And in the interim the misery index would increase
- there might even be food riots, perhaps even home invasions for food, rather
than status consumables, - while we waited for the government to take
(re)action. Revolutionary conditions and the further deligitimation of the
system. Food banks are a blight on civil society, almost unheard of before
the neoconservative/neoliberal dismantling of the social contract in the past
two decades. I do not doubt it's a thankless task begging for food
donations from the greedy hegemons of our society. When I made my seasonal
donation, this week, to a homeless shelter for youth, my donation was
corporate-graded and I received an Enbridge Gas gift in return. Somehow I
was not amused that my compassion was reconstructed as a market exchange.
I reminded the volunteers there was a time when compassion for the poor was
considered a communal responsibility - as it is in many other cultures, although
even there it is under attack from the neo-cons - and not charitable
volunteerism that looks good on a resume. Tithing has taken on a careerist
overtone based upon the number of power-dressed corporate employees I am meeting
in the malls. These are the same folks who bash the poor whenever
liberalization of social policy [and increased taxes] are
mentioned.
I don't agree, necessarily, Arthur, that
deprivation leads to co-operation (I wish!). History suggests
otherwise. I recall reading Ted Robert Gurr's book, "Why Men Rebel?" and
his book suggests that the answer is being deprived of a perceived
entitlement. Hungry people just might perceive food as an
entitlement, given its positioning on Maslow's hierarch of human
needs. Now rebellion hasn't happened - but I believe that is only
because the many people who are becoming increasingly marginalized in our
society are existing within a misery index that is at a tolerable level, or
directing their pain at themselves. (More the latter, I suspect.)
That can change as conditions change. Coalition building is a great idea,
but it is a middle class knowledge form, and that's about a third of the
population of our classed society. And we ain't starving, in fact many of
us are obese. Coalition building presumes a level of political
efficacy. Riots, on the other hand, are an ugly, ugly, thing to behold, as
I have.
Reconstructing a new vision of the social safety
net is an absolute must, in my opinion, given the direction of our
society. Clearly that is not happening in Dubya's America, and in Canada I
am fearful of where Paul Martin will take us in his efforts to reduce the level
of debt. If the precedent of Ontario politics is an example, he will be a
fiscal conservative who will govern as a neoliberal, and keep the liberal
rhetoric for managerial shuffling that is low cost.
BB
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Title: Re: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] David Ricardo, Cavema n Trade vs. Modern Trade
- RE: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] David Ricard... Cordell . Arthur
- Re: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] David R... Thomas Lunde
- Re: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] Dav... Ray Evans Harrell
- Re: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] David R... Thomas Lunde
- Re: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] Dav... Robert E. Bowd
- Re: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework]... Ray Evans Harrell
- Re: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework]... Ed Weick
- Re: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurew... Ray Evans Harrell
- RE: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurew... Harry Pollard
- Re: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] Dav... Ray Evans Harrell
- RE: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] David R... Cordell . Arthur
- Re: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] David R... Thomas Lunde
- Re: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] Dav... Ray Evans Harrell