It's enough to make me consider changing my name. Imagine, a Socialist Libertarian. Could there be anything more nonsensical? The essence of true freedom is the right to the fruit of your own labor. That means capitalism. Capitalism has raised more people out of poverty and degradation than anything else you could name. But consider this from a talk given at the World Social Forum a year ago.
At the WSF, the range of issues and problems under intense discussion is very broad, remarkably so, but I think we can identify two main themes. One is global justice and Life after Capitalism – or to put it more simply, life, because it is not so clear that the human species can survive very long under existing state capitalist institutions. The second theme is related: war and peace, and more specifically, the war in Iraq that Washington and London are desperately seeking to carry out, virtually alone.
Let’s start with some good news about these basic themes. As you know, there is also a conference of the World Economic Forum going on right now, in Davos. Here in Porto Alegre, the mood is hopeful, vigorous, exciting. In Davos, the New York Times tells us, “the mood has darkened.” For the “movers and shakers,” it is not “global party time” any more. In fact, the founder of the Forum has conceded defeat: “The power of corporations has completely disappeared,” he said. So we have won. There is nothing left for us to do but pick up the pieces -- not only to talk about a vision of the future that is just and humane, but to move on to create it.
What the hell is he talking about? Is this a guy with a firm grip on reality? I don't think so. Such a grandiose title, Confronting the Empire. A delusional crackpot blathering inanities from the safety of his cocoon at MIT thinks he's confronting something.
Comments