The Grand Transformation: Republic to Oligarchy

[georgephillip]

In his latest column, Chris Hedges argues the US "...legal system no longer functions to protect ordinary Americans." Rather economic changes that first began with the existence of the nation-state have fundamentally transformed human relations and not always for the better.

"A distinguishing characteristic of the 'Market Society' is that humanity's economic mentalities were changed. Prior to the great transformation, people based their economies on reciprocity and redistribution and were not rational utility maximizers.[1]

"After the great transformation, people became more economically rational, behaving as neoclassical economic theory would predict.[2]

"The creation of capitalist institutions not only changed laws but also fundamentally altered humankind's economic mentalities, such that prior to the great transformation, markets played a very minor role in human affairs and were not even capable of setting prices because of their diminutive size."
The Great Transformation book - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

Hedges believes "corporations have captured every major institution, including the judicial, legislative, and executive branches of government, and deformed them to exclusively serve the demands of the market, producing a society of captives."

 

[Stephanie]

for crying out loud. We lived with this system for HOW MANY years now and all of a SUDDEN it doesn't work anymore because a couple people thinks so

go cry us a river

 

[Freemason9]

for crying out loud. We lived with this system for HOW MANY years now and all of a SUDDEN it doesn't work anymore because a couple people thinks so

go cry us a river

Hedges is absolutely correct, but this stuff is WAY over your head.

 

[Stephanie]

for crying out loud. We lived with this system for HOW MANY years now and all of a SUDDEN it doesn't work anymore because a couple people thinks so

go cry us a river

Hedges is absolutely correct, but this stuff is WAY over your head.

Who gives a shit what you think. no one loser troll

 

[Freemason9]

for crying out loud. We lived with this system for HOW MANY years now and all of a SUDDEN it doesn't work anymore because a couple people thinks so

go cry us a river

Hedges is absolutely correct, but this stuff is WAY over your head.

Who gives a shit what you think. no one loser troll

Wow, you ARE a right winger

 

[georgephillip]

for crying out loud. We lived with this system for HOW MANY years now and all of a SUDDEN it doesn't work anymore because a couple people thinks so

Millions of people all around the world are noticing how little capitalism does for them anymore.
"The legal system no longer functions to protect ordinary Americans. It serves our oligarchic, corporate elites. These elites have committed $26 billion in financial fraud.

"They loot the U.S. Treasury, escape taxation, drive down wages, break unions, pillage pension funds, gut regulation and oversight, destroy public institutions including public schools and social assistance programs, wage endless and illegal wars to swell the profits of arms merchants, and—yes—authorize police to murder unarmed black men."
Chris Hedges A Society of Captives - Chris Hedges -Truthdig

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

Millions of people all around the world are noticing how little capitalism does for them anymore.

yes expecially the Chinese who are noticing that capitalism eliminated 40% of the world's poverty and saved another 60 million from slowly starving to death!!

See how totally stupid the liberal will be? Please tell me what other conclusion is possible??

 

[georgephillip]

yes expecially the Chinese who are noticing that capitalism eliminated 40% of the world's poverty and saved another 60 million from slowly starving to death!!

The Chinese are slowing slouching toward utopia with two cars in every garage, aren't they? What happens when their capitalists find cheaper labor and hundreds of millions of Chinese workers can no longer afford to purchase the fruits of their collective labor?

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

What happens when their capitalists find cheaper labor and hundreds of millions of Chinese workers can no longer afford to purchase the fruits of their collective labor?

too stuipid as always. France England and American have been capitalist for 200 years and we are richer than ever so obviously China has nothing to worry about!

1+1=2
do you understand?

 

[georgephillip]

too stuipid as always. France England and American have been capitalist for 200 years and we are richer than ever so obviously China has nothing to worry about!

Now THAT is stupid.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

for crying out loud. We lived with this system for HOW MANY years now and all of a SUDDEN it doesn't work anymore because a couple people thinks so

Millions of people all around the world are noticing how little capitalism does for them anymore.
"The legal system no longer functions to protect ordinary Americans. It serves our oligarchic, corporate elites. These elites have committed $26 billion in financial fraud.

"They loot the U.S. Treasury, escape taxation, drive down wages, break unions, pillage pension funds, gut regulation and oversight, destroy public institutions including public schools and social assistance programs, wage endless and illegal wars to swell the profits of arms merchants, and—yes—authorize police to murder unarmed black men."
Chris Hedges A Society of Captives - Chris Hedges -Truthdig

Yeah! Poverty rules!

Redistribution until there nothing left! WOHOO!

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

too stuipid as always. France England and American have been capitalist for 200 years and we are richer than ever so obviously China has nothing to worry about!

Now THAT is stupid.

say why or admit you lack the IQ to participate here

 

[CrusaderFrank]

yes expecially the Chinese who are noticing that capitalism eliminated 40% of the world's poverty and saved another 60 million from slowly starving to death!!

The Chinese are slowing slouching toward utopia with two cars in every garage, aren't they? What happens when their capitalists find cheaper labor and hundreds of millions of Chinese workers can no longer afford to purchase the fruits of their collective labor?

Um they'll turn back to Communism?

 

[georgephillip]

Um they'll turn back to Communism?

Or move forward to Socialism?

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

Um they'll turn back to Communism?

the liberal would recommend that. You know, It was just a coincidence that 120 million slowly starved to death in the USSR and Red China under libcommieism!

 

[peach174]

too stuipid as always. France England and American have been capitalist for 200 years and we are richer than ever so obviously China has nothing to worry about!

Now THAT is stupid.

That is historical fact George.
Merchant Capitalism has been practiced in Western Europe since the middle ages.
History for the past five hundred years is concerned with the development of capitalism in its various forms.

 

[georgephillip]

That is historical fact George.
Merchant Capitalism has been practiced in Western Europe since the middle ages.
History for the past five hundred years is concerned with the development of capitalism in its various forms.

I was referring to EB's nonsense about how "we are richer than ever" when, in fact, in 2000 income inequality was greater in the US than at any time since the 1920s.

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

I was referring to EB's nonsense about how "we are richer than ever" when, in fact, in 2000 income inequality was greater in the US than at any time since the 1920s.

inequality is greater because liberals made war on lower and middle class. No one supports that war except liberals who are far too stupid to see their soviet cancerous affect!!.

 

[georgephillip]

inequality is greater because liberals made war on lower and middle class. No one supports that war except liberals who are far too stupid to see their soviet cancerous affect!!.

Name a few of the "liberals"

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

inequality is greater because liberals made war on lower and middle class. No one supports that war except liberals who are far too stupid to see their soviet cancerous affect!!.

Name a few of the "liberals"

those who support highest corporate tax in world to drive jobs off shore. You total idiot I've named them 100 times for you!!