by system failure
The policy
of austerity and absolute commitment to the fiscal discipline imposed
on the eurozone states, seems to fail completely. Not only does not
give any sign of hope for the future, but neither improves the
economies of the states, but worsens them instead. Unemployment in
Greece and Spain has broken every record while the picture even in
the most developed countries does not seem to improve.
The
similarities with the period that followed the Great Depression in US
in 1929 is, one might say, shocking. The gap between rich and
poor is widening, while extreme nationalism is gaining ground in
Europe despite the great suffering that brought in the past. If
history is repeated, we should, unfortunately, expect new major
upheavals and conflicts worldwide, towards the end of this decade or
at the beginning of the next one. But today, there are also some
differences from the Interwar period. The most significant are, the
great expansion of the middle class in the West, the economic growth
of the developing countries, and the full deregulation of the free
market as well as the rapid transfer of capital globaly with the help
of technology.
We
experiencing the paradox of a totalitarianism which manages to spread
despite the destruction that brings. The collective memory that works
in societies currently prevents major conflicts, but the new doctrine
of globalization, adjusted to the big banks and corporations, is
using the old tested recipe of "divide and rule", to impose
the final victory of this totalitarianism.
The divided
middle class is a key weapon that is used by the new doctrine. Within
states, conflicting interests of the middle class groups are
mobilized, as a result mainly of the current crisis. Typical examples
in Greece are, the controversy between hotel owners and hotel staff
about the salary reductions of the last, pharmacists and patients,
private sector and public sector employees about the different levels
of wages and different risk of firing, unions that remain attached to
defend exclusively their own interests. A typical recent example is
the judiciary, which due to the new cuts in their wages are
threatening with new strikes, while they don't seem that they care to
contribute in serious issues for the Greek society like the
possibility of audit of public debt, or, the deep investigation of
a plethora of serious scandals concerning the Greek political class.
As long as there are conflicting interests within the middle class,
massive street protests are ineffective.
At an
international level, the middle classes of countries are divided by
stereotypes which the mouthpieces of the new doctrine build. Recent
examples are the characteristics that are given to the peoples of the
eurozone periphery, such as lazy, PIGS, etc., while in southern
Europe, the perception that Germany continues to benefit from the
crisis becomes quite popular. All these crude generalities which are
spreading by the mouthpieces of the new doctrine, are aiming to
prevent a possible dynamic mass mobilization of the middle class
across Europe, which could be crusial for the termination of policies
that the new doctrine promotes.
Additionaly,
the argument of the new doctrine that the West cannot compete against
the very cheap labor of China, India and South-East Asia, manages to
maintain the phobia between the peoples of the West and those of the
developing countries, as workers in Western countries gradually loose
all labor rights, while workers in developing countries want to
conquer benefits that they couldn't afford for decades and which
capitalism "promises" for a better life. The paradox is
that, workers in most developing countries are working for starvation
wages and under totally unacceptable conditions, waiting patiently
for this "promise" of capitalism, since many of them in
many regions, have experienced also at first hand the
authoritarianism of the Soviet Communism.
The economic
indexes in some developing countries are rising but most people
suffer. Capitalism is trying to "redeem" the peoples of
developing countries while simultaneously attempting to create new
tanks of consumers in an effort to survive, but the financial
capitalism-casino creates bubbles that burst much faster than the
growth of the real economy around the world. Only two things can
survive in this outrageous situation: banks and multinational
corporations. Nation states are deconstructed gradually and most of
the small-medium businesses - although faithful to capitalism -
eventually disapear or at best redeemed, because it's impossible to
withstand the competition.
But there
also other areas of conflict which the new doctrine feeds and
exploits. In the market's arena, capitalism-casino creates the
illusion that everyone has the opportunity to participate equally. A
significant part of the middle class is gambling in the stock markets
and finally self-destructed or redeemed, but some never loose,
because even when the financial storm comes, they are rescued by the
governments with taxpayers' money. A characteristic example is the
independent holders of the Greek government bonds that lost their
money during the debt crisis, while the big Greek and European banks
that are exposed, either secured their money through the terms of the
new loan to the Greek state, or, rescued with bailout packages of
billions.
The new
doctrine exploits also the ideological polarization that grows in
times of crisis. A characteristic example in Greece is the rise of
the radical Left and extreme Nationalism. The rhetoric which is used
by the anti-memorandum opposition parties regarding the debt crisis
is almost identical. If someone could hide the logo in their
announcements it would be hard to understand whether the announcement
comes from a Left-wing, Right-wing or extreme Nationalist party.
However, all these parties are giving absolute priority to defend
their ideology and spend their effords in conflicts between them,
putting, quite often, their struggle against the policies of troika's
memorandum in second place. It is characteristic that, in a period of
such a wild economic war, even the moderate parties (mainly SYRIZA
and Indepentent Hellenes), have difficulties to meet and form a solid
united front against the policies which eliminate the society.
Capitalism
has succeeded in maximizing the middle class in the West, but now,
it's most horrible mutation, exploits the large heterogeneity of the
middle class - which was well hidden beneath a veil of fake
prosperity - in order to survive and totally dominate. This new
mutation of capitalism, either will be able to create new tanks of
consumers and therefore survive through a global cultural
totalitarianism, or, through its frenzied course, will eliminate the
middle class, violate its "promise" for a better life, and
eventually, destroy itself.
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