Economic Crisis!

Someone asked me earlier, where is the theory in all this? In many ways the free market, neo-liberal, laissez faire doctrines could easily be blamed for the current crisis. However the problem with this is that those doctrines are based on a true system of free markets with minimum state intervention. It relies on a model of the perfectly informed, self interested man being able to act perfectly logically in every transaction he ever makes. Of course this is not the case and is as ludicrous an idea as that of a centrally planned socialist system. Unfortunately this doctrine has been hugely influential (a large part of that because it held the blinding trump card of having 'defeated' socialism and was therefore the only method of social organisation left known to man - thanks Fukuyama!)So we have neo-liberally informed policy makers (as a default setting having in general been educated in elitist western systems) making everyone believe that spending as much as possible is a virtue as this will keep the economy going (and trickle down theory of course meaning those sweatshop workers will one day be better off). This behaviour ends people (not to mention the environment, flora and fauna) up in huge amounts of debt that the banks are happy to finance due to the immense amount of profit there is possible to make...then suddenly, oh dear, we've all incurred a load of bad debt, this wasn't supposed to happen!....er, Big Brother Nation, any chance you could help us out!? And of course the nation has to capitulate because otherwise the system (the basis of its authority) would disintegrate. This dirty mixture of the idea of freedom (American imperialism anyone?) mixed with a deceptively intrusive and regulatory state has got us into this mess in the first place. If markets were a lot less de-regulated much of these problems would be allievated, and states could became much more pro-active in providing equal starting chances to all (education, social security, basic healthcare) At the moment the EU trading blocks, CAP, TRIPPS, TRIMMS, tarriffs and all the other rediculous trade infringements are root causes of the problems we see at the moment. If markets were truly freed up we would see many more independent financial institutions being developed that could give consumers a choice (as in whether they want their money to be gambled for a chance of income or whether they just want a safe place to deposit money - the original idea of a bank!) That way if greedy investors want to earn millions of pounds, they would have to do it with people who have agreed to it, and not force debts onto inniocent tax payers!

Global Democracy

I was drawn to the sight http://globalcomment.com by a hoax article decribing the death of a prominant rapper. Although initially pissed off due to my reflex actions of defending all things hip hop, on reflection it made me think about the nature of free speech and its importance no matter what is being said. In recognition  of this I want to promote this site, although I have'nt checkedout much of it I respect what it seems to stand for...the voice of the people the only path towards some form of global democracy! Nice 

Apathy

Is it even worth ranting and raving about politics on the web? Should I just leave it till I'm pissed down the pub?

Civil Liberties

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Props to David Davis

I have to applaud the action of David Davis resigning his position in order to highlight the grave erosion of liberties symbolised in the yes vote of 42 day detention without charge. This man has definitley got some balls, and is a great example of how a man with convictions can actually stand up against such powerful opposition. It is all of our jobs to help protect the fundamental freedoms and rights to liberty from state power and injustice. In the words of the great Chuck D...Don't believe the hype!

Sunday, June 01, 2008

Britain - Commerce over Torture?

Just saw this short video documenting the ordeals of torture victims in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. This is made in support of a bill urging the British government to prosecute foreign governemts for torture offenses. Unbelievably, the British Government are currently reluctant to acknowledge this bill, although they will follow up prosecutions involving corporate disputes. Another case of the value of pound notes over human life and dignity.

Watch the video here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfctZbMHK1k

To support this campaign go to www.redress.org

Detention Extension proposal

Another example of the Government slyly working to erode our civil liberties and freedoms. Public outcry against original proposals for 90 day detention without charge meant the Government had to settle with 30 days.

Not happy with this set up (already pissing on the idea that a man is innocent until proven guilty) Mr Brown and his cronies are going to be pressurising MPs into voting for 42 days detention without charge. If this is succesful how far is this going to go? 90 days by stealth would not surprise me in the least.

The argument that this will help prevent terrorist attacks is weak at best, even the government's former top lawyer, Lord Goldsmith, has repeated his condemnation of the plans. The ex-attorney general said passing the anti-terror bill would help destroy the "very basis of free society that our ancestors fought so hard to create".
The Labour peer, who was attorney general when Tony Blair made a failed bid to increase the detention limit to 90 days, said: "There can be no mistake that extending the period suspects can be held without charge is a very serious incursion on our fundamental freedoms." Source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7429780.stm