Posted on 09/15/2005 10:26:49 PM PDT by Lorianne
This year, economists, politicians, and rock stars in rich countries have pleaded for debt relief and aid for the world’s poorest countries. It certainly sounds like the right thing to do. But utopian dreams of alleviating poverty overlook some hard facts. By promising so much, rich-world activists prolong the true nightmare of poverty. ___ The past has prepared all the materials and means in superabundance to well-feed, clothe, lodge, train, educate, employ, amuse, and govern the human race in perpetual progressive prosperity—without war, conflict, or competition between nations or individuals.”
These words were not uttered by a hopeful world leader at the most recent Group of 8 (G-8) summit, or by Bono at a rock concert—but they certainly sound familiar. They were written in 1857, when British reformer Robert Owen called upon rich countries, who could “easily induce all the other governments and people to unite with them in practical measures for the general good all through futurity.” Owen was laughed out of town as a utopian.
How comforted Owen would be if he were alive in 2005, when some of the most powerful and influential people seem to believe that utopia is back. American President George W. Bush has dispatched the U.S. military to spread democracy throughout the Middle East, G-8 leaders strive to end poverty and disease sometime soon, the World Bank promises development as the path to world peace, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is trying to save the environment. In a world where billions of people still suffer, these are certainly appealing dreams. But is this surprising new fondness for utopia just harmless, inspirational rhetoric? Are utopian ambitions the best way to help the poor-world majority?
Unfortunately, no. In reality, they hurt efforts to help the world’s poor.
(Excerpt) Read more at foreignpolicy.com ...
For tonight, I'll put a question to the financial expert freepers, why capitalism? 'nite all...
Because they want capitalism and the "evil" capitalist nations to pay for it all...
They tried this once. It was called the Tower of Babel. To say God wasn't pleased is an understatement. How come you think we speak so many different languages? But I guess nothing can detour self-absorbed, power hungry knuckleheads.
Thank you for the post.
ping for later
There is, therefore, a difference between utopian camouflage and utopian practice. We are familiar with successful efforts in disease eradication - smallpox - and with those that might have been successful were it not for other practice that might well be labeled utopian in itself. Here I speak of the programs of suppresson of malaria by DDT that were foiled by a mistaken environmental ideology that declared the employment of DDT contrary to a utopian ecological movement. Which side utopianism now?
Wouldn't a better argument against socialism and communism be that the "Earth will never be made into hell..." ?
Throwing money at terrible social problems NEVER alleviates poverty.
Conservatives don't deal in utopia, they only work with trade-offs....trying to choose the best of many bad choices in the case of Iraq.
It does look like the present course is going to succeed as long as Iran can be marginalized in Iraq. Such a success will carry at least the same historical weight as the disintigration of the Soviet Union.
In my humble opinion, communist and many socialiost societies are hell on earth. And the point of the article is earth will never be a Utopia as promised by these ideologies.
But our current economy isn't actually capitalism. Clinton came up with "The Third Way" during his presidency - a combination of socialism and capitalism, and it appears that Bush is continuing the scheme.
At least, that's the way I see it. And I'm no expert.
Actually, I see Utopianism not as trying to create heaven, but rather as trying to recreate Eden. Unfortunately, the people who are trying to do that fail to realise something very important: even God couldn't make Eden compatible with human nature. How can any sane mortal expect to do better in a re-creation?
The Parable of the Prodigal Son makes clear what was missing in Eden 1.0, but unfortunately its lessons are far too often ignored.
How so?
In my humble opinion, communist and many socialiost societies are hell on earth. And the point of the article is earth will never be a Utopia as promised by these ideologies.
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Oh sorry, I misunderstood you. I thought you were saying that "ideal" societies like communism/socialism can never happen on Earth, because the Earth can never be a Utopia/heaven. But we all know that communism = hell, not heaven.
And so is ANY aid given to and thru the government officials of any country.. going thru the United Nations thru those officials activates yet another phalanx of parasites.. not much gets to the need.. and ZERO to the solution of the problem..
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