Studies have determined that the Homo economicus personality is an extremely rare one. Instead, most humans are marked by a deep capacity for reciprocity, cooperation and selflessness.…
Truthout
How Economists Tricked Us Into Thinking Capitalism Works
How Economists Tricked Us Into Thinking Capitalism Works
Robert R. Raymond
See also
See also
In India, the ‘development’ paradigm is premised on moving farmers out of agriculture and into the cities to work in construction, manufacturing or the service sector, despite these sectors not creating anything like the number of jobs required. The aim is to displace the existing labour-intensive system of food and agriculture with one dominated by a few transnational corporate agri-food giants which will then control the sector. Agriculture is to be wholly commercialised with large-scale, mechanised (monocrop) enterprises replacing family-run farms that help sustain hundreds of millions of rural livelihoods while feeding the urban masses.
Renowned journalist P Sainath encapsulates what is taking place when he says that the agrarian crisis can be explained in just five words: hijack of agriculture by corporations. He notes the process by which it is being done in five words too: predatory commercialisation of the countryside. And he takes five works to describe the outcome: biggest displacement in our history….
Duplicating enclosure and forced industrialization in the West.
Counterpunch
Capitalism and the Gut-Wrenching Hijack of India
Colin Todhunter
Counterpunch
Capitalism and the Gut-Wrenching Hijack of India
Colin Todhunter
We love helping each other, and giving advice. Neighbours will tell you of anything they have found which is useful. Tips and hints, bargains in the shop, advice on your car, or garden. They might recommend a good builder, etc. The cooperation is endless.
ReplyDeleteMy car wouldn't start the other day and I was miles from home. A black guy came up to to me and told me to stay in the car while he pushes it. I put it in first gear, but he said no, second. He then pushed me and at the right time he said start. Vroom, and I was off. I saw him waving in the distance and I waved back hoping he could see me. It was great feeling of kinship.
At the right moment you take your foot off the clucth which allows the engine to start.
DeleteWhen I was 6 I had a best friend, and the bond was extremely powerful. Looking back I can see that we were in love with each other. My friend was richer than me but we shared everything. If one sweet was left over in a bag, we would throw it away.
ReplyDeleteAs I grew older I made many powerful relationships like this with a group of friends. None of us had much money, we were all dead poor, but the bonds between us made for a powerful richness. Everything was about us, the group, and everyone was valued. There was a powerful loyalty. We didn't need money or possessions, we made our own toys - carts, swings, etc.
I was only 6 and I was allowed out to play on my own, like all the kids were, boys and girls. We were warned about funny men and to never accept lifts from strangers, and that was about it. We would be out all day and wonder for miles getting up to mischief.
When I was little we all cared for each other. We were taught to never be selfish, to share, and that greed was bad, etc. These things made sense and never needed to be drumned in. Of course it was not paradise, and there was bullies and horrible selfish people, but the concensus from adults and society was about fairnes and not being greedy.
ReplyDeleteWhen Thatcher came in Ayn Rand-ian selfishness and greed was promoted as good, and some working class Tories became loud-mouthed and stroppy. I could never get on with this new concensus, but now it seems it was always artificial.
I wonder what Thatcher's childhood memories were like.
ReplyDeleteThank-you for sharing yours, Kaivey :)