{"id":79784,"date":"2018-04-05T14:21:29","date_gmt":"2018-04-05T12:21:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.re-actio.com\/wordpress\/?p=79784"},"modified":"2024-09-22T15:29:14","modified_gmt":"2024-09-22T13:29:14","slug":"a-newsletter-full-of-lies-and-false-assumptions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.re-actio.com\/wordpress\/a-newsletter-full-of-lies-and-false-assumptions\/","title":{"rendered":"A newsletter full of lies and false assumptions ...."},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Today a fri\u00adend sent a news\u00adlet\u00adter - and I couldn't resist to show some alter\u00adna\u00adti\u00adves to the author's con\u00adclu\u00adsi\u00adons. Most Ame\u00adri\u00adcans ask que\u00adsti\u00adons and sta\u00adte the obvious. But the 'brain\u00adwa\u00adsh' in the basic school system keeps them from que\u00adstio\u00adning \"Ame\u00adri\u00adcan Excep\u00adtio\u00adna\u00adlism<\/a>\" and mili\u00adta\u00adry \/ secret ser\u00advices inter\u00adven\u00adti\u00adon and covert actions around the world. And it has got\u00adten worse through the years sin\u00adce after WWII<\/span> .... no end in sight.<\/p>\n

[source: Simon Black; http:\/\/sovereignman.com\/]<\/p>\n


\n\u201cWhat is it about this place that makes it so poor?\u201d
\nIt was a simp\u00adle que\u00adsti\u00adon posed to me by a fri\u00adend as we wal\u00adked the streets of Mana\u00adgua, Nica\u00adra\u00adgua ear\u00adlier this week.
\nNica\u00adra\u00adgua is a love\u00adly place. But it\u2019s poor. Very poor. It\u2019s the least deve\u00adlo\u00adped eco\u00adno\u00admy in Cen\u00adtral Ame\u00adri\u00adca... and that\u2019s say\u00ading something.
\nBut it\u2019s worth con\u00adside\u00adring: what makes an eco\u00adno\u00admy like Nica\u00adra\u00adgua so poor? And what makes others so wealthy?
\nHaving tra\u00adve\u00adled to near\u00adly 120 count\u00adries, I\u2019ve seen the full ran\u00adge of rich and poor nati\u00adons. And I\u2019ll tell you, it has not\u00adhing to do with natu\u00adral resour\u00adces or anything like that.
\nI often have mee\u00adtings with seni\u00ador mini\u00adsters and govern\u00adment offi\u00adci\u00adals around the world who tell me all about the ama\u00adzing resour\u00adces they have in their country.
\n\u201cWe have so much fore\u00adstry land,\u201d or, \u201cOur bau\u00adxi\u00adte reser\u00adves are among the hig\u00adhest in the world\u2026\u201d
\nIrrele\u00advant. Vene\u00adzue\u00adla has incre\u00addi\u00adble oil reser\u00adves. Yet they\u2019ve been living in pover\u00adty for years.
\n(Now that oil pri\u00adces are down the Vene\u00adzue\u00adlan govern\u00adment has had to decla\u00adre every sin\u00adgle Fri\u00adday a holi\u00adday becau\u00adse they can\u2019t afford to keep the lights on.)
\nUkrai\u00adne has some of the most excep\u00adtio\u00adnal farm\u00adland on the pla\u00adnet. But the coun\u00adtry is total\u00adly broke.
\n150 years ago, Hong Kong was a tiny vil\u00adla\u00adge of illi\u00adte\u00adra\u00adte fisherman.
\n50 years ago in Sin\u00adga\u00adpo\u00adre they used to defe\u00adca\u00adte in the streets, and visi\u00adtors would have to step over rivers of feces in the down\u00adtown area.
\n25 years ago Esto\u00adnia was still part of the crumbling Soviet Union.
\nNone of tho\u00adse places has any resour\u00adces to speak of. But they\u2019ve beco\u00adme among the wealt\u00adhiest in the world.
\nWhat\u2019s the dif\u00adfe\u00adrence bet\u00adween Hong Kong and Ukrai\u00adne? Sin\u00adga\u00adpo\u00adre and Vene\u00adzue\u00adla? Esto\u00adnia and Nicaragua?
\nOne of the things I\u2019ve lear\u00adned in my tra\u00advels over the years is that wealt\u00adhy nati\u00adons do have some com\u00admon characteristics.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Left: Ori\u00adgi\u00adnal Text;                       Right: My Alter\u00adna\u00adti\u00adve Text
\n
 \n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

1.<\/p>\n

The first set is cul\u00adtu\u00adral. Wealt\u00adhy nati\u00adons have a cul\u00adtu\u00adre that values hard work. Know\u00adledge. Pro\u00adduc\u00adti\u00advi\u00adty. Inno\u00adva\u00adti\u00adon. Risk-taking. Saving. Self-reliance.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not try\u00ading to say that peo\u00adp\u00adle in poor count\u00adries don\u2019t work hard. Far from it.<\/p>\n

The point is that if working hard and saving money are strong CULTURAL<\/span> values (which tends to be the case in Asia), a coun\u00adtry is going to do better. <\/p><\/td>\n

\n<\/td>\n

1a.<\/p>\n

Wealt\u00adhy nati\u00adons have a cul\u00adtu\u00adre to bla\u00adme unem\u00adployment on the indi\u00advi\u00addu\u00adal, not on mista\u00adkes made by cor\u00adpo\u00adra\u00adte lea\u00adders. Know\u00adledge that's free (Secon\u00adda\u00adry Edu\u00adca\u00adti\u00adon) is under\u00adfun\u00added<\/a>; Hig\u00adher edu\u00adca\u00adti\u00adon is so expen\u00adsi\u00adve that the majo\u00adri\u00adty of gra\u00addua\u00adtes car\u00adry this debt for decades.
\nInno\u00adva\u00adti\u00adon, if suc\u00adcessful, will be bought up to curb com\u00adpe\u00adti\u00adti\u00adon, flan\u00adked by laws and regulations.
\nCount\u00adries do bet\u00adter by exploi\u00adting cheap labor in tho\u00adse count\u00adries they pre\u00advious\u00adly desta\u00adbi\u00adli\u00adzed in order to install pup\u00adpet regimes. <\/p><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

2.<\/p>\n

Second, wealt\u00adhy nati\u00adons have much bet\u00adter insti\u00adtu\u00adti\u00adons. The rule of law is strong. Pri\u00adva\u00adte pro\u00adper\u00adty rights are strong. Cor\u00adrup\u00adti\u00adon is limi\u00adt\u00aded. Regu\u00adla\u00adti\u00adon is sen\u00adsi\u00adble. Taxa\u00adti\u00adon is rea\u00adsonable and efficient.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s simp\u00adle; no one wants to do busi\u00adness in a cor\u00adrupt dictatorship.<\/p>\n

Bad insti\u00adtu\u00adti\u00adons dri\u00adve away for\u00adeign inve\u00adstors. And as capi\u00adtal is one of the cri\u00adti\u00adcal com\u00adpon\u00adents of eco\u00adno\u00admic growth, cho\u00adking off exter\u00adnal invest\u00adment suf\u00adfo\u00adca\u00adtes an economy. <\/p><\/td>\n

\n<\/td>\n

2a.<\/p>\n

Second, wealt\u00adhy nati\u00adons have more 'fine tun\u00aded' insti\u00adtu\u00adti\u00adons with a lay\u00adout favoring tho\u00adse who can afford it. Thus the rule of law is depen\u00addent on the amount of money inve\u00adsted. Pri\u00advate pro\u00adperty rights are good only if the\u00adre isn't an eco\u00adno\u00admic advan\u00adta\u00adge for the rich if they grab it. <\/p>\n

Cor\u00adrup\u00adtion is cal\u00adled \"net\u00adwor\u00adking\". Regu\u00adla\u00adtion is in favor of tho\u00adse who belong to the estab\u00adlish\u00adment. Taxa\u00adtion is for tho\u00adse who deri\u00adve inco\u00adme from work - tho\u00adse ear\u00adning through 'invest\u00adment' don't pay.<\/p>\n

Invest\u00adment into the U.S.A. drop\u00adped sin\u00adce Trump took office - but he's just out\u00adspo\u00adken, whe\u00adre\u00adas the for\u00admer admi\u00adni\u00adstra\u00adti\u00adons dealt their bia\u00adsed actions for the rich in secrecy.<\/p><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

3.<\/p>\n

Last (and most important\u00adly), wealt\u00adhy nati\u00adons have an \u201cinclu\u00adsi\u00adve\u201d economy.<\/p>\n

This means that peo\u00adp\u00adle aren\u2019t medieval serfs toi\u00adling away for the estab\u00adlish\u00adment. If someone deve\u00adlo\u00adps skills, works hard, and takes risks, they\u2019ve got a good chan\u00adce of moving up the socioe\u00adco\u00adno\u00admic food chain.<\/p>\n

Eco\u00adno\u00admists call this \u201cinco\u00adme mobi\u00adli\u00adty\u201d. In the United Sta\u00adtes it\u2019s known as the \u201cAme\u00adri\u00adcan Dream\u201d. <\/p><\/td>\n

\n<\/td>\n

3a.<\/p>\n

Peo\u00adp\u00adle are no lon\u00adger slaves belon\u00adging to a per\u00adson - nowa\u00addays they belong to cor\u00adpo\u00adra\u00adti\u00adons. The data show that only in rare cases peo\u00adp\u00adle reach ano\u00adther level on the social lad\u00adder. The few who make it are adver\u00adti\u00adsed, tho\u00adse who don't are not reco\u00adgnized. They are the majority.<\/p>\n

Soli\u00adda\u00adri\u00adty with the weak is dead, com\u00adpas\u00adsi\u00adon is prac\u00adti\u00adced by word, the con\u00adsci\u00adence is num\u00adbed by a cha\u00adri\u00adty check on Christmas.<\/p>\n

Any 'sur\u00adplus' on inco\u00adme has to be saved for reti\u00adre\u00adment, as the systems in place (Social Secu\u00adri\u00adty) have been plun\u00adde\u00adred to pay for exce\u00ads\u00adsi\u00adve mili\u00adta\u00adry spending. <\/p><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Bab\u00adb\u00adle<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

Yet all three of the\u00adse fac\u00adtors are start\u00ading to dis\u00adap\u00adpear in the US<\/span>\u2026 and in the West in general.<\/p>\n

America\u2019s self-reli\u00adant, risk-taking, hard working, pio\u00adnee\u00adring cul\u00adtu\u00adre hel\u00adped pro\u00adpel it to beco\u00adme the wealt\u00adhiest nati\u00adon on the planet.<\/p>\n

But the\u00adse traits are rapid\u00adly vanis\u00adhing, dis\u00adpla\u00adced by a cul\u00adtu\u00adre that values instant gra\u00adti\u00adfi\u00adca\u00adti\u00adon, con\u00adsu\u00admer debt, and govern\u00adment handouts.<\/p>\n

The insti\u00adtu\u00adti\u00adons are fal\u00adte\u00adring as well. Rule of Law is less pre\u00addic\u00adta\u00adble, with the govern\u00adment chan\u00adging the rules in its sole dis\u00adcreti\u00adon when\u00adever it likes. <\/p><\/td>\n

\n<\/td>\n

Facts <\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

The explo\u00adita\u00adti\u00adon all around the world lea\u00adves almost no more resour\u00adces to rob. The decli\u00adne is also due to the fact that for\u00admer pro\u00addu\u00adcers of raw mate\u00adri\u00adal lear\u00adned that it pays to install and boost pro\u00adduc\u00adtion of goods &<\/span> sale of tho\u00adse wit\u00adhout the middle-man.<\/p>\n

The US-System its\u00adelf fostert con\u00adsu\u00admer debt becau\u00adse the banks had no limit to bar them from rip\u00adping off the avera\u00adge Joe. To bla\u00adme the so cal\u00adled \"gou\u00advern\u00adment hand\u00adouts\" is absurd, when mil\u00adta\u00adry spen\u00adding is thou\u00adsand\u00adfold that of help for the poor and needy.<\/p>\n

The rule of law has chan\u00adged only in one direc\u00adtion: To the advan\u00adta\u00adge of tho\u00adse who can afford an expen\u00adsi\u00adve law firm that doesn't ask what's right or wrong but only how much money can be squeezed out of any sin\u00adgle client. <\/p><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

They pass new rules every day gover\u00adning ever\u00adything from what you can\/cannot put in your own body, to how you are allo\u00adwed to rai\u00adse your own child, with much of it enforced at gunpoint.
\nAnd through an offi\u00adci\u00adal form of theft known as Civil Asset For\u00adfeit\u00adu\u00adre, govern\u00adment agen\u00adci\u00ades now ste\u00adal more pri\u00adva\u00adte pro\u00adper\u00adty from peo\u00adp\u00adle than all the thie\u00adves and burglars in the coun\u00adtry combined.
\nThis is bana\u00adna repu\u00adblic stuff.
\nMost of all, though, it\u2019s the eco\u00adno\u00admic struc\u00adtu\u00adre that\u2019s eroding.
\nThe inclu\u00adsi\u00adve eco\u00adno\u00admy of Ame\u00adri\u00adca is vanis\u00adhing. It\u2019s beco\u00adming \u2018extra\u00adc\u00adti\u00adve,\u2019 mea\u00adning that the system is desi\u00adgned for the bene\u00adfit of the estab\u00adlish\u00adment and rig\u00adged against the individual.
\nYou can see this most nota\u00adb\u00adly in finan\u00adce; cen\u00adtral ban\u00adkers have held inte\u00adrest rates down to prac\u00adti\u00adcal\u00adly zero for eight years in order to bail out lar\u00adge banks and the fede\u00adral government.
\nYet in doing so, they have deci\u00adma\u00adted the pro\u00ads\u00adpects for reti\u00adrees, respon\u00adsi\u00adble savers, and most of all, young people.
\nIt\u2019s no won\u00adder that the Midd\u00adle Class no lon\u00adger com\u00adpri\u00adses the lar\u00adgest seg\u00adment of the US<\/span> popu\u00adla\u00adti\u00adon, accor\u00adding to Pew Research.
\nLar\u00adry Fink, CEO<\/span> of Black\u00adrock (the lar\u00adgest asset manage\u00adment firm in the world) said that a typi\u00adcal 35-year old will now need to set asi\u00adde 3x as much money for reti\u00adre\u00adment as his\/her par\u00adents did, sim\u00adply becau\u00adse inte\u00adrest rates are so low.
\nAnd Wil\u00adliam Dud\u00adley, Pre\u00adsi\u00addent of the Fede\u00adral Reser\u00adve Bank of NY<\/span> (and one of the most important Fed offi\u00adci\u00adals) recent\u00adly remark\u00aded how the US<\/span> is fal\u00adling behind in terms of inco\u00adme mobility.
\n\u201cThe chan\u00adce of achie\u00adving the Ame\u00adri\u00adcan Dream,\u201d he told his audi\u00adence, \u201cis not the hig\u00adhest for child\u00adren born in America.\u201d
\nThat\u2019s a pret\u00adty ama\u00adzing state\u00adment, and it high\u00adlights how obvious (and important) the\u00adse trends are.
\nAgain, we\u2019re not tal\u00adking about \u2018What If\u2019. We\u2019re tal\u00adking about \u2018What Is.\u2019 And it has pro\u00adfound impli\u00adca\u00adti\u00adons for your long-term prosperity.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Today a fri\u00adend sent a news\u00adlet\u00adter - and I couldn't resist to show some alter\u00adna\u00adti\u00adves to the author's con\u00adclu\u00adsi\u00adons. Most Ame\u00adri\u00adcans ask que\u00adsti\u00adons and sta\u00adte the obvious. But the 'brain\u00adwa\u00adsh' in the basic school system keeps them from que\u00adstio\u00adning \"Ame\u00adri\u00adcan Excep\u00adtio\u00adna\u00adlism\" and mili\u00adta\u00adry \/ secret ser\u00advices inter\u00adven\u00adti\u00adon and covert actions around the world. And it [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":561,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1691,541,21,151,51,431,281,1681,41],"tags":[5514,5515],"class_list":["post-79784","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-1691","category-blick-zuruck","category-daten-fakten","category-drei-fragezeichen","category-gelesen","category-gesellschaft","category-markt-geld","category-mensch-mensch","category-zeitgeist","tag-kritik-am-kapitalistischen-system","tag-ursachen-fuer-armut-und-schlechte-lebensbedingungen-in-der-welt"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.re-actio.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79784","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.re-actio.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.re-actio.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.re-actio.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/561"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.re-actio.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=79784"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.re-actio.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79784\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.re-actio.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=79784"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.re-actio.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=79784"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.re-actio.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=79784"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}