RightMinds's most 重要な events of 2011

STEPHEN DOUGHTY
No arguments about the most 重要な event of 2011. We can’t say the Arab Spring: as 中国’s most celebrated 兵器庫 fan Chou En Lai said of the French 革命, about 180 years after the event, it’s too 早期に to tell.

The most moving event of the year was the death of cricketer Basil D’Oliveira, a man who did as much as Nelson Mandela to bring 負かす/撃墜する 人種隔離政策(アパルトヘイト). His life is a 思い出の品 that it is still possible that one decent, honest, able individual can, without PR spinners, 法人組織の/企業の sponsors, political friends, celebrity スパイ/執行官s, lawyers or ideology, move mountains.

Ex Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, who attempted to call a referendum in his country over the austerity measures proposed by the EU

Ex Greek 総理大臣 George Papandreou, who 試みる/企てるd to call a 国民投票 in his country over the 緊縮 対策 提案するd by the EU

The world changed, however, on 3 November, in Cannes, when the Greek 総理大臣 tried to call a 国民投票 and in return Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy 申し込む/申し出d to throw Greece out of the Eurozone. For 40 years people of my 世代 have been told we must not 行方不明になる the Eurotrain, which is always leaving the 駅/配置する. This was the moment it fell off the viaduct.

HENRY DEEDES

The Royal Wedding, while certainly an international event, can not compete with the death of Osama Bin Laden

The 王室の Wedding, while certainly an international event, can not compete with the death of Osama 貯蔵所 Laden

On May 2nd at just past 1 am 地元の time, US 海軍 調印(する)s 嵐/襲撃するd a 構内/化合物 in Pakistan with one princip le 客観的な: to kill Osama 貯蔵所 Laden.

All other stories in 2011, be it 王室の Weddings, newspaper 終結s or Arab 反乱s, pale into insignificance compared to the 死刑執行 of the World’s Most 手配中の,お尋ね者 Man. にもかかわらず a £15 bounty on his 長,率いる, 貯蔵所 Laden had 避けるd 逮捕(する) by US 軍隊s for nearly ten years, に引き続いて the 9/11 attacks on New York which killed nearly 3,000 非軍事のs.

He had acquired bogeyman-like status across the world. Some were 確かな that he had been killed during the US 爆破 of the Tora Bora mountains in Afghanistan. Others thought he 死なせる/死ぬd through a 執拗な 腎臓 problem.

But by the time the news had filtered through in the 早期に of hours that he had been living in the lush green hills of Abbottabad , ‘Geronimo’? had? been 発射 by two 5.56mm 一連の会議、交渉/完成するs ? one in the chest, one in the 長,率いる ? and had already been buried at sea.? I would consider myself a Christian, but I was glad he was dead.

ALEX BRUMMER
In Britain the most 重要な event of 2011 was the 減産/沈滞 in the British economy which occurred between the March 予算 and the Autumn 声明 of December 2011. In March 生産(高) was 予測(する) to 拡大する at 1.7pc in 2011 and by 2.5pc in 2012.

By December the numbers has shrunk to 0.9pc for2011and 0.7pc for 2012. As a result the 予算 赤字 will be £158bn higher at the end of 2016 than 以前 予報するd and 失業 長,率いるing に向かって 10 per cent of the 全労働人口. 世帯s 直面する the biggest squeeze on incomes since the 1920s.

JAMES SLACK
I’ll 始める,決める aside the 炉心溶融 in the eurozone and the worst 暴動ing in Britain for 30 years in favour of the night ten months ago when ? after years of 存在 dictated to by the unelected 裁判官s of Strasbourg ? our MPs decided to bite 支援する. The 支配する was the 需要・要求する by the European 法廷,裁判所 of Human 権利s that 罪人/有罪を宣告するs serving time in 刑務所,拘置所 should be 許すd to 投票(する).

The ECHR - as remote and unaccountable as it’s possible to be ? was 脅すing 罰金s and 補償(金) payouts to 囚人s if the UK didn’t 従う with the いわゆる Hirst judgment.

The bust after the boom: the collapse of the Eurozone and the economic crisis facing Britain is the most significant event of 2011 for many

The 破産した/(警察が)手入れする after the にわか景気: the 崩壊(する) of the Eurozone and the 経済的な 危機 直面するing Britain is the most 重要な event of 2011 for many

But backbench MPs decided to send a message to Strasbourg that ? at least in theory ? the UK continues to have a 君主 議会. They 投票(する)d by 234 to 22, a 大多数 of 212, in favour of a cross-party 動議 that said Westminster should decide on such an important 問題/発行する and Europe should park its 戦車/タンクs どこかよそで.

It remains to be seen what will happen next.

Mr Cameron is fighting wars on many 前線s and may decide he doesn’t have the stomach for a 列/漕ぐ/騒動 with Strasbourg. Who knows, the ECHR - which this month 支援するd 負かす/撃墜する over the use of hearsay 証拠 in 法廷,裁判所 - may itself see sense. But at least our MPs showed they still have some fight.

JANICE ATKINSON SMALL
The 近づく 崩壊(する) of the euro which is the beginning of the end of failed euro 事業/計画(する).? When elected 僕主主義s are taken over by unelected Brussels commissioners with the blessing of other elected European leaders such as the Merkozy twins, 大混乱 and 不安定 続いて起こるs.?

The 大規模な 負債s of the Eurozone countries, fuelled by 抱擁する unsustained borrowing in the ‘にわか景気’ years which cannot ever be repaid, inertia in the 財政上の markets and European banks over-exposed to 負債, has resulted in stagnation which Germany cannot and will not 保釈(金) out.?

With Germany 推定する/予想するing everyone else to 支払う/賃金 into the マリファナ 経由で the 国際通貨基金, not to stabilise countries which it is designed to do, but to 支え(る) up a failed 通貨, it is doomed.

This slowly unravelling mess will last into 2012 but will finally be laid to 残り/休憩(する) with the rebirth of 僕主主義.

SONIA POULTON

Tent City: the Occupy London camp outside St Pauls Cathedral

テント City: the 占領する London (軍の)野営地,陣営 outside St Pauls Cathedral

Love it or loath it, who can 否定する the 全世界の 衝撃 of the 占領する movement?

開始する,打ち上げるd, after a fashion, in New York’s Zuccotti Park in September, 占領する 塀で囲む Street 奮起させるd 革命のs 世界的な to dust 負かす/撃墜する 旗,新聞一面トップの大見出し/大々的に報道するs and stand up and be counted.

‘テント Cities’ sprang up from Cairo to Canada and 含むd our own 見解/翻訳/版 at St. Paul’s in the City of London.

This led to the 辞職 of two clergy members over the 扱うing of the fiasco while City financiers, furious that campers 行為/法令/行動するd as a constant 思い出の品 of the 財政上の inequities, sought eviction orders.

Frequently, mistaken for an anti-資本主義者 抗議する, the 占領する movement is so much more than that. It encompasses - and …に反対するs - all manner of worldly 不平等s 含むing 税金 on the poor, 人種差別主義, 気候 change and the banking 産業’s 持つ/拘留する on 政府.

占領する attracted people from all walks of life and 行為/法令/行動するd as a metaphorical call to 武器. Even its' critics couldn't 否定する the 存在 of obscene 全世界の 不平等, and the need to 抗議する against it.

LINDSAY JOHNS
On a 国家の level, sadly I would have to say the 暴動s. British society momentarily fell apart on August 7th for several days and the fissures were evident for all to see on prime time TV.

Pandemonium: Firefighters tackle the flames following riots in Croydon on August 9

Pandemonium: Firefighters 取り組む the 炎上s に引き続いて 暴動s in Croydon on August 9

The pernicious culture of instant gratification, the 誘惑する of 平易な money, the shameless glorification of vacuous bling, the 欠如(する) of a hard work ethos, the abdication of personal 責任/義務 and the 耐えるing and 普及した belief that young people do not need discipline or perameters in their lives finally (機の)カム 支援する to bite us.... very, very hard and, in so doing, 明確に (and shamefully) illustrated to the world where we have been going wrong as a nation.

With the predictable apologists for the 凶漢s, the 続いて起こるing navel-gazing and the voluble soul-searching which 非難するd everything but the 欠陥のある moral compasses of the 暴徒s themselves, it is evident that we still have a long way to go to truly help young people in Britain.

MARK LITTLEWOOD
Although seen as something of a 非,不,無-event at the time, and 迎える/歓迎するd with a shrug of the shoulders, the humiliating 敗北・負かす for the 選挙(人)の 改革(する) ロビー in May’s 国民投票 will 形態/調整 British politics for years to come.

With the 可能性 of 比例する 代表 now probably 消滅させるd for a 世代, the 自由主義の 民主党員s 直面する an existential problem and the 傾向 will be for politics to 転換 支援する to a two party model.

The dividing lines over the next twenty years will be between those who support 解放する/自由な markets, individual 企業 and personal freedom and those who support high 税金ing, high spending, big, 干渉するing 政府.

ALLAN MALLINSON

Iconic moment: the cover of a Time magazine special issue on t
he death of Osama bin Laden

Iconic moment: the cover of a Time magazine special 問題/発行する on the death of Osama 貯蔵所 Laden

Perhaps the most 重要な event was the 位置を示すing (and then death by '弾道学の 外傷/ショック', as the pathology pedants have it) of 貯蔵所 Laden. Ten years, it took - and the Taleban are (明らかに) fond of 説 that 'the West have the watches but we have the time'.

However,? the 中央情報局 showed real staying 力/強力にする, and the 操作/手術 itself showed that the US have the guts and 能力 to get their man. It puts others of 貯蔵所 Laden's inclination on notice, and it 論証するs that the 血まみれの misadventures in Iraq and Afghanistan have by no means paralysed the US 行政.

North Korea and Iran would be foolish to ignore the technical 技術 of the 海軍 調印(する)s' 操作/手術, not least that it took place on the 君主 領土 of Pakistan without 警告 or hindrance.

But if there is a 競争相手 for the accolade of most 重要な event of the year it is a 非,不,無-event - the 非,不,無-破壊 of the Iranian 核の 原子炉 by Israeli 軍隊s. I believe there is a 関係 here with the 中央情報局's success and approach with 貯蔵所 Laden in Pakistan, but let others draw it.

DONAL BLANEY
In the teeth of a continued 全世界の 経済的な 炉心溶融, the 保守的なs remain neck and neck (and in some 投票s, ahead) of the 労働 Party. This is thanks to Nick Clegg's twin 悲惨な 決定/判定勝ち(する)s over the past year. First, he 取り消すd on his student 料金s 誓約(する).

Then he lost the AV 国民投票. Self-styled 進歩/革新的なs' 信用/信任 has been dented by the 圧倒する ing 拒絶 by the public of 投票(する)ing 改革(する) that would have led to 永久の 連合s.

As a result the 自由主義の 民主党員s have been neutered as a political 軍隊 and are too weak to 持つ/拘留する David Cameron to 身代金 anymore. We are 支援する in an 時代 of two party politics.

DOMINIQUE JACKSON
The most 重要な event of 2011 was the death, 老年の only 26, on January 4th, of Mohamed Al Bouazizi. The young fruit 販売人 始める,決める himself on 解雇する/砲火/射撃 on December 17th 2010, in 抗議する at the 没収 of his wares and いやがらせ by a corrupt and cruel police 軍隊 in the small central Tunisian town of Sidi Bouzid.

His death 誘発するd a 一連の violent demonstrations across the country which 追い出すd long-time 大統領 Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali.

Former Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali survived in power for 23 years

Former Tunisian 大統領,/社長 Zine El Abidine Ben Ali 生き残るd in 力/強力にする for 23 years

This is turn led to the 一連の 抗議する movements we have now come to know as the Arab Spring, which 含む violent 革命 and inelegant 政権 change in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, 一致した and 勇敢な 反乱s in Yemen, Bahrain and Syria and 執拗な 不安 across much of the Maghreb and the Arab Middle East.

The ありそうもない 殉教者’s self-sacrifice was the catalyst for a wave of civil 抵抗 to oppressive, often despotic, 全体主義者 政権s which have met violent respon ses from the 戦闘の準備を整えた 当局, 猛烈に 粘着するing to 力/強力にする. The very 最新の news of protestor deaths in Syria and the 乱すing scenes of Egyptian police brutality shows that the 革命 誘発するd by Al Bouazizi’s premature death still has a very long way to go.?

MATTHEW ELLIOT

Shot down: The Lib Dems and Nick Clegg's support of the Alternative Voting system was shown to be in stark contrast to the public's wishes

発射 負かす/撃墜する: The Lib Dems and Nick Clegg's support of the 代案/選択肢 投票(する)ing system was shown to be in stark contrast to the public's wishes

The 国民投票 on changing our 投票(する)ing system in May is now long-forgotten. It was difficult to get excited about an obscure 憲法の 審議, only followed by political obsessives and 自由主義の 民主党員s.

But the いわゆる 専門家s who tried to foist an undemocratic 投票(する)ing system on the UK were given a 抱擁する thumbs-負かす/撃墜する by the British public, when two out of three people 投票(する)d to defend our 現在の One Person, One 投票(する) 選挙(人)の system. I’m biased ? I ran the No (選挙などの)運動をする in the 国民投票 on 5th May ? but I believe that the NOtoAV (選挙などの)運動をする, and the 投票者s who supported it, stopped Britain from a terrible political 運命/宿命.

Had we 可決する・採択するd the 代案/選択肢 投票(する) as our 選挙(人)の system, Nick Clegg and the 自由主義の 民主党員s would have forever decided which of the major parties formed a 政府 after each 総選挙. This would have been patently 不公平な and undemocratic.

The fact that only 10 of the 440 投票(する)ing areas in the UK supported the propos ition 確認するd the 知恵 of the 広大な/多数の/重要な British public. They weren’t taken in by celebrity stardust and worthy commentators, they followed their instincts and 投票(する)d No.?

NICK WOOD
The No2AV (選挙などの)運動をする against a 転換 to 代案/選択肢 投票(する)ing. Some will choose the Arab Spring and the popular 革命s that led to the downfall of 独裁者s in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya. But perhaps it is too soon to tell whether these 激変s will 量 to 本物の 解放 of the 肉親,親類d we saw with the 落ちる of 共産主義 more than 20 years ago.

Undeniably, the most shocking and terrifying event of the year was the Japanese 津波. The sheer 力/強力にする of the waters that swept across the coastline 減ずるing houses to match-sticks and cars and lorries to corks bobbing on the sea was awesome and 説得力のある.

Devastated: Aerial view of Kamiishi city, Iwate prefecture, Japan, after the Tsunami struck

荒廃させるd: 空中の 見解(をとる) of Kamiishi city, Iwate 県, Japan, after the 津波 struck

And so was the bravery of the Japanese as they stoically 始める,決める about (疑いを)晴らすing up the mess, 救助(する)ing the 負傷させるd and 再構築するing their 粉々にするd land. It is hard to believe that any Western society could have shown such self discipline and grit in the 直面する of such a 災害.

But my choice is an 行為/法令/行動する of man not of God. In the 注目する,もくろむs of many, the AV 国民投票 was a dreary, small-town 事件/事情/状勢, about an 問題/発行する of such tedium, 投票(する)ing 改革(する), that most of the country hardly knew it was happening.

Yet it had a significance going beyond its 即座の 衝撃. The No 投票(する), by a 利ざや of 2:1, was an emphatic 拒絶 of the 肉親,親類d of modish nonsense that has been (打撃,刑罰などを)与えるd on us so often over the last 15 years.
Commonsense 勝つ/広く一帯に広がるd and for once the 自由主義の エリート were most 堅固に rebuffed.

JAMES CHAPMAN
Coming as we bored 切り開く/タクシー/不正アクセスs played cards inside the Justus Lipsius building in Brussels, waiting for the usual fudged 結果 in the 早期に hours of the morning, David Cameron's EU 首脳会議 拒否権 was easily the most 重要な event of the year ーに関して/ーの点でs of 国内の politics.

労働, which had been tacking very gently in a eurosceptic direction, was left nowhere, the プロの/賛成の-EU Lib Dems in a 明言する/公表する of 騒動, and the Europhile マスコミ 近づく apoplexy. Don't buy the Westminster 合意 that Cameron 手配中の,お尋ね者 a 取引,協定 and was outplayed by the French.

David Cameron talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a working session of the European Council at the Justus Lipsius building

David Cameron 会談 with German (ドイツなどの)首相/(大学の)学長 Angela Merkel during a working 開会/開廷/会期 of the European 会議 at the Justus Lipsius building

I'm 納得させるd the PM played for a 'no' for several days in the run up to the 首脳会議 after seeing a 名簿(に載せる)/表(にあげる) of 需要・要求するs from Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy. In doing so, he became the fi rst British leader ever to 辞退する to 調印する up to a new EU 条約.

Cries that Britain would be left 孤立するd soon looked hollow when the Eurozone 取引,協定 began to 崩壊する and the Germans (機の)カム to London begging us to get 支援する to the (米)棚上げする/(英)提議する.? Cameron's 投票 bounce was 即座の and appears to be 耐えるing, 誘発するing 憶測 about Ed Miliband's leadership - a discussion I 推定する/予想する to 支配する the first part of next year.?

GLENYS ROBERTS
What was the most 重要な event this year - without 疑問 the day the world's 全住民 topped 7 billion.

It is difficult to comprehend all that 茎・取り除くs from this 広大な number of mouths to 料金d and ambitions to 満足させる. What will it mean for the other animals with whom we 株 the 惑星 and for 増大するing 気候 change as Africa is slowly 固める/コンクリートd over with multi-小道/航路 主要道路s 居住させるd by 4x4s and designer shopping 商店街s? On the other 手渡す what will it mean for more ambitious space travel, or 深い sea 探検 or colonising hitherto 敵意を持った? 環境s here?

It is difficult to know whether to feel apocalyptic or 肯定的な about this 広大な number of people, most of whom would have been carried away by sickness in previous centuries before they had to get to 支配するs with the problems of 生き残り in the 21st.? While adversity often gives a welcome 上げる to 科学の 進歩, we also get その上の away from the natural order of things that kept our ancestors sane.?

DR ROBERT LEFEVER
国祭的な: the Arab Spring because it has got rid of deranged despots and could lead to democratic 政府. However , on the political 原則 of unintended consequences, it might lead to the 設立 of Islamic fundamentalism and sharia 法律 across the whole of North Africa.Either way, its significance is unquestioned.

In the UK: the day of 抗議する by 明言する/公表する 従業員s because it 明確に 境界を定めるs new political 境界s in our society. The 私的な 部門 will be いっそう少なく tolerant of 明言する/公表する 超過s in 未来.

本人自身で: working on my own as a counsellor so that I am 解放する/自由な from the いやがらせ by bureaucrats that occurred when I worked as a GP and also ran a large rehabilitation centre. My enthusiasm and creativity have now risen from the ashes of my former career.

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