Revolutionary Rants

Because Everything’s Political

Live 8

I must admit, I didn’t actually watch Live 8. Yes, I sat, as a child of two, all day watching Live Aid (I had the mumps and saw the whole thing from my Dad’s knee!), yes, I to have the ‘Make Poverty History’ banner up: but Live 8 just seemed so ineffectual. OK, so the idea behind it was very important, and getting world-wide constant coverage for the ‘plight of Africa’ (as it is always called) is ‘worthy’ (well, what other word can you use?!); but, then, what difference will it make?

What Live 8 fails to take in to account is, even if the West cancels the debt - which, although it would be a good start, it will never be an end - capitalism will still need a weak area in order than the West can be the most powerful. By its very nature, capitalism needs poverty.

Who knows? Maybe, for once, people power will win the day, but I just don’t see how capitalism can function without a ‘whipping boy’. Especially now China is going for capitalism in a big way…

Still, there is one thing we can be grateful for - at least Bono and Bob Geldof will be off the telly for a few seconds now!

Comments (2)

Comment by chaz — 7/5/2005 @ 17:24

Can you replace the previous with this please?

What an old cynic you are Jess.
I was listening to it on the Radio and enjoying it until I nearly cut off my finger whilst cutting my hedge. At this point I decided it might be better to retire to the safety of my living room, and enjoyed a very jolly concert. I think the main point (and I did mail this in to Broadcasting House on Sunday) was that Africa needs not Aid or Debt Relief, though both are important in the short term, but the only real way to move forward is to level the playing field in trade terms.
New Zealand tried this in its agricultural sector and it worked.
As to the capitalism question, I am not sure if I am qualified to comment, but just try the other systems, no other seems to work. Do we really consider Cuba a good exemplar? China as a beacon of light in the world.
No my brain is jamming up, suggest an alternative please?
Hope Devon is going well.

Comment by Jess — 7/5/2005 @ 20:17

Well Chaz, you know what I think would work already, don’t you? ;-)

I feel I must point out that neither Cuba nor China are actually communist per se, however. They are Starlinist/Leninist regimes masking totalitarian systems under the guise of Marxism. I would, thus, argue that communism as a pure concept has never been attempted in any real way, and, therefore, is not a failed idea. But, hey, you could write a book on this…

I agree, good gig, shame about the haggis!

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