The Revolutions of 1848, which eventually engulfed most of continental Europe, began in Sicily in January of that year, and eventually spread to France, many of the German states, Galicia, and Austria — before the country was called Austria-Hungary, which change of nomenclature was a result of the 1848 Hungarian uprising against the Habsburgs. The Austrians successfully put down the rebellion, but changed the structure of the empire as a necessary concession to the Hungarians, who became theoretical co-equals in a “dual monarchy”.

I don’t know if 2022 is going to be comparable to 1848. The summer is just getting started, after all, and a lot can happen between now and when the first snow falls on Unter den Linden. However, there is definitely something in the air. It began in the Netherlands, where farmers protesting the “Green Deal” — which would shut down more than 30% of their farms — have blockaded highways and food distribution warehouses, surrounded government ministries, and attempted to close Schiphol Airport. The situation has escalated to the point where police fired live rounds at a rebellious tractor, fortunately missing the teenage driver.

Inspired by the Dutch, farmers in Spain and France have begun their own protests. And just before I started formatting this translation for posting, I saw a tweet about a nascent protest in Italy, where irate farmers are threatening to occupy Rome with their tractors.

Many thanks to Hellequin GB for translating this article from Der Wochenblick:

A hot protest summer in Europe

After the Netherlands: Now also farmers’ protests and blockades in Spain

For weeks there have been protests by farmers in the Netherlands against the Great Reset policy and the EU’s “Green Deal” and the associated forced closure of farms (Wochenblick reported). Large parts of the population stand behind the farmers and show solidarity with them. The protests and blockades are also having an effect, and some supermarkets are already running out of food. Now, because of the inflation, Spain’s farmers are taking to the streets again.

Climate change or not, it’s likely to be a hot summer in Europe. In addition to the Netherlands, farmers are now protesting again in Spain, as videos on Twitter show:

• Twitter 1
• Twitter 2

Especially in the southern part of Spain, in Andalusia, farmers are protesting because of the inflation and the enormously increased prices for energy and food. In Spain, inflation was already above the 10% mark in June.

Mass protests back in March

And this year is not the first demonstration in Spain because of the massive price increases and the inaction of the government. Back in March, 150,000 farmers protested in Madrid. At that time, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez pledged to take action and stated that he also wanted to campaign at the EU level for a common EU response to rising energy prices. But now, months later, it is becoming apparent that the EU is unable and probably unwilling to tackle the problems. Rather, they were further intensified by the sanctions policy against Russia.

Warning strikes in France

In France, meanwhile, airport ground staff went on warning strikes at the beginning of the vacation period, causing dozens of flights to be cancelled. The strikes were about poor working conditions, staff shortages and low wages. Because although the airports have 95 percent occupancy rates like before the Corona crisis, according to the CGT union, thousands of employees are missing at the airports.

FPÖ warns of the EU’s “Green Deal”

The [Austrian] liberal spokesman for agriculture, Peter Schmiedlechner, once again voiced severe criticism of the EU’s agricultural policy. “Because of the so-called ‘Green Deal’, the government in the Netherlands has done something outrageous and it is to be feared that the same thing will happen in Austria,” he said, drawing attention to the existential problems of Dutch farmers. Because of the decision on nitrogen reduction, the government of the Netherlands had written in a letter to the farmers that a third of the farms were to be closed down, and if they did not agree to this, they would simply be expropriated. That’s why Schmiedlechner isn’t surprised by the farmers’ protests, because ultimately it’s about their survival. Especially since at a time when a veritable food supply crisis is looming and prices for staple foods are constantly reaching new record highs, it seems downright absurd to sabotage agricultural production in Europe in this way. “At the same time, the EU is signing a trade agreement with New Zealand, creating new dependencies. In what world does that make sense?” asks Schmiedlechner, shaking his head.

Afterword from the translator:

It makes perfect sense in the world the puppeteers of neo-feudalism want to create, since they want to get rid of 90% of the “useless eaters”. The surviving remnant will then divided into “Men at Arms” (police) and “Serfs”. The former keep the latter in check through “state”-sanctioned oppression. How are they going to rebel? Bows and arrows, pitchforks, scythes, billhooks and axes might have worked in the past because the oppressor wasn’t really better armed, just better trained, but now? I see dark times ahead if we do not stop this, all of us, otherwise all creeds and all colours of humanity will become simple “prey” to the whims of the few.

But as I’ve said many times in the past: The future is written in the dust, and the slightest breeze can alter it. Let’s become a STORM. And blow the Khmer Vert of the EUSSR/UNSSR along with their paymasters onto the dungheap of history.