@BMbler
The EU _IS_ a policical "superior government"; why else is it making inner- and foreign policitcs? An economical unit would be something like EFTA and EEC, ONLY involving things for free market aso - but not politics (ever heard of "Schengen/Dublin"? The creation of a "EU-Frontier"?)
Catalonia: with what right did EU do that thing to Kroatia?
If there is something like Self-determination of the people, why is it only valid when Brussel agrees so?
Kroatia declared independece via an Exil-Government not elected by the Croatian people; it was ok, becaus Kroatia wanted to joyn EU, while Catalonia sezessed because they wanted TO LEAVE EU.
(what was that with the "EU is nothing policical" again?)
Austria: yes, they have been baited with "you'll have much to say in the EU, it will be a good time for you" - as the EU did with Switzerland (same arguments, 1:1!!); but then, the austrian, also with a direct democracy, decided to do this:
https://www.rt.com/news/271279-austria-petition-eu-exit/
(sorry for the RT-source, took the first english spoken source, but krone.at, orf.at (austrian TV) and other german spoken newssites confirm the RT-report (once, they did not ...let's say "exaggerate"...)
Switzerland: oh c'mon stop bashing if you have no idea what you're talking about. (fierce independence - YES, my friend, Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden decided to separate from the habsburgian reich as they reverted to solely surpress their terrritories... Almost as the EU is doing by now (eg. Greece, Portugal, Austria, Benelux, Ireland... EVERY country not doing what Brussel wants gets pressure...) And as of the banking-part - those with the Channel-Island, "autonomous crown dependencys" and "City of London" have the opportunity to shut up right now... (funfact: the financial-sector grew larger after EEC/EU closed their frontiers. What should THAT tell us? Yes: they are not saying the whole truth about Switzerland...)
But you're right on one point: if Switzerland should joyn the EU - it's the end of Switzerland; direct democracy (well, even the "remain"-voters should have seen now how EU reacts to democratic decissions) is not allowed in the EU (eg. Ireland/Contract of Lissabon: vote as long until the result pleases Brussel...); there would be no longer a self-determinated law-system, so the "confederation" (what switzerland is) would be finished. The 26 "Kantone" would separate into 26 different states, as everything Switzerland IS would be obsolete/would have to be changed so CH could enter EU...
Again: what was your point with "the EU is not a political/cultural oppressive regime"? You have to admit by now: there's too much political (menaing: STATEaffairs) involved in the whole EU-thing
Norway: well, they are bound to the same principals as Switzerland: wanna trade with EU, accept Schengen (at least NO british government has been so selfdesctructive to accept Schengen!), and therefore Dublin. The Dublin contracts state, that refugees have to be registered (only registered) in the first Schengen-Country they enter. I have NEVER found anybody who could give a logical explenation, why Switzerland, for more than 10 years, has more refugees from africa and middle east than Greece, Italy or Spain. (...like Norway, Switzerland is no "Full-Member", so those two countris have NO right to ask the EU-Court for a decission that ...certain EU-Fullmembers... are violating certain contracts... (I live near the Borderpoint Konstanz (Germany)/Kreuzlingen (Switzerland). Germany's supposed a secure country, Schengen-State, aso. How come that there are several hundred refugees PER DAY are asking for "first registration" in Switzerland???? EU = no polictics, right?)
Greece: no, I would recommend "Grexit light"; reliese them back into the drachme and their OWN economical and inner politics, so they can actually solve the problems; but the "Trojka" (IWF, Germany and EU (!!!)) are dictating the innerpolitical decission... (no politics?
Do you know the difference between EFTA and EEC?
...the EFTA has been a real economical unit, purly based on freetrade, not interfering with the inner- and foreign politics of its members. THAT is why EEC has been founded in the first place...
That's the whole issue; the EU has become WAY more than most people realised; it is essentially a "Government for all the governments"; dictating what to do, HOW to do, aso. It has long crossed the border of a pure "economical system"... That's what swiss politicians from the "Swiss People Party" have realized back in 1991, when CH had the first vote to joyn the EEC and EC (European Community, the predecessor of the EU, the EC has been an "economical unit"... The EC is the "peaceproject", not the EU (founded 1991, a few months AFTER we swiss said "ney" to EEC!)
Don't get me wrong, I'm not "antieuropean" or how people like me are called in the UK, I fully supported the EC; but never the EEC (separating from EFTA) and especially not the EU (...if you build a "superior government", you have to ask ALL people of the joyning states if they want to accept it; you don't just impose it on them!! Otherwhise things like "Brexit" happen!
I do enjoy discussing this toppic; but maybe we should transfer it to PM or a separate thread, don't feel to well bringing to much politics into this thread(...again...)
Edit: sry for all the typos, not feeling to well today... tried to fix most of 'em...