Plague Journal, Things That Haven’t Changed
ProPublica yesterday published a scoop on the tax returns of some of the wealthiest Americans. Included were the returns of Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Rupert Murdoch, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. Aside from the issue of how ProPublica obtained the returns, is confirmation of what well informed Americans already knew. One would have to be deaf, blind, and living outside of society in order to not understand what is meant by the recently coined term: “One Percenter.” No that is not a label for outlaw motorcyclists. To be a member of the one percent is to belong to the top one percent of the population by wealth and ability. If you choose to live a monkish lifestyle abstaining from all news and entertainment media the term might puzzle you. Everyone else knows the term refers to the uber wealthy and by extension to the rest of us, from whom their wealth is derived.
The New York Times published a piece this morning which assessed the ProPublica revelations in detail of the way we are in 21st century America. Here are a few lines of historical relevance which I read in the Times piece.
In colonial times, parts of the North taxed the rich more than Europe did, with Massachusetts going so far as to enact a wealth tax that covered financial holdings, land, jewelry and more. Southern colonies, by contrast, kept rates low and collection ineffectual, to prevent taxes from undermining slavery by eroding the wealth of slaveholders.
To read the entire New York Times article CLICK HERE.
We live in a slave holding society.
The prime metaphor for discussion about the U.S.A. is “the economy.” Economics is the fundamental idea which we use to conceive of our society. “How’s the economy doing since the pandemic?’ “What do the latest jobs report numbers show?” By such matters of opinion we measure ourselves. The economy is the ideal measure and no other.
What do I think? I think that we Americans live in “the big house” on the hill, and the rest of the world is a vast plantation. Many of us do not complain, we even defend the system because are are favored to be here, to be a “house nigger,” with kitchen privileges. For many of us, this is our reality. We cannot imagine any other possible world.
I do not think that it is possible live reasonably until retirement as a Amazon warehouse fulfillment worker. At $15.00/hr pay, until your body fails due to age, or injury… Slavery with the old vocabulary assiduously excised.
Capitalism is the heart of darkness for our society.
2 thoughts on “Plague Journal, Things That Haven’t Changed”
You paint an interesting picture here, Jerry. We wrangle with strategies for forming a “fairer” Capitalism, as we also wrangle with forming a more effective Democracy –one that actually gets something accomplished, while fairly counting everyone’s vote. On the first part, Karl Marx would have shouted a resounding “No!” However with almost a hundred years of history between us and Karl, perhaps other viable structures have emerged. On the second part, our friends on the Right would shout even a louder “No!” To their way of thinking Mob Rule can never work; something to keep in mind as we plunge headlong back into future decades of Trumpist autocrats.
A point always brought up, (predictably it was voiced last Tuesday evening), was, “Shouldn’t we give the rich a break on taxes because of all the jobs they produce?” I’m all for giving anyone a break on taxes tied to what they do for the betterment of society. But Jobs?! Anyone claiming the Capitalist is giving away jobs out of compassionate feelings for the worker simply does not understand the economics. Nor have they ever worked in an Amazon warehouse. The exchange of work for pay can be made at least more equitable, but seldom is as the principles of Capitalism work directly against such egalitarian leanings.
Giving the 0.01% a pass on taxes because of the jobs they create is like giving the plantation owner thanks for the number of slave families he graciously provides for.
“The exchange of work for pay can be made at least more equitable.”
That could not have been expressed better. No revolution required.