Productive power is the foundation of a country's economic strength.

Margaret Thatcher was fearful of German unification because she believed that this would bring an immediate and formidable increase of economic strength to a Germany which was already the strongest economic partner in Europe.

Although housing sales and starts have cooled to more typical levels the housing market remains strong and sound. Without the expansion of homeownership and the strength of our housing market our nation would not have the economic growth we are experiencing today.

From this process has emerged a parallel process of translating traditional working and living values into a new political and economic power - a power increasingly based upon the strength of money and those material things money can purchase.

America's downgrade may serve as a wakeup call for its policymakers. It is an unambiguous and loud signal of the country's eroding economic strength and global standing. It renders urgent the need to regain the initiative through better economic policymaking and more coherent governance.

The fact that we're going through a crisis is an opportunity for Europe to be more coordinated and more integrated. We're actually talking about a European Monetary Fund or euro bonds about guarantees for countries about economic governance in the European Union. That shows the strength of Europe.

Social Security is not just the foundation of America's retirement dignity and security it ensures the economic stability and strength of our families and our state's economy.

So Europe needs to be competitive and we also need to be competitive if we wish to remain an interesting economic partner for the United States. This has to be done on the basis of strength of competitiveness.

All too often miners and indeed other trade unionists underestimate the economic strength they have.

The financial crisis should not become an excuse to raise taxes which would only undermine the economic growth required to regain our strength.