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A LICENSE TO STEAL
There are all kinds of evidence
pointing to a downward spiral in living standards worldwide. In our
country we see increases in the cost of electricity, fuel oil, natural gas
and pump gas. While these items show up in our regular bills and out of
pocket, they are added to the costs of all items in transportation costs
delivered to consumer outlets and added to prices. For instance, natural
gas used for cooking at home or in restaurants or generating electricity
ends up increasing costs all along the line.
All of this is laid at the door
of scarcity - supply and demand. But there is increasing evidence that
these scarcities are corporate created, not actual shortages. As proof,
one needs only ask the simple question: Why is there a shortage in 2001
when there was plenty in 2000?
OPEC is the clear example of
total corporate control of supply. The oil cartel, including major U.S.
gas and oil corporations (news reports put Exxon profits for the first
quarter of 2001 at $5 billion!) cuts supply and price goes up. It doesn't
take a rocket scientist to get the picture. If that is not enough,
according to the latest figures investors in the stock market lost over $4
trillion dollars this year.
To sum it all up, scarcity is
good for capitalist profits and very much the opposite for people.
In this connection we quote the
guru of conservative newspaper columnists. George F. Will who appears in
the Seattle P.1. He writes:
"'Capitalism,
he said (Daniel Bell of Harvard in 1976) depends on certain virtues such
as ascetism, thrift, industriousness, self-denial, deferral of
gratification. But capitalism produces social surpluses, which begets
luxury which begets materialism, self-indulgence, acquisitiveness, instant
gratification.'
"Even
more striking evidence of the self-corruption of capitalist culture is
this: once charged with countering the self-centeredness and egotism that
de Tocqueville said is 55 commodification of everything"
Now if you read between the lines of Will's sophisticated language you
will get his message. It is, in simpler language, the warning: if we do
not accept lower living standards, do away with the American dream,
capitalism will expire. In other words, prosperity is good for the people,
but poverty is good for capitalism. This is also the message of WTO., IMF,
World Bank, NAFTA, FUA, MIA and assorted other schemes of the global
economy
In our opinion, it is time to
find a better system.
After all, we do have a strong
precedent in the U.S. of curbing corporate power. President Theodore
Roosevelt, who became President in 1901 and gained the title "Trust
Buster", ordered the dissolution of a holding company, Northern
Securities Co. His order was appealed in court but upheld by the Supreme
Court. He went on to curb other monopolies such as meat packing plants.
The corporate world accused him of undermining the institution of private
property. His efforts are reflected in the suit against Microsoft today.
By the way, he was an enthusiastic environmentalist, as well. Will history
repeat itself?
There is hope!
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