Wednesday, April 18, 2012
More Than Just Discussion
In a piece found here: http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/printer_64455.shtml by Richard Wolff Professor Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and also a Visiting Professor at the Graduate Program in International Affairs of the New School University in New York. His book “Capitalism Hits the Fan: The Global Economic Meltdown and What to Do about It” offers a cogent critique of the crisis ridden Capitalist system we now suffer under. Below are my thoughts on what I feel is not stressed enough by Wolff.
Wolff is correct in his conclusion that it is up to the 99% to force the necessary changes. However, especially in some of his lectures, he focuses on the lack of discussion of Capitalism and alternatives to it which is, no doubt, a part of the problem. But beyond that, after everything has been discussed, it is going to boil down to a matter of power. Ending the rule of the 1%, or better put, gangsters will mean revolution. That, in turn, will mean blood; lots of it. Of course, a prerequisite to any challenge to the status quo is a strong, disciplined and organized movement of the people or 99%. That being said it is clear that at some point, as those in Tahrir Square know very well; a confrontation with the State’s fist, the ultimate backer of the 1%, will not be avoided.
Considering the converging problems of climate change, peak oil, the ongoing financial unraveling, and not to be left out, the danger of WW III, it seems to me that at some point we'll have to be willing to to die in the thousands now in an effort to remove those in power or die in the millions, or likely billions, later when all these converging crisis mentioned before come to a singular head. What is not going to happen is that business as usual will continue too much longer. I guess whether in Egypt, Greece, Spain or wherever, we better hope there is a breakthrough and the back of Capitalism is broken somewhere. With some luck and vision, this will provide the blueprint for the rest of humanity to throw off the shackles of this brutal and way past its prime socio-economic system.
Wolff is correct in his conclusion that it is up to the 99% to force the necessary changes. However, especially in some of his lectures, he focuses on the lack of discussion of Capitalism and alternatives to it which is, no doubt, a part of the problem. But beyond that, after everything has been discussed, it is going to boil down to a matter of power. Ending the rule of the 1%, or better put, gangsters will mean revolution. That, in turn, will mean blood; lots of it. Of course, a prerequisite to any challenge to the status quo is a strong, disciplined and organized movement of the people or 99%. That being said it is clear that at some point, as those in Tahrir Square know very well; a confrontation with the State’s fist, the ultimate backer of the 1%, will not be avoided.
Considering the converging problems of climate change, peak oil, the ongoing financial unraveling, and not to be left out, the danger of WW III, it seems to me that at some point we'll have to be willing to to die in the thousands now in an effort to remove those in power or die in the millions, or likely billions, later when all these converging crisis mentioned before come to a singular head. What is not going to happen is that business as usual will continue too much longer. I guess whether in Egypt, Greece, Spain or wherever, we better hope there is a breakthrough and the back of Capitalism is broken somewhere. With some luck and vision, this will provide the blueprint for the rest of humanity to throw off the shackles of this brutal and way past its prime socio-economic system.
