I’ve discussed before how big corporations seem to behavior like piratical, landless, colonial governments that loot countries for private gain. Historically, colonial countries like the United States have acted as the bases of operations for these entities – their “home territory” where they are protected from any repercussions for their actions. In the video below, Richard Wolff makes a compelling case that not only is the United States collapsing, but those currently in power are aware of it, and their actions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic amount to looting the base before they abandon it to seek out a new haven, without regard for the death and misery left in their wake.
Zac Cope described the emergence of fascism in the domestic governance of an empire like the United States thusly:
Geographically speaking, on its own soilfascism is imperialist repression turned inward whilst on foreign soil it is imperialist repression
employed by comprador autocracies. (Divided World Divided Class: Global political economy and the stratification of labour under capitalism, page 294/page 309 of the PDF)
Considered through that lens, this is the United States being subjected to the same plundering that has plagued current and former colonies the world over, not at the hands of the vengeful victims of our own crimes, as the white supremacists have claimed would happen, but at the hands of the very institutions that were built up through the plundering of other nations.
Whatever the future holds for the United States, it appears that the people currently running it – both politicians and corporate executives – believe that the country is collapsing, and rather than fighting to ease the suffering of the people, they grabbing what they can, while they can. Those charged with caring for the population have demonstrated no interest in doing so, and the leadership of the Democratic Party has been fully complicit in this.
I think it’s reasonable to expect that whatever happens in November, and whatever the next few years bring, residents of the United States should not fully rely on their government to do what must be done. Reach out to people around you. Form networks. Think about how to get necessities for yourself, should the governmental and trade systems on which you rely begin to fail. Maybe I’m being alarmist – it would be nice – but even if I am, this organizing work will be beneficial, similar to how transitioning to renewable energy would have side benefits. It will make your communities more resilient to things like climate change, and it will mean that you will be able to exert collective political power if you need to. We live in a very atomized society, and we must change that if we are to work together to overcome the concentrated power of the ruling classes, and to fix the world.
Form networks, get results.
Despite everything happening in the world right now, life goes on, and I’m still required to spend money in order to live. My work is supported by a group of wonderful people over at patreon.com/oceanoxia, and I would be immeasurably grateful if you would consider joining their ranks. How much you give, and for how long are entirely under your control, and every little bit helps a great deal, as my household is very short on money right now. Thank you for reading, and take care of yourselves.
The ruling classes have long treated the USA as their private milk cow.
Now they’re cutting off some steaks.
Good metaphor.
One is exploitative but theoretically sustainable.
The other is lethal.
Are they looting the country because it’s collapsing, or is the country collapsing because they’re looting it?
Both/and in my opinion. They brought it to the point of collapse, and seem to be grabbing everything they can, while they can.
I think the Great Depression/New Deal are a good example of an alternative approach – they looted the country to the point of collapse, and then were forced by a powerful Leftist movement to reinforce the infrastructure, and give back some of what they had looted to ward off total collapse.
It doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen this time.
@ ^ Abe Drayton & #3. Dunc : Yes.
Agreed.
Steinbeck’s ‘Grapes of Wrath’ seems awfully apt rght now.
Also this worrying article via Triple J Hack:
https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/model-predicting-united-states-disorder-now-points-to-civil-war/12365280
StevoR @ # 5 – that article (about an “unpublished paper”) dates from June of this year; a search for “goldstone, turchin, us civil war” produced no follow-up reports over the last four months. ???
There is a reason why Republicans are now happy to work directly against the interests of the middle class and Democrats can rarely be bothered to do more than put up token resistance. The elites behind all the dark money no longer see their interests as tied to that of middle America. They are happy to cut us lose.
Pierce R. Butler@6,
Getting an academic paper published in a reputable journal usually takes quite a bit more than 4 months! Goldstone and Turchin are both highly respected in their field.