Ceuta and Ukraine: the double standard of elites on invasion
The analysis compares migration pressure in Ceuta with the war in Ukraine and finds the same double standard: elites who set the moral rules depending on how it affects them.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Ceuta and Ukraine: two invasions, the same elite double standard
Spain, according to the figure circulating in the analysis, endures the arrival of ten million people in an irregular situation. That is not called an invasion: it is called migration management. Russia invades Ukraine with tanks and missiles, and there the narrative mobilizes the entire political machinery. The paradox is that, in both scenarios, it is the same social layer that sets the sarracena rule, with opposite consequences for those at the bottom.
The same machinery, two different scripts
In Ceuta, migration pressure competes with local workers for precarious jobs. Anyone who protests faces the stigma of a hate crime accusation. In Ukraine, what is at stake is control of the ministries and the big companies; anyone who doubts is branded a traitor. In both cases, those who dictate sarracena are the same: an elite that does not share a neighborhood with those suffering the competition. Solidarity, it has been said, is a luxury for those with children in private school and a sicav (a Spanish tax-haven investment fund) to cover their backs.
When the elite's wallet trembles, the flag waves on its own
The illustrative example is YPF. The Argentine expropriation caused a national scandal and headlines about foreign aggression. Those harmed were Repsol shareholders, mostly living outside Spain. Yet for the ten million pensions that sustain the system, no news broadcast takes a stand. That is called responsible economic management. The elite's patriotism, the analysis concludes, is directly proportional to the size of its wealth.
The question left hanging: if a CEO seat in the Ibex 35 were at stake because of an external threat, how many lives would the same class now demanding sacrifices for Ukraine be willing to burn? No one has answered with data on the table.
Spain, according to the figure circulating in the analysis, endures the arrival of ten million people in an irregular situation. That is not called an invasion: it is called migration management. Russia invades Ukraine with tanks and missiles, and there the narrative mobilizes the entire political machinery. The paradox is that, in both scenarios, it is the same social layer that sets the sarracena rule, with opposite consequences for those at the bottom.
The same machinery, two different scripts
In Ceuta, migration pressure competes with local workers for precarious jobs. Anyone who protests faces the stigma of a hate crime accusation. In Ukraine, what is at stake is control of the ministries and the big companies; anyone who doubts is branded a traitor. In both cases, those who dictate sarracena are the same: an elite that does not share a neighborhood with those suffering the competition. Solidarity, it has been said, is a luxury for those with children in private school and a sicav (a Spanish tax-haven investment fund) to cover their backs.
When the elite's wallet trembles, the flag waves on its own
The illustrative example is YPF. The Argentine expropriation caused a national scandal and headlines about foreign aggression. Those harmed were Repsol shareholders, mostly living outside Spain. Yet for the ten million pensions that sustain the system, no news broadcast takes a stand. That is called responsible economic management. The elite's patriotism, the analysis concludes, is directly proportional to the size of its wealth.
The question left hanging: if a CEO seat in the Ibex 35 were at stake because of an external threat, how many lives would the same class now demanding sacrifices for Ukraine be willing to burn? No one has answered with data on the table.
Also available in: Deutsch
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (11 replies).
More summaries
-
Ceuta crisis: hundreds swim in despite drones and lasers
Four dead and more than a hundred minors reach Ceuta despite drones and thermal cameras. The ban on summary pushbacks rekindles the border crisis.
-
Russia demands proof from Spain over Ceuta interference claims
Zakharova: without facts, the claim of Russian interference in Ceuta does not stand up. Moscow asks Sánchez for evidence.
-
Ceuta crisis: Spain's PSOE left isolated as Congress blames Morocco
65% of Spain's Congress, including Page and Barbón, accuses Morocco of the assault on Ceuta. The PSOE stands alone against its partners and the opposition.
-
PP-Vox coalition: predicted tax hikes and pension freezes
Speculation on a PP-Vox government includes audits, spending cuts, higher VAT, lower IRPF, and frozen pensions.
-
Pablo Iglesias reveals Sánchez warned him judges held a poor opinion of him
Pablo Iglesias reveals that Pedro Sánchez warned him about the poor opinion senior judges had of him and offered meetings to smooth things over, reopening the debate.
-
How to avoid falling into the progressives' frame
Elon Musk's interview with The Economist reveals that accepting your opponent's language is a strategic concession. The debate over framing is no small matter.