A Failure of Democracy, Not Capitalism
Aug. 19th, 2002 09:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gerbieProf Benjamin R Barber Op-Ed article says sweeping legislation to reform corporate conduct, passed by Congress and soon to be signed by Pres Bush, seemingly reasserts public will over private interests but fails to address deeper scandal, namely, that real cause of corporate malfeasance in America is lack of faith in democratic institutions themselves; says business malfeasance is not consequence of systematic capitalist contradictions or private sin but arises from failure of instruments of democracy, which have been weakened by three decades of market fundamentalism, privatization ideology and resentment of government;
I was going to link you to another story I read in the paper, while I was on holiday. But as the NYTimes seems to think it is necessary to charge you for using their archives, I just copied and pasted a bit of it. Liked the idea though. There is plenty of capitalism by now, it could be that if you want something from the government, you need to give it some power first, otherwise it can't do much. The market can't run everything. Great column.
Funny thing was, two other pieces caught my eye on the same page. David Corn, editor of The Nation told the Europeans why it is to easy to tell Americans why they had it coming (referring back to 9/11). A lot of Europeans (can't exclude myself here) somehow put the blame, or at least part of it, to the Americans themselves. But first and foremost it was an act of terrorism, however much meaning that word might have lost by now. Nothing can be used to justify killing. It did put me back in my place at least, he certainly has a good point.
Third one was a letter. I like people who sent letters to papers. Quite often they have original thoughts. This one referred to an US court sentencing some generals from El Salvador for crimes they committed during the civil war in their country during the 80's. His valid point: How can the US not ratify an International court of justice, even giving themselves the right to invade the country (in this case MY country) should any American ever come to trial there, whereas in the meantime they do exactly what this court should be doing.
Just reading the paper makes me happy sometimes. Three great thinkers on one page. I should have become a journalist myself.
I was going to link you to another story I read in the paper, while I was on holiday. But as the NYTimes seems to think it is necessary to charge you for using their archives, I just copied and pasted a bit of it. Liked the idea though. There is plenty of capitalism by now, it could be that if you want something from the government, you need to give it some power first, otherwise it can't do much. The market can't run everything. Great column.
Funny thing was, two other pieces caught my eye on the same page. David Corn, editor of The Nation told the Europeans why it is to easy to tell Americans why they had it coming (referring back to 9/11). A lot of Europeans (can't exclude myself here) somehow put the blame, or at least part of it, to the Americans themselves. But first and foremost it was an act of terrorism, however much meaning that word might have lost by now. Nothing can be used to justify killing. It did put me back in my place at least, he certainly has a good point.
Third one was a letter. I like people who sent letters to papers. Quite often they have original thoughts. This one referred to an US court sentencing some generals from El Salvador for crimes they committed during the civil war in their country during the 80's. His valid point: How can the US not ratify an International court of justice, even giving themselves the right to invade the country (in this case MY country) should any American ever come to trial there, whereas in the meantime they do exactly what this court should be doing.
Just reading the paper makes me happy sometimes. Three great thinkers on one page. I should have become a journalist myself.
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no subject
Date: 2002-08-19 02:25 pm (UTC)Re:
Date: 2002-08-19 02:40 pm (UTC)Do you really think because I like my country, that I agree with everything that is happening here?