What? First of all, the only way to diagnose someone as a sociopath is with extensive psychiatric diagnosis, and even then the diagnosis is hard to pin down. And secondly, if someone is diagnosed as a psychopath and it is determined that they have homicidal tendencies, then I hope they would be hauled off to an institution.

Of course a sociopath's tendency to lie would make it difficult to study them, but certainly not impossible. If it did, then we wouldn't know as much as we do. It may take decades or centuries before we get any noticeable benefits from a policy like this that out way the risks (i.e. that they might escape and kill someone), but the long term benefits should out way the short term risks.

I realise that not everyone agrees with me, that it's not a black-and-white issue and that I'm completely exaggerating my actual reaction, but I think the EU is the best thing that's ever happened to Europe. Talk about how bad the Eurozone is in the crisis, but without it Greece and the Iberians would likely have collapsed anyway without any way of being bailed out by the significantly wealthier countries like Germany and France. It's basically a kind of international redistribution of wealth to ensure that the poorer members aren't completely wrecked without any support from the richest members. Also I think a lot of support for Euroscepticism comes from pig-headed patriotism and pure greed, two things that I despise.

I think Euroscepticism comes from people having all of it forced on them.

Given the fact that the original concept behind a full European Union was to prevent any future wars between European powers and then updated to make Europe into an economic power that can match the USA and Japan etc it has achieved its aims, I won't dispute any of this.

But why should these countries be bailed out by the richer countries? These countries are in this state because of mismanagement of their economies, rampant corruption and a spend spend mentatlity. Now they expect to be bailed out.

This is all good and well, but when the poorer members abuse that support, I think the support should stop.

I hate rampant patriotism as well, but you need to remember that throughout history, that Europe has been divided down nationalist and economic lines and there is an almost in-bred divison between a lot of the states. On top of that the UK has always had 'an island mentality' that makes us in many ways a seperate entity from much of mainland Europe.

Yeah, I fully get what you're saying with bail-outs. It's pure stupid idealism on my part but I don't like the idea of people who aren't necessarily responsible for their countries messing up their economy suffering together with the idiots who caused the problem in the first place. You could say they're beginning to learn their lessons in some cases. I can't imagine the Italians will elect another Berlusconi any time soon unless they really are that stereotypically lecherous and... well, Greece appears to be going Nazi again and the economy was pretty much the only thing they did well and I'm really grasping at straws/entering controversial territory here. I guess bailouts do have the advantage of putting the corrupt economies more in the hands of nations who are still afloat because they've gotten some of the corruption out of their system already. And honestly, I don't think most of the richer Eurozone countries could really pretend they're so innocent themselves. The UK has just as many tax-dodgers and exploitative upper-middle class dickheads as it did before the recession. The main reason we're not completely collapsing is because we have so much of an economy to burn through.

Sure, the advantage of what has happened now makes these more corrupt states tow the line more and to be more transparent in their economic dealings. They now realize how close they've fallen near the precipice and hopefully would've learnt their lessons. The economic disaster was something that most were totally unprepared for anyway.

You're right about the UK economy, it's the second most important economy in Europe and therefore had a lot to burn through than those at the other end of the barrel such as Greece.

Personally, I think the EU should be smaller and more compact in size anyway. As there are still too many countries to create a cohesive union, with too many national laws and injustices that just don't meet up to the guidelines laid down by Brussels. I really don't see what use countries like Bulgaria and Romania just to name two, are for the greater good of the EU and I dread the day if Turkey ever gains entry!

I imagine that as the EU expands it will eventually be able to occupy a role like, say, NATO, as well as its usual economic and political responsibilities. They may not seem like much, but not letting the weaksauce Balkan states into our club wouldn't reflect too well on our ideal of unified Europe. I do imagine Turkey will probably join one day, and that might not be too bad in the long run. It'll keep them distanced from Iran and Saudi, which is always a good thing.

I think that Greece is the only Balkan state in the EU so far, right? I know that Serbia is a candidate and possible Croatia as well.

It doesn't really reflect well on me that I just had to look that up, but no, Romania and the Bulgarians are in it as well. Not sure about Serbia and the Croats, but I imagine having them together in one group might be... tense.

The Eastern European states were always desired to keep them clear of any Russian influence, but that has backfired as Russia now has one of the world's best economies and these countries now need to trade with Russia, to stop them from collapsing. The old adage of Turkey as a buffer state against the Arab states is the only reason they're wanted (they're a Nato state too) But a country that has a history of rampant inflation, medieval laws, sexism and the violent supression of ethnic and sexual minorities, as far as I'm concerned has no place in an EU that prides itself on equality.

If you join a club, you abide by its rules, if you want your opinion heard once in the club, then there is the possiblity to do so. Most of these fringe countries can't quite grasp this basic principal and just want to join the EU for they can get out of it, whilst still playing by their own rules in their own country.