In this very insightful article the author argues that the capitalist ruling class's propaganda of choice in a long term economic crisis is to blame the government.
The mainstream ideology that works best as capitalism's crutch is blame the government. This interpretation of modern society insists that the ultimate root and cause of economic problems is the government, not capitalism nor capitalists. If you are unemployed, foreclosed, or underpaid, the problem is not the capitalist who refuses to employ you, evicts you, or pays you poorly. It is instead partly your own fault, but mostly that of the government: the politicians and the bureaucrats.I think his argument works best with regard to the US ruling class. Elsewhere there is much historical and contemporary evidence that capitalists will use any propaganda that is effective in distracting and dis-informing working people from their system's inevitable failures in serving the needs of the 99 Percent by providing a stable, just economy. Chief among these are blaming immigrants and ethnic groups.
But who could argue with this conclusion?
In capitalist societies, corporations and the rich use their resources and power to shape government to their advantages. They also lean on ideological crutches to win enough public support to keep control of the government and society. Workers have been and will continue to be victimized by capitalist controls of economy and politics. To change government policies they need to see through capitalism's ideological crutches. More than that, they will have to organize politically as they did briefly in the 1930s. Yet that, too, was not enough.Read further to find out what more is needed now to save the 99 Percent.
