Murder is a Habit

World-famous British crime novelist Agatha Christie was an outstanding observer of human nature. In Murder in Mesopotamia, her sleuth hero, Hercule Poirot, makes this astute observation: “There are things that my profession has taught me. And one of these things, the most terrible thing, is this: murder is a habit.” The implication is that after one commits a crime for the first time, doing it again becomes easier. Looking at the present behavior of governments and institutions in Europe, one is reminded of the wisdom of this insight.

When a law – or even a best practice – is violated and no sanction follows, what was once a transgression becomes a common practice. Habitual abuse of the law is a form of corruption. There will always be miscreants deriving advantages from this – for example, to get reelected.

The tendency for disregarding sound rules of governance became noticeable in Western Europe a number of years ago, mostly due to public overspending. This has led to various crises today. Among them is a crisis of political institutions.

For one, the European Central Bank does not respect the necessity to separate monetary policy from fiscal policy. Its artificially low interest rates erode the value of money, while quantitative easing constitutes a significant breach of the EU’s fundamental no-bailout rule …

Continue reading the original statement “Murder is a Habit” here -> GIS Statements

GIS is a global intelligence service providing independent, analytical, fact-based reports from a team of experts around the world. We also provide bespoke geopolitical consultancy services to businesses to support their international investment decisions. Our clients have access to expert insights in the fields of geopolitics, economics, defence, security and energy. Our experts provide scenarios on significant geopolitical events and trends. They use their knowledge to analyse the big picture and provide valuable recommendations of what is likely to happen next, in a way which informs long-term decision-making. Our experts play active roles in top universities, think-tanks, intelligence services, business and as government advisors. They have a unique blend of backgrounds and experience to deliver the narrative and understanding of global developments. They will help you develop a complete understanding of international affairs because they identify the key players, their motivations and what really matters in a changing world. Our experts examine the challenges and opportunities in economies old and new, identify emerging politicians and analyse and appraise new threats in a fast-changing world. They offer new ideas, fresh perspectives and rigorous study.