Satirical Cartoon Analysis

The above satirical cartoon expresses the economic turmoil that is currently being experienced in the Euro Zone as a result of widespread rising inflation and rates of unemployment. The author illustrates the nations in the Zone as competing for the Zone's budget in order to improve conditions within their own respective country. This cartoon portrays the leaders of these countries as selfish, childish, power-hungry, and frustrated due to the crisis. Originally a method to improve a nation's independent currency, the adoption of the Euro has left European countries with an unsustainable and unpredictable economy.

The acronym of P.I.I.G.S. includes the nations most contributing to this crisis: Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain. These countries are the cause of Euro unpredictability as the other nations have had to bail them out in the past. They all want financial assistance but the budget is already stretched as it is, represented in the cartoon above as a blanket.

As the UK has not adopted the Euro and has maintained their stronger Pound Sterling, the Euro Zone has suffered in comparison. The UK is even considering removing their affiliation in the European Union altogether, which would only further destabilize it.