Moving into the 21st century, the state of economics has shifted to a global system of trade and interdependence between the wealthier and the lesser developed nations. AS the more industrialized nations of the East and West develop more innovative forms of technology, citizens of the world find themselves with increasing demands for newer gadgets, automobiles, luxurious homes, and the constant desire for more than necessity.
Is it wrong for someone to work hard and support their family and not hope for nice things? Is having a flat screen television, high tech cell phone or newly developed computer a classic example of the bourgeousise mentality that Engels and Marx poignantly criticized in the Communist Manifesto? Well it depends on the extent. Living outside of your means and diverging from the necessities for the sake of accumulating luxurious items is where the problem begins.
Individual persons are not the overwhelming reason for the amount of environmental degradation, over consumption, and decay of rich deposits of natural resrouces. In the name of profit, multinational corporations jump into the developing markets in third world nations, with promises of investment and creation of needed infrastructure. Who profits from backdoor arrangements? Does the common receive a slice of the lion's share? No, the lions share is left to the lions while the rest of the "animal" kingdom is left to fight for whatever remains. LAnd that holds ancestoral, or cultural importance to indigenious popoulations of Africa, Asia, and South America, and even in the United States have been exploited and cast aside for the greed of CEO's and corporate executives seeking methods of growth with little regard to the lives that have been turned upside down.
The need for more has led to the destruction of precious ecosystems and helped expediate the extinction of several species for the sake of that "holy" paper currency. WHat have we become? You decide. The capitalist system has brought about class struggle and the separation of people through class distinctions. Capitalism claims to thrive from the "invisible" hand of the free market, but is that market truly free? Who suffers at the hands of the few? Around the globe men, women and children are forced to work for the meager wages that couldn't even buy a day's worth of groceries in the United States.
The conservative argument to this exploitation of the disenfranchised, centers of the basis of providing jobs and income to people who lacked the resources, until corporations sought to export their operations to the third world. The argument holds little truth because for the sake of reducing operational costs, these companies export their manufacturing centers to regions where labor is cheap. Maximizing profits while keeping the worker in conditions that help to perpetuate the cycle of exploitation and class division, that is the goal. Seems that good deeds are wrapped in the most unpure of intentions these days, and in the past.
WHat is the solution? What can be done to help alleviate the problem and begin a reversal of this parasitic relationship? The solution lies in the creation of a Social Democracy with a highly regulated market where corporations do not create political policy but policy is dictated by the elected officials who dedicvate their life to social service and improvement of the conditions for their own people. Men and women for the people. That does sound appealing. Is this possible? I believe so.
The arguments to government regulation of food,drugs, vitamins, energy, finance/investment, to the basic cleaning products that are used to keep that fresh pine smell in our bathrooms and kitchens, simply make me sick. Is having the ability to kill yourself with foods containing high levels of preservatives and genetically engineered meets and produce worth the costs of personal destruction? Having the freedom to kill yourself does not mean that it is a freedom that should be exercised. But, if you so feel the need then eat yourself into oblivion with a "double down". Hummers, double downs, super sized meals, all you can eat buffets? All this while people in the third world struggle to put a single meal on the table for their families. Are the less fortunate lazy? Are they unwilling to fight to live? NO. The problem is these people do not have the resources and governments line their pockets while their people go hungry. The problem is our nation gives financial support to governments that economically oppress their people. Companies do not practice environmentally sustainable methods with the committment to "fair trade" pricing to help give back to the communities that do the work. There is some exception and there are socially and environmentally conscious corps that incorporate these approaches, and kudos to them for doing whats right.
The goal of government should be to fight hunger, poverty and environmental destruction. Putting an end to excessive development and property construction is a must. One has to question the logic of building such large housing communities when they only fill to 20-30% capacity due to high maintanence fees and home costs. Forcing food manufacturers and farmers to use responsible methods with reduced use of pesticides,chemicals, and genetically altering hormones to make food look and taste more appealing than the actually ingredients would have it. Health care costs could be reduced with more government regulation in all aspects of society.
Creating the necessary infrastructure would prove costly in the beginning but if everyone made a little sacrifice and were more motivated by doing what's best for all, rather than the best for a few, we could have a society where everyone holds themselves accountable for the fate of the planet and mankind. Boundaries created by nationalism and economic motivations and desire for accumulation of wealth will always fight back against such a transition, but the hope is that in time more will see the light and accept the efforts towards a utopian-like society.
The time has come to reduce defense spending and to stop letting energy and drug companies run the show. The influence and lobbying is destroying the fabric of our so called freedoms. If it freedom for all or freedom for those who can afford it and slavery for all those lacking the necessary resources and tools to advance the lives of the less fortunate. Educating the poor and mobilizing them can force governments to employ more tactics to create a safety net for the lower classes. The bottom line is access to education, health care should be the goal. Class distinctions and separations create alot of tension and violence that stems from class struggle.
WE can hope for a better day and we can sure dream. We need to fix the current system and recent events in the gulf, the lies of the Iraq War, the financial meltdown, the bailouts, the health care debates are all great examples that the current state of a unregulated, free market create.
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