Late last night I was browsing the Al Jazeera English channel, looking for early clues as to whether to expect any change in the adamant position the Iranian leadership has taken (short answer: no), when I encountered this video. This is a longwatch (25 minutes) interview with Richard Wolff, who is emeritus professor of economics at UMass, and was a schoolmate of mine back in the 1960s (tho I never met him). Wolff is a self-described Marxian economist, which is evident in his views on American capitalism.
This video is a thorough takedown of claims of the United States as a world-leading empire. The language is harsh, but the content is supported by relevant facts.
Thanks Stan. This comes as no surprise to me. We began to hemorrhage our standing almost as soon as we attained it, although we never saw it that way. The Dulles brothers started us off with their rabid fear of Communism under every rock and around every corner. However since it was clandestine, the American public rarely knew what its own government was doing in say, Iran, Chile, etc.etc.etc. And, because it was in line with the US snd UK based global corporations wishes/bottom line, no objections were raised, just praised. However, I don't agree with the professor's belief that the actions of the trump admin are based on a kind of panic. I think it is sheer ignorance and lack of historical understanding. Someone, somewhere heard the phrase "might makes right" and ran with it. Trump probably.
ReplyDeleteI see the panic in those people not wanting leave money on the table/missing the opportunity to bigly feather their nests in very generational ways. Not so much Empire as is rugged individuals kicking the wimmin' and children out of the lifeboats so that they and their gene pool can go on towards comfortable survival. It's why a harsh generational disgorgement will be required; something else that they feel and fear.
ReplyDeleteGuillotine stocks through the roof.
DeleteRepublics become Empires, Empires become Tyrannical, Tyrants create Rebellion, Rebels set up Republics, and so the cycle goes on. The US has been an (evil) Empire for a very, very long time, and now we are in the Tyrancy phase. Soon enough, there will be another rebellion, and here we go again.
ReplyDeleteWe started off that way, E evil in a number of ways handed down from our Euro progenitors. E is like gravity and rather difficult to escape.
DeleteI'm reminded of the opening episode of Aaron Sorkin's "The Newsroom" (which I greatly enjoyed at the time):
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTjMqda19wk
And that was back in the good old days of 2012.
I had not watched that TV series when it came out; I've now requested it on DVD from our library. I quite agree with the protagonist's view. I think most of America's greatness derived from simple geography, discovering a continent full of material richness in modern times and then being protected by oceans from potential enemies.
DeleteOkay, actually watched the included video and remembered who Wolff is. Describing Russia in the same breath as the other BRICS nations is optimistic (as he always is about Russia). If ever there was a fallen empire at its nadir, Russia would be it. India and Brazil still have plenty left in the tank. South Africa... I'm not optimistic about. China will probably be running all of them, or at least laying atop them vacuuming up their resources. Including Russia, which is turning into a Chinese vassal as we watch.
ReplyDeleteThen he talked about China funding America's war in Vietnam, which I assume is some riff that came to him while he was speaking because it bears no relation to reality. He's correct if you limit your view to wars America started in the 21st Century. Those wars are funded by China, who gets a nice return in interest and a more significant return in goodwill from the countries turning away from America.
Being pro-Ukraine, I don't like his views on Russia, Putin or Zelensky (who he blames for the war) but he's broadly right. The petro-dollar is under threat. The EU is mandating a move away from American tech infrastructure for government agencies, and have started their own payment processor to challenge the US hegemony. I can see bans or heavy restrictions on your social networks. They're already actually held accountable in the EU.
I'm happy enough sitting in my little post-Empire UK/decidedly unambitious Irish home watching the world burn, with healthcare for all, cheap Internet, a social safety net that could do with a onceover but mostly functions. Here people's main complaint is about potholes in the road. Which isn't a bad thing. Start talking about the country's place in the world order and you'll get laughed at.
If Andy Burnham can bring in Proportional Representation for general elections before 2029 that'd be nice, as it would eliminate the possibility of Reform taking control of the UK. Reform have been woeful at dealing with potholes. Also all that racism and Russian money. Worse, crypto money.
Don't fight it, America. The view from down here isn't so bad. If it takes you to refocus on the good of the people and less worrying about throwing your weight around on a world stage, it'd be worth it.
I’ve always found it disturbing that your children are made to recite a pledge of allegiance at school. That’s creepy. Allegiance, like interpersonal trust, should be earned by deed. Turning it into a dogma has always been to the detriment of your society IMO. It also mentions God which your constitution (rightly!) asserts is a concept that shouldn’t be mixed in with the state and its operation.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it should never have been controversial to disagree with idea that America is the “greatest nation” on earth. There was a West Wing episode (I gather - I’m not familiar with the show) that apparently had the president debunking this idea, I wish it had been real. The concept is absurd and again, making that concept a national dogma has damaged you, I feel. Surely instilling intrinsic and automatic confidence can only breed complacency. I’m happy for any of my ideas on these points to be rebutted if there’s anything i’m overlooking or reading too much into.
American education villifies socialism and "the nanny state." But I don't think there is any real understanding of what socialism is. I'm not sure I fully understand either. But Americans can't wrap their brains around the idea that public education and public services (fire dept, police, roads, etc) are only affordable if we all pitch in. And that's what I thought socialism is.
ReplyDeleteAmerican capitalism is all about hoarding wealth away from the very people (workers) who make capitalists (owners & executives & politicians) wealthy in the first place.
There are (at least) two worldviews when it comes to America: The one that can see nothing but exceptionalism...and the one that sees nothing but a rotten nation.
ReplyDeleteSomewhere between these two extremes (let's call them Fox News and the Huffington Post) lies the balanced truth.
As a history teacher, I tell the students that we have done some awful things...and yet I still believe we are the best nation on earth. What other nation rebuilds their enemies instead of allowing them to starve (think Germany and Japan)? We ARE special. We ARE unique. Yes, other nations are also, but when it comes to big ticket moves, we're the go-to nation.
Put me somewhere south of Fox News...and well north of the Huffington Post.
So America is going to rebuild Iran?
DeleteCan't really blame a history for teaching history but when you say "What other nation rebuilds...", you mean "What other nation, in the past, rebuilt...". The America you're talking about doesn't exist anymore, and really never did as the post-war rebuilding of Japan and German was largely transactional as America was lining up to fight Communism (with all those witch hunts that followed, the Hollywood Blacklist etc.).
America, with the largest prison population per capita in the free world, and right up there when you include the less free world.
America where it's possible to go bankrupt from healthcare debt, despite appalling working conditions (see: paid holidays, maternity and paternity leave, healthcare being tied to your employer, and so on, and on and on.)
Aaron, you're not South of Fox News, you're oblivious to what's happened to, and is currently happening to, your country.