We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Friday, February 20, 2015

China pivots everywhere

Click here to access article by Pepe Escobar from RT

Brazilian journalist Escobar along with many other people, especially those in the BRIC nations, look to China as their salvation from US Empire domination. Although understandable, I think it is a mistake to cheer one capitalist gang over another just because one is the underdog. Capitalist gangs are all destructive--if not now, then later when they become "top dog". And, of course, the strong tendency of all capitalist operations is toward the exploitation of workers and/or the destruction of the planet's environment.

Still, it can't be denied that China, Russia, Brazil, etc, are making rapid strides toward independence from Empire domination, and Escobar sees this especially happening in China.