britain. In a period when commerce, industry and
politics has effectively had to start-over under ongoing extremely
challenging circumstances.
Honest,
intelligent, fresh and creative approaches are needed within the
political-socio-economic sphere, the very opposite of populist-driven
sound-bite 'ism' trendiness. 'Isms' which essentially put rhetoric
before intent and action and so lack substance.
Neither should there be a reliance upon the strictly conventional originating from yesteryear, often probably out-dated in outlook and notional solutions.
Neither should there be a reliance upon the strictly conventional originating from yesteryear, often probably out-dated in outlook and notional solutions.
[NB
Even of late, the British loss of Cambridge based ARM Holdings (and its IPR value) to
Japan's Softbank illustrates the continued hollowing-out of vital industries. Though an expected given, this not always recouped by yesteryear 's often failed
regeneration chatter; as with Lord Heseltine's recent words about automatic reversion to a 1980s FDI scenario. Softbank may well create an 'internet of things' manufacturing base in the NE, NW, Midlands or South Wales... or it might choose to do so in Japan, China, Indonesia or in time Bangladesh.].
regeneration chatter; as with Lord Heseltine's recent words about automatic reversion to a 1980s FDI scenario. Softbank may well create an 'internet of things' manufacturing base in the NE, NW, Midlands or South Wales... or it might choose to do so in Japan, China, Indonesia or in time Bangladesh.].
As seen, Hulot
is someone of a different older 'no-nonsense' age; not enthralled at
the demonstrations of pseudo-technical advancement in the home,
office or factory; or indeed by the consumerism-binge exemplified by
the big, flash cars (vis a vis the humble domestic) 2CV.
These but over-marketed products functionally no or little better than their predecessors.
These but over-marketed products functionally no or little better than their predecessors.
[NB
herein the future internet of things must be truly functionally
transformative, not simply app-based e-layered fuctionalist artifice...AI and
robotics the critical next step to this metamorphosis. The AI
controlled industrial or domestic robot is designed to be wholly
multi-functional, necessary given its prime purpose of command and
environment related response and adaptiveness].
Similarly,
in the era when luxury French cars had been effectively eliminated
through government intervention policy (affecting Facel Vega etc),
the masses had been mobilised with Citroen 2CV, 4CV, Traction Avant
(as taxis) and goods transported via H-Vans and Estafettes, Hulot the
designer was not impressed by the new middle-classes' fascination for
Detroit size and colour, but by the idiom of broadened functionalism
befitting the economic realities of the time – hence the dual-use
affordable 'Camping-Car'.
So
whereas Detroit's mid-century baroque exports befitted the taste of
the nouveau-riche (effectively replacing those lost domestic grande
tourers), Hulot looked to the cultural opposite - to the people.
Although not of the crowd he understood how the life and the engrained French ways of people could be experentially enrichened with the appropriate multi-functional vehicle.
Although not of the crowd he understood how the life and the engrained French ways of people could be experentially enrichened with the appropriate multi-functional vehicle.
At
a time when France was scrabbling to move beyond the automotive
products of basic post-war entry-level mobility, the people far
from wealthy enough to purchase the architypical Euro-Americana cars
provided by the likes of Opel or Ford (larger, colourful and
feature-laden) Hulot sought to re-imagine French Utilitarianism and
maintain the connection to nature and the land.
[NB
the 'Camping-Car' vehicle itself based upon the Renault 4 van, itself
probably chosen by Tati because of the cognitive connections between
his former film 'Les Vacances' and the fact that at the time Renault
had a fleet of 'Vacances Service' R4 'breakdown vans' dedicated to
the summer exodus of holiday-makers heading to Western and Southern coast-lines.
Thus
Tati pre-empted, and indeed promoted, the auto-camping trend of the
increasingly mass-mobilised 1970s Euro-camping era].
'Trafic'
is itself seemingly a prompt to French industry and capitalism soon
after the social upheaval of the 1968 student riots and the
threatened resurgence of re-popularised communism. As France itself
looks to undertake its own EEC export-drive, Monsieur Hulot designs
what he considers the perfect Camping-Car with French and
pan-European potential.
Thus the film conveys the story from product's conception upon the
drafting-board, its birth in the 'prototype shed', its photographic
marketing, loading upon a factory truck and transportation to the
Amsterdam auto-show for the public reveal.
Hulot
and the factory-men set out with their precious cargo, having to
follow the firm's speedy 'PR girl' in her little open-topped Fiat
Gamine. Her pace setting across the border alert the officials and so
all become embroiled with 'La Douane' – the Belgian-Dutch 'Customs and Excise' officials.
In
essence a parody of the thrust of international commerce stymied by
international officialdom.
Herein
we witness how frustration builds between the 'go go go' mentality of
the somewhat demanding PR representative and the methodical,
rule-book mentality of the officials, so creating a tense atmosphere,
and so probably creating more problems and barriers for the
journeying group.
By
way of calming the waters Monsieur Hulot instead accords to the
requirements of the officials and critically gains their fascination
and trust by demonstrating the surprise and delight functional
properties of his Camping-Car creation.
Where
the demands of youth and hastiness only adds to the processing time
of EEC regulation, it is maturity and co-operation which ensures
smooth transmission.
The
vehicle eventually arrives at the the Amsterdam “AutoRAI”, the
exhibition providing for fertile ground for more of Hulot's
inquisitiveness and the resulting comedic outcomes.
The
Mindful Lessons Learned -
The
central aspect here of course, relevant to the UK's effort to
'Brexit', is the manner in which it should be done.
The
populist anger behind the vote to leave obviously resultant from the
relative economic stagnation of Britain since 2007, blaming
immigrants and the EU when in fact it was a combination of a
non-existant national industrial and services economic strategy since
the early 2000s, itself substituted by an empirically disconnected
and so overtly in-credible credit regime; itself the function of
'made-up money' from Wall Street's financial re-engineering(CDS / CDO
etc).
Theresa
May and her Cabinet have a mandate to follow the will of the public,
seemingly even if wholly misguided.
Thus
the process of EU extraction is ironically thankfully a long and
ponderous one, even after ratification of Article 50. This 4-5 year
time-frame provides enough time to allow the member states of Europe
to not 'do likewise', but to use 'Brexit' to reconsider exactly how
to reform the EU.
The
core elements being akin to;
1.
Rationality driving regulation.
(not
vice versa whereby the 'gravy boat' is sustained through ever greater
regulation of petty issues)
2.
A concomitant reduction of Brussels' operating costs, thus lowering
all members' contributions.
3.
Greater transparancy to the EU public
(an
EU Parliament digital TV channel created to broadcast web-based
EUParlTV content).
4.
Greater efforts toward national and sub-regional histories and
identities
(recognised
as within national boundaries, and not premised as 'spin-out'
independent new entities, then able to then illustrate the history
and idiosyncratic identities within singular nations; so promoting
interest, travel and commercialism with greater relationship building
between similar international regions).
In
a useful manner, Tati's film 'Trafic' humorously illustrates Monsieur
Hulot's frustration with the limitations of the then conventional
'pre-set' private car. The journey to Amsterdam illustrating how
people had become effectively emotionally attached slaves to the car,
Tati using the behavioural pattern of windscreen wipers to convey the
personality of the driver.
To
provide the necessary potential for personal freedoms Hulot devises a
model that could both undertake the standard needs of the everyday
and provide a mechanism for enlightening escape.
The
task in hand over the coming years for EU leaders is to mimic Hulot's
reconsidered and much adapted model.
Britain's
Mr Bean has itself been a prime cultural export internationally –
especially the 'slap-stick' loving nations of Germany and Japan – in large part drawn from Hulot. And as seen in the Mr Bean
films, although silent and unobtrusive he is seen to be the power
'behind the scenes' of eventual outcomes.
The
time of the overtly vocal, rousing, populist leader (Farage to
Varoufakis) should be seen as over.
Looking
forward all member states of the EU require the Hulot character, sensitivity and an
understanding of how to appreciate and remould the big socio-economic
picture.
“Back
to the drawing board” to achieve economically and culturally “the model of mutual prosperity”.
