tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post3315811488773501059..comments2023-10-22T11:57:34.718+01:00Comments on A Pint of Unionist Lite: How to take the wind out of Salmond's sails...O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-57239521937611165602008-04-09T15:58:00.000+01:002008-04-09T15:58:00.000+01:00People elected representatives - in the Austrian s...People elected representatives - in the Austrian side anyway - who could block legislation. Blocking legislation or making a noise about it led to governments falling. Pace the fall of Bedini due to passing (in German deputies eyes) of the Bedeni decrees.<BR/><BR/>The Czech deputies were famous for filibustering in Parliament over the issue of Czech autonomy. Indeed for period the conservative Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-88674097798025298992008-04-08T10:46:00.000+01:002008-04-08T10:46:00.000+01:00But in both empires the ability of those electors ...But in both empires the ability of those electors in the colonies/provinces to influence(or even vote) the direction of the central government was limited to non-existant. In the UK since the Representation of Act 1918, the electorate of Wales and Scotland have and still do influence greatly the direction of the Westminster government- indeed I suspect that is one of the reasons Brown has *O'Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-30425974890543005242008-04-07T15:20:00.000+01:002008-04-07T15:20:00.000+01:00Not particularly as:-1 -A-H was a union of provinc...Not particularly as:-<BR/><BR/>1 -<BR/><BR/>A-H was a union of provinces mostly united by the unions of 1526-1528 after the battle of Mohacs when the Crowns of Bohemia and Hungary elected the Habsburgs as their rulers.<BR/><BR/>Others later were taken by military force (so was Ireland and Wales) such as in Bucovina and Southern Poland/Western Ukraine.<BR/><BR/>2 -<BR/><BR/>The provinces were not Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-61735331371924315922008-04-05T17:40:00.000+01:002008-04-05T17:40:00.000+01:00Aberdonian,If you'd compared the Austrian-Hungaria...Aberdonian,<BR/>If you'd compared the Austrian-Hungarian empire with the British empire, then I think you'd be a lot closer to the truth-O'Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-69808462827485031142008-04-05T17:37:00.000+01:002008-04-05T17:37:00.000+01:00That we English get an Independence Referendum as ...<EM>That we English get an Independence Referendum as well.</EM><BR/><BR/>Absolutely, the UK either stands or falls as one entity and everyone in the Uk should have the right to decide on that.<BR/><BR/><EM>I accept that my position is (currently) still a minority one. </EM><BR/><BR/>I've lived and worked in both Cumbria and London, still have friends in both places that I vist regularly and withO'Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-49373969879554378402008-04-04T11:34:00.000+01:002008-04-04T11:34:00.000+01:00Concerning Austria-Hungary:-1- There was universal...Concerning Austria-Hungary:-<BR/><BR/>1-<BR/> <BR/>There was universal suffrage on the Austrian side of the Empire in the country's last few years. Admittedly not so in Hungary which did discriminate against its non-Hungarian speaking minorities.<BR/><BR/>2- <BR/><BR/>There was a universal language of sorts - German. All the main universities taught in German on the Austrian side, the military Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-47873962078326715722008-04-04T09:59:00.000+01:002008-04-04T09:59:00.000+01:00I'm all for the Referendum albeit with one proviso...I'm all for the Referendum albeit with one proviso.<BR/><BR/>That we English get an Independence Referendum as well.<BR/><BR/>We still haven't been given a referendum on devolution, and we are routinely either ignored or denigrated by the British State.<BR/><BR/>A Referendum might bring it home to them just how unhappy large numbers of us are - and whether the other Home Nations like it or not, Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02948105455433369982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-59563440575873406172008-04-03T20:32:00.000+01:002008-04-03T20:32:00.000+01:00You really won't leave that Austrian-Hungary analo...You really won't leave that Austrian-Hungary analogy alone will you!!<BR/><BR/>Off the top of my head, the differerences between present day Uk and the Austrian-Hungarian Empire;<BR/><BR/>1. Universal suffrage<BR/>2. A universal language (and perhaps for the vast majority ethnicity)<BR/>3. No officially sanctioned discrimination in education and culture on grounds of ethnicity.<BR/>4. A O'Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-89776763484371402232008-04-03T15:13:00.000+01:002008-04-03T15:13:00.000+01:00A very good reason - to concede a referendum would...A very good reason - to concede a referendum would be to concede a referendum also on the Lisbon Treaty. That what Brown fears anyway.<BR/><BR/>Whilst a referendum would probably be defeated, there is possibly a fear in some quarters that it will not be badly defeated (i.e. if the pro-independence vote was over 33%) and therefore give the medja eejits in London (who do not know much of what goesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com