Michael Perelman wrote: > I don't have any easy answers, but I worry everytime the US acts in > the name of Democracy.
You should. Usually the US state says that it acts in the name of "freedom and democracy" (or in reverse order). That usually means that: (1) "freedom" is defined negatively and typically restricted to free use of one's money and other financial assets, with freedom from hunger, disease, illiteracy, and the like are seen as unimportant or even as interfering with market discipline. "Free markets" might bring in more access to consumer goods for those who can afford them but it also means improved access to US-based and other major corporations to natural resources and to other investment opportunities. Freedom often means freedom from labor unions and the freedom to be unemployed: labor-power markets are supposed to be ruled by the Invisible Hand, no matter how many people suffer. "Free trade" may destroy local businesses, causing high unemployment. This freedom also can meant the introduction of the policies usually favored by the IMF, i.e., shock treatment. A government-organized economy might be replaced by one organized by foreign bankers (i.e., the IMF and its allies). The IMF (or a consortium of bankers) steers the Invisible Hand. Of course, there are exceptions: market freedom may be restricted by the application of stricter "intellectual property" laws, so that US-based and other major corporations can profit more from patents and the like without doing any additional investment. (3) "democracy," which means that people get to vote every few years to choose between two or three politicians who favor the rule of the economy and society by business (both foreign and domestic) as described above. People are allowed to criticize the system as long as that criticism isn't organized. Anyone can be elected, as long as they don't differ significantly with the foreign policy goals of the US and its allies (meaning both states and corporations). Participatory democracy is avoided, along with anything else in between that and the kabuki democracy described here. Democratic control over the economy is of course avoided. -- Jim Devine / "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own way and let people talk.) -- Karl, paraphrasing Dante. _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
