Tackling a serious economic crisis is difficult for all governments, whether they are left wing or right wing. It is important for everybody to be aware of this, politicians and voters alike.
There is, however, a fundamental difference between the right and the left in this respect: Their objective is not the same. Of course politicians in general want to succeed in their endeavour to get their country out of serious trouble but they tend to evaluate the situation differently. This depends on their political conviction. Left wing, socially responsible forces, above all want to preserve, if not strengthen the social fabric of society – the welfare system - while the right wing under such circumstances is likely to use the crisis for system change, i.e. to marketise and privatise the system.Disaster capitalism versus progressive reform.
Analyze Greece
Ögmundur Jónasson: Social Justice Is The Key For A Left Government (January 28, 2015)
ht Jan Milch
Icelandic politician Ögmundur Jónasson (born 17 July 1948), was the former Health and Interior Minister for the Icelandic left government between 2009-2013. He has been active in various grass-root activities, a prolific commentator and public speaker. As minister, he gained international attention in connection with three issues. First, he proposed measures designed to protect children from the harms of violent pornography as part of his broader support for human rights and women’s rights. Secondly, he rejected a plan by Chinese business tycoon, Mr. Huang Nubo, to purchase a huge tract of land in the North East of Iceland attracting much geopolitical and media attention. Thirdly, he refused all cooperation with FBI agents who arrived in Iceland in 2011 —on the pretext of investigating an impending hacking attack on Icelandic government computers— and directed them to leave the country because he believed that they were, in fact, engaged in a broader swoop to gather intelligence on WikiLeaks in trying to frame its founder Julian Assange.
The road to hell is often paved with good intentions. The rest of the time it is paved with bad ones.
ReplyDeleteA commitment to ideals is easy compared to delivering on them.
Perhaps Jónasson didn't get the memo that the term "social justice" now means a upper middle class white hipster tumblrina with dyed haired screaming about how people should donate to Xir patreon because Xir is harassed by people sending Xir meme copy pasta on twitter and now has PTSD from tiki shirts. Oh and
ReplyDeleteJazzhands.
"Social Justice" is dead.