The Re-Enserfment of Western Peoples
November 10, 2015
The Re-Enserfment of Western Peoples
by Paul Craig Roberts
The re-enserfment of Western peoples is taking place on several levels. One about which I have been writing for more than a decade comes from the offshoring of jobs. Americans, for example, have a shrinking participation in the production of the goods and services that are marketed to them.
On another level we are experiencing the financialization of the Western economy about which Michael Hudson is the leading expert (Killing The Host). Financialization is the process of removing any public presence in the economy and converting the economic surplus into interest payments to the financial sector.
These two developments deprive people of economic prospects. A third development deprives them of political rights. The Trans-Pacific and Trans-Atlantic Partnerships eliminate political sovereignty and turn governance over to global corporations.
These so called “trade partnerships” have nothing to do with trade. These agreements negotiated in secrecy grant immunity to corporations from the laws of the countries in which they do business. This is achieved by declaring any interference by existing and prospective laws and regulations with corporate profits as restraints on trade for which corporations can sue and fine “sovereign” governments. For example, the ban in France and other counries on GMO products would be negated by the Trans-Atlantic Partnership. Democracy is simply replaced by corporate rule.
. . .
The corporations are buying power cheaply. They bought the entire US House of Representatives for just under $200 million. This is what the corporations paid Congress to go along with “Fast Track,” which permits the corporations’ agent, the US Trade Representative, to negotiate in secret without congressional input or oversight.
More:
http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/11/10/the-re-enserfment-of-western-peoples/
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extreme right wing libertarian think tanks, ALEC, media sources and have bought politicians and public officials for years. The Kochs are also in the education business, giving financial support to more than 300 US colleges and universities across the country. The money is mainly for economics depts. and business schools, and the Kochs even choose some professors and staff who indoctrinate the young.
Until yesterday I didn't realize they also have a presence in high schools where they offer finance and business programs and grants. Unbelievable is the scope of the Kochtapus.
