The embedding of inequality and corruption in "The Competitive Market"
A Change of Perspective: from Market to Institutions

   
Nipawin - Sunday, March 17, 2002 - by: Mario deSantis
 
 

dirty
money

We have found sometime ago that some $1 trillion of dirty money is embedded into the $10 trillion American economy, and a consequence of the magnitude of this social corruption we cannot narrow down the problem of fighting against terrorism. Therefore, we must fight social corruption first as dirty money is generated by criminal activity.
 
 

allies and
the U.S.A
may
themselves
be terrorists

The Bush administration's contention that terrorism is different from criminal activity compounds the embedded problems, as dirty money doesn't distinguish between terrorism and criminal activity. The Bush administration's failure to recognize terrorism as a criminal activity prevents this same administration realizing that the same American allies, or America itself, maybe terrorist states. So, the Bush administration policies will continue to be based on geopolitical stability, which means: just keep the peace by waging enduring or infinite wars.

 

 

California
privatizing
prisons

Another embedded social problem which is the result of the neoclassical thinking of most of leaders is the push for smaller governments and related privatization of public services. Now, as I watched CNN this morning I noticed that California governor Gray Davis will close down five privately run prisons. I support the closures of these prisons, but I don't like the governor Davis' cited administrative saving of $5 million as the reason for such closures. What we must understand is that if you privatize prisons, there is an underlying motive to make a profit out of the prison and crime industry, and as a consequence as better streamlined privately run prisons are going to have the manufacturing of more prisoners, which in turn will trigger more prisons. This is the crazy world of the Free Market, the embedded driving forces for social inequality, social corruption and social criminality.

 

 

saving by
spending

As Saskatchewan is concerned we have experienced Romanow's government which downsized Saskatchewan to greatness. And today the situation is even worse as Saskatchewan has lost its young population by the thousands and as Calvert's government is going to downsize its public administration not for the sake of privatization but for the well known Saskatchewan approach to save money by saving money with the result of spending more money.
   

competitive
market

We must understand that we don't have an ultimate social and economic reality called 'the competitive market", yet all governments have strategic plans for becoming smaller in accordance with "the competitive market" as if there was an economic mathematical formula to achieve economic growth because of "the competitive market". Instead to follow "the competitive market", we must look after the institutions supporting "the competitive market" and change these institutions as they generate the present inequality and corruption. Our social problems are not corrected by "the competitive market" but by changing the institutional system supporting the current competitive market.
   
References:
  Pertinent articles published in Ensign
   
  Where are the criminals Mr. President George Bush?, by Mario deSantis, March 11, 2002
   
  Davis to Close State's Privately Run Prisons. Funding: Elected with the help of $2.3 million from guards' union, governor includes plan in budget. By David Morain, March 15, 2002 Los Angeles Times http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-031502private.story
   
  SASKATCHEWAN 'PROVINCE OF OPPORTUNITY' News Release, Government of Saskatchewan, March 14, 2002 Executive Council - 155 http://www.gov.sk.ca/newsrel/2002/03/14-155.html
   
  SASKATCHEWAN 1996 & 2001 CENSUS POPULATION http://www.gov.sk.ca/bureau.stats/pop/census9601.pdf
   
  Making money is not creating wealth Mr. Premier Romanow. "Our government is out of touch with people and is continuing with economic policy directions based on shifting the blame, based on more and more consulting studies, and based on saving money." By Mario deSantis, February 8 2000
   
  Ontology, Epistemology, Language and the Practice of Economics Warren J. Samuels (Michigan State University, USA), post-autistic economics review, Issue no. 12;2002 http://www.btinternet.com/~pae_news/review/issue12.htm