College of Political Knowledge
Subject: Society/Political Philosophy
Lecture
This is a lengthy one, but it is a subject that cannot be simplified anymore than I have attempted……
My friend Quin of Quintessential Havoc (blogroll will get you to his site….visit soon and often) were having a conversation about education and social science and basically the welfare state and I said that there are two distinct classes in the US…the privileged and the non-privileged and that a person was not destined to remain in one or the other, that there was movement back and forth…..but let me explain why I feel that there is a class war starting (actually it has been going on for decades)….and for decades the division between the classes has been getting wider with each passing year….and NO one notices…..around 47% of the American people do not think that the “American Dream” is still realistic……the average salary for the average worker has gone up less than a $1000 in the last 20, maybe thirty years….while the average CEO’s pay has gone up a hundred fold in the same period….and they still say there is NO class distinction….they are wrong and it will get messy before it gets better….
First from the Newser website:
Plenty of time and space has been and will be devoted to figuring out why the income gap between the rich and poor has gotten so big in the US, writes Steven Pearlstein. Today, though, he focuses on the very real consequences: “Runaway inequality,” he writes, “undermines the unity of purpose necessary for any firm, or any nation, to thrive. People don’t work hard, take risks, and make sacrifices if they think the rewards will all flow to others.””Without a sense of shared prosperity, there can be no prosperity,” writes Pearlstein. “And given the realities of global capitalism, with its booms and busts and winner-take-all dynamic, that will require more government involvement in the economy, not less.”
The poverty rate has NOT gone below 30 million people since 1982…..this is according to the census and I am sure that there will be those that will dispute the figures and want to quote those of some obscure think tank that has an agenda and the facts would just get in the way…..and then you have this occurring in the business community…..
US corporate profits are soaring in the midst of the deepest economic slump since the Great Depression, on the basis of a ruthless policy of using mass unemployment to slash wages and heighten the exploitation of American workers. In order to make the impoverishment of the working class a permanent feature of American life, companies are hoarding vast amounts of cash rather than hiring workers and expanding output.
These are the conclusions that flow from a Wall Street Journal analysis of second-quarter 2010 corporate profits, reported in the newspaper’s Monday edition under the headline “Propelling the Profit Comeback: Retooling, Downsizing.” The article gives statistics showing that US corporate profits are surging despite stagnant and even falling revenue, sharply increasing the percentage of revenue represented by profit.
I am sorry to crap on those who cannot see that there is a divide and a widening divide in the classes in the US…..but the economy is NOT about getting people back to work….but rather to improve the position of those who buy stocks….and before some mental midget tells us that a lot of Americans own stock…they do….but it is through a fund of some sort and that is who is getting wealthy off this slowdown in the economy…that the suckers that trust them….
This from the Newser website again………
American companies are sitting on record piles of cash right now, but instead of spending it to hire more workers or increase productivity, most are choosing to buy back huge quantities of their own stock, the Washington Post reports. This year firms have announced $273 billion in buybacks, more than five times last year’s figure. “They don’t know what they want to do with all the cash they’re sitting on,” explains one researcher.
And the US Congress is NOT helping either…..
The latest jobs bill from Senate Democrats – a plan to punish firms that ship jobs overseas – failed to clear a key procedural hurdle Tuesday after even some Democrats complained that the measure would hamper the ability of U.S. companies to compete in foreign markets.
Four Democrats and Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) voted with a united Republican caucus to block the bill, which was crafted to address the 9.6 percent unemployment rate in the run-up to November’s midterm elections. On a vote of 53 to 45, the measure failed to garner the 60 votes needed to overcome a GOP filibuster. (Thanx to Lori Montgomery of WaPo for the thoughts above)
All this is fueling the grow divide….there is cash out there for the companies to use to help end this recession….but they do not want the recession to end….thus the working stiffs are being used in an attempt to further the accumulation of wealth…..now there is NOTHING wrong with that….but these people owe something to the society that created them and their wealth…
This could degenerate into a new call for class warfare….Eventually the working class will realize that instead of comparing themselves with the lower paid co-workers they need to focus on their ever shrinking pay as compared to the CEOs and the like with multi million dollar bonuses and salaries……I know that scares the sh*t out of most people….but failing to see the problem approaching is a sure way to get your pee-pee spanked…..
Recently, the GOP held up benefits for the unemployed and refused to help 9/11 responders with their medical problems all because it would be too expensive….but yet they will do all necessary to help the wealthy keep more of their money….some will say it is not about class but money….but is that not what a class warfare is basically about?
I know most pundits will not acknowledge the class war (and yes there is a class war) because they would have to go against the corporate interests of their handlers and in doing so would jeopardize their million dollar contracts….so these people will continue to refuse to acknowledge the character of the class structure in the US….everyday they report just how well the economy is doing….actually it is the markets doing well…..all else sucks…the economy is NOT doing well when there is 17% real unemployment….and by all means keep voting for those who do NOT have your best interests at heart and eventually you will join those on unemployment……if that happens….you most likely deserve it!
Yup! I agree with pretty much all of that – but I still don’t see it as a class war and, personally, I think THAT is at least half the problem. Why don’t people stop giving themselves labels – and not even good labels at that???
Yes, there is a group (particularly in the US) that is privileged, but why can’t you settle for describing them as the privileged and THE REST? It’s got damn all to do with class, except in the minds of relative minorities and in my view it does no good at all to join with those minorities in any way shape or form.
You know much of what I feel, so I won’t just repeat it all, but look at it this way: if you insist on polarising the whole problem, then you are A) blaming a group who should NOT be the target (because you’ll lose) and B) becoming no better than the people you are complaining about…
I’m not suggesting that what you are proposing is communism, or anything like it, but you have seen in the USSR and elsewhere, the result if you move to increase the power of the “proletariat”. You cannot dislodge the incumbent elite without creating and alternative elite – which simply means you swap one set of assholes for another (who then become rich – not you, THEM) – how does that help the situation for the vast majority of the people? How does that make for a fairer or better society?
The current elite are in some measure the immediate source of your problems, but they are doing no more than any other elite group and protecting what they have as best they can and, certainly as any capitalist will tell you, there is no such thing as standing still in business – you are growing, or you are shrinking and THAT means these elite will always try to acquire MORE – more power and more money! It’s simply part human nature and part good business practice.
Furthermore, (and kind of as an aside) the country, any country, needs an elite way of life to some extent in order for those who are ambitious and industious to aspire to be like – the ordinary guy just needs to feel that it really is achievable – a bit like the American dream was supposed to be…
Therefore, instead of blaming the wealthy for the failures of the system – LOOK AT THE GODDAMNED SYSTEM itself!
There is a HUGE majority of people in the US and in the UK (and I’d guess throughout most of the democratic world) that is NOT aligned particularly with the left OR the right – they are broadly in the centre and THEY are the moderates – the centrists – the decent people. Yet this vast majority allows itself to be divided and ruled by sometimes clever and sometimes not so clever advertising, misinformation and often outright lies and fear-mongering that all appeal to the baser instincts of one faction or another and usually actually to that faction’s worst instincts.
Make no mistake, the system of democracy you have bought into in the US coupled with the fantasies that persist of the now unbelievably remote American dream virtually GUARANTEE that this is the way it will happen and I’m pretty much afraid you are at present more or less screwed…
BUT it is YOU who are responsible – not you personally, of course, but the huge centre ground of decent American people who have simply sat on their collective butt and let this happen by default, whilst they ate their Big Macs, drank their cans of beer, played with their X-boxes and above ALL – endlessly stared at the BLOODY TV that was steadily brainwashing them day after day and night after night.
I feel for you, my friend, but what to do about it? F*cked if I know… sorry 🙁
Okay…….may we call it a class struggle? I know all this sounds a bit like the old days when the Left was so vocal…….anytime one group gets more benefits than another…then it would be a struggle….class is used, as I have said, for lack of a more appropriate word….and I agree that NO one is consigned to any one class….but it is difficult to move from one to a more upper one….especially in today/s world economy…..
we agree totally on whose fault it is…..the problem is I do not see too many recognizing what they are doing to themselves and this sort of stuff will continue until it is too late…..
Yes I agree. I’m not sure I agree with your term – well, I don’t – but that is to some extent purely semantics. However, my fear for you is that it may already be too late…
If left to continue “as is” the American economy will eventually fail and many of the wealthy will have shot themselves in the foot, but that will be of little comfort to the hundreds of millions of American citizens who will have to endure perhaps decades of abject poverty before there is any chance of real change and possible rejuvenation.
I guess these assholes think that, like the banks, America will be “too big to fail”. I’m afraid they are wrong. The world will simply not see it that way – some will rub their hands in glee and people like OBL will no doubt be jerking off in a corner somewhere…
God! I hope I’m wrong… 🙁
I feel that it is approaching “too late”……these goddamn politicians only think short term….they preach long term, but somehow never seem to get there….and that will be our downfall…..it is the political games they play that keeps this piece of crap going….it is ALWAYS about the next election, never the next generation….
Oh so VERY true…
Two other things – firstly, thanks for the heads up by the way…
Secondly, I do entirely agree with Steven Pearlstein and I think his description is very succinct and accurate. I’m not sure about the increased government involvement because I feel that they do most things badly and such controls as they may try to install are usually hijacked for political ends – as you must so often be aware of. That though, doesn’t mean there isn’t another way and he is quite right that the globalisation of business has meant that companies no longer see a valid “self interest” in keeping things broadly in balance – grab as much profit as quickly as possible and then move on is probably the motto of the big corporations today…
So why the hell have the American people allowed the corporations to gain almost total political power and add it to their already massive economic clout?
You are very welcome……
The American are too damn gullible…they somehow have this misplaced trust in the liars and thieves that play them like cheap drums…..
We here our politicians use state and local governments as a example on how the country should work…it seems that they, the politicians, believe that these entities work with a balanced budget most of the time…..it is a CON job…..seldom are these budgets balanced….it is basically “creative accounting” that makes it appear to be so….
I do believe that government has a mandate to make sure the economy is working, if the corporations are not investing and hiring….which they are not these days….
Yes I agree – by the way, as I said in my post, I do think this is a good one – however, that’s by the by.
Yes, ABSOLUTELY government has an obligation to oversee the economy – I just feel that, if you are going to do that (which I believe you most certainly should) then it’s a bit pointless if the “overseer” is in the employ of the people you’re trying to oversee – if you see what I mean – it’s a bit like telling the guy who does the sweeping up to oversee his company chairman – that’s a good idea, isn’t it?
And apart from the fact that I despise most bureaucrats per se, THAT is why I distrust the government – especially yours. Sorry (again) 😆
No need to apologize…I have distrusted my government since my days of working in the intel sector…….
Many would think that I am this radical, well maybe a bit, but I am NOT against anyone making money…….All I ask is that everyone pays the same in support of the country……then I would say that there is a small bit of equality and fairness……
And we know how I feel about bureaucrats also……for the most part they are paid for fucking things up…..need to change in some way….but how? They are in control…….
Sadly, I agree – I really wish I didn’t, but I have few ideas – loads about what to do (some good and a lot of bad ones too I dare say), but HOW to implement it? I have little idea of that…
I am working on a couple of ideas also….and am looking for someone to use as the front man…..neither are that easy….but I try……but is anyone gonna listen?
How about SP? She’s got lots of “front” in all senses of the term. 😆
Ha! Would rather trust the system to Wiley Coyote……..
Now THERE’S an idea!
At least he knows the best place to get TNT….shades of Guy Fawkes