Why are these children fleeing Guatemala alone in an effort to
reach
the U.S.? Columnist Samuel Pérez-Attias writes
simply: the iniquitous
concentration of power
in the hands of a few. Sound familiar?
Breaking Power
for the Few and 'Democratizing Liberty' (Prensa Libre, Guatemala)
"Many of
today's problems arise from the concentration of power and wealth: slow
economic growth, social exclusion, migration, violence, media manipulation,
impunity, corruption, barriers to competition, and other negative conditions. An
economy concentrated in the hands of a few, and democracy captured by the same,
becomes a plutocracy (government of the rich). But concentrated power can be
broken, democratically or violently."
By reading different press reviews one notes an implicit
consensus, even among antagonistic ideologies: the fundamental problem of Guatemala
is the intergenerational concentration of resources and influence in the hands
of a small number of people. In Guatemala there is an aggravating context:
Indian women who are born and live in rural areas, as a rule, can expect to
live with poverty, exclusion, discrimination, and a level of human development
below the global average. I said to a friend who lives in the United States: "Here
at least you know that with two jobs a day, and if you tighten your belt, you
can live a little better than you could in Guatemala, regardless of whether
you're a woman or Indian. Although rare, there are more opportunities than in Guate [Guatemala],
and your children receive and education, and now, health care."
In Guate, although you work hard,
if you are born poor and with certain characteristics (non-male, non-urban and
non-Ladino), you are
very likely to die destitute, uneducated, and unhealthy - if they don't kill
you in your attempt to extricate yourself from poverty. You can work hard, wear
yourself out cutting cane or picking coffee, gluing buttons into clothing, or
risking your life carrying a shotgun, but emerging from poverty is a long shot.
Even worse, with a salary that doesn't cover your minimum expenses for survival
(the textile factory pays less than $300 per month, and the basic market basket
is $605), and with a state that is incapable of providing for education and
public health, these conditions are reproduced in your children.
Many of today's problems arise from the concentration of
power and wealth: slow economic growth, social exclusion, migration, violence,
media manipulation, impunity, corruption, barriers to competition, and other
negative conditions. An economy concentrated in the hands of a few, and democracy
captured by the same, becomes a plutocracy (government of the rich). But
concentrated power can be broken, democratically or violently.
Posted By Worldmeets.US
It is possible to peacefully democratize access to
opportunity through public services that equip excluded citizens with tools that
enable them, through markets, to build their own lives: to undertake or create
art, play sports, in other words: "Democratize liberty." That is accomplished
through a system of progressive taxation and a fiscally strong and effective state,
which arises as a consequence of a responsible citizenry committed to democracy
and courageous enough to speak out and act against corruption.
This is where we want Libertarians to explain how
their idea of eliminating progressive taxation would break the structural
concentration of economic power. In fact, the evidence points to the contrary: direct
progressive taxation and efficient public spending reduces inequity, helps
improve the distribution of opportunity, and democratizes the economy and access
to the elements of production, including human capital, that is, economic
opportunities arising from wealth creation o be transferred to the public. Do
we want liberty? The let us break concentrated power. That is what this is
about.
