Flynn, Reich Discuss Economics and Social Policy

Irish European Union (EU) Commissioner Pdraig Flynn and former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert B. Reich spoke yesterday at the Center for European Studies about strategies for improving economic conditions in Europe and the U.S.

Flynn--who has battled a scandal involving campaign finance improprieties in the last months--admitted the difficulties of the past "beggar thy neighbor policy" among the 15 EU member states.

Under this policy, EU members sought their own economic good at others' expense, but Flynn said he hoped the new currency would promote economic growth.

"You have developed the management of your economy," Flynn said. "We want to harness the unity and structure reform" through the European Economic and Monetary Union.

Flynn outlined a four-point plan which he said would promote competition and solidarity between generations. He said that bridging the generation gap will become even more important as Europe's population ages over the next few years.

"Eight million less young people will enter the work market in the next five years," he said. "By 2025, there will be 13 million more people over 60."

Flynn and Reich further discussed the "employability truce," a balance between situations where jobs are low-grade but plentiful and a simple lack of jobs.

"The American model has been enormously successful in terms of generating jobs," Reich said.

Flynn pointed out the lack of quality in lower paying jobs, acknowledging the 9.8 percent rate of unemployment in Europe.

"There are one half million vacancies, and I can't get anyone to fill them," Flynn said. "One in 10 of unemployed people get an opportunity of training."

However, Flynn was optimistic about the potential for improvement.

"There is some good news here. All is changing in Europe," Flynn said.

Flynn listed the abundance of "jobs, skills, and mobility" as being all key to improving social and economic justice across a society.

The plan outlined by Flynn started with government spending on work training and continuing education programs for under 25, a commitment agreed to by the leaders of the EU.

"We must start, I suggest, with the empowerment of the individual," Flynn said.

Reich also carried the discussion to U.S. economics. He said "adaptive policies"--the ability of citizens to move without fear of losing social services--as necessary for economic growth. He also suggested that governments make the process of starting a small business easier.

"The U.S. doesn't have very many adaptive social policies," Reich said. "Europe is lacking, too."

Graduate students and professors who attended the event stayed afterward to discuss the speech.

"I think it [Flynn's economic plan] was probably idealistic rather than realistic," said Katrin Kromer, a second-year student at the Kennedy School of Government. "I thought it was good to see someone thinking idealistically, though, in such a leadership position."