Feeling the pulse of the people...
is something politicians of democratic countries around the globe seem to neglect these days
One week ago I published an article about austerity and the destruction of democracy and civil unrest in Europe due to the eco – political situation and subsequent government actions dictated by the IMF and the Financial Markets.
The recent violence in the United Kingdom is a showcase example on how indifferent politicians are when it comes to tackle the root of the problem and “feel the pulse” of the common people rather than use tyrannical language, as sociologist Saskia Sassen in an interview in the “Der Standard” newspaper quoted:
“The language and reaction of center right politicians such as Great Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron in response to the riots in his country, has turned into what the Greeks would call Tyranny. The “leader” talks to his “peasants” as if they are small children and thus treated as if their word does not count and their language not exists instead of tackling social inequality.”
Cameron’s unworldly response to the riots reflects the attitude of the majority of center right politicians currently ruling in Europe. In view of the fact that Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy are able to decide to give 700 billion Euro of tax money to the banks, without asking taxpayers, one has to assume that the entire system has a serious fault. Conservative as well as left governments and politicians in Europe are increasingly distancing themselves from citizens, despite the fact that it is the citizens voting for them to protect their interests.
What is interesting to observe is that Europe has predominantly center right governments and a stagnating economy. In comparison South America has mostly center left governments and the economy is thriving, with the exception of Chile, which is governed by billionaire president Sebastián Piñera who faces similar unrests in recent days as the United Kingdom. Piñera intends to change the free higher education system to that of the US education model, in other words forcing students to pay high tuition fees in order to enter university, thus putting them into dept for life and at the same time making studying for a broad public impossible.
Such measures only increase the rift between rich and poor.
Such measures only increase the rift between rich and poor.
Piñera used extensive force and little thought to suppress the “uprising” of students who demand free education. Current suppressive actions of Piñera remind many Chilenians of the times of the military dictator ship under Pinochet. Piñera is under increasing pressure as public opinion is tumbling, for not only is he accused of trying to suppress free education but also took little to the improve infrastructure after the wake of the earthquake that struck Chile in recent past. In his latest attempts to undermine democracy he, just as Cameron, intends to block Twitter and Blackberry Messaging in order to curb in social unrest.
Chile was on the eco - politic fast lane prior to Piñera being elected president. Chile was on the verge of being a 1st world country as it obediently adhered to the rules and grants it received from the IMF, thus being hostage to the demands of the IMF who’s prime target is to curb in on education and health care, key pillars for a healthy society.
I would like to point out that I am aware that nothing in life is just “black and white” and thus one cannot stereotype political movements and say that everything conservative political movements are bad and liberal left political movements are good. Nevertheless one has to question oneself in what period we are currently are living, where downgrading a county by a rating agency can trigger a so called eco - financial turmoil and where markets respond to pure speculative impulse etc.
Squeezing society to tight can trigger social uprising and undermine democracy, something certain entities might provoke deliberately in order to justify austerity measures and set up a world order which has little room for democracy.
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