Surviving Capitalism (Not) : Cheat, lie, break the law? Chances are, you’re rich

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

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Cheat, lie, break the law? Chances are, you’re rich

Click here to access article by Martin Mittelstaedt from Globe and Mail (Canada).

As is well known by now, capitalism produces extremes in the distribution of wealth with most going to a tiny minority currently known as the One Percent. (Actually, they constitute about .1 of 1%.) This class of people not only hoard wealth that is produced by the 99 Percent, but they likewise hoard all political power--in spite of what you learned in school. So, I think it is a good idea to learn what this ruling class of people are really like. This study found evidence to indicate that...

The wealthy really are different from everyone else: They’re more likely to cheat, lie, and break the law.

What they didn't mention is that these people break the law with impunity, unless they cheat or steal from members of their own class such as happened with Bernie Madoff and Conrad Black. You see, they make the laws which are designed to be applied to us in the 99 Percent.