Liberalization of market and usage of neoliberal economicy p
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 9:35 pm
Liberalisation of market and usage of neoliberal economicy postulates created only chaos and lawlessness
http://www.hrvatski-fokus.hr/index.php? ... a&Itemid=3
Written by Zdenko Kremer, translated to Engish by Picard578
By reading an article by Vuk Perisic, titled "Night guard or profligate" that was published 22. 11. 2011. on Pescanic portal, someone could think (as author of this text did at first) that it is a solid, critical review of some aspects of debt crisis which is shaking EU right now, in which those who caused this financial cataclism are being impeached. However, it is only an impression that reader can get before nearing to the end of this slightly atypical publicistical writing of almost thirteen cards. And when he reaches end of it, unavoidable conclusion is that entire thing was left unfinished, that it is set extremely one-sided, and that, as such, is just one more propaganda pamphlet, casually decorated by rethorical figures, which are better at hiding than pointing towards key questions and answers related to problems article is about.
Mr. Perisic, as hardore liberal (liberter), as we saw it earlier, uses his articles as a way to propagate his ideology, while cleverly ignoring parts of discussed subject that are contrary to these theses, while trying to discredit opponents of his views one way or another. In this text, for instance, Perisic attacked lack of conscience and prodigality of state institutions controlling finances. Which is completelly correct. However, after disclosing them eloquently and somewhat arguably, as well as mentioning sanctions that could (maybe) be used to put them back under control, Perisic ends his article casually, suggesting that entire problem is solely in organization of state, as it is today.
Not only does he suggest, but explicitly amnests all other participants in this criminal orgy on expense of tax payers. Bankers are here, according to Perisic, completely innocent, even more, they are too victims of state's vampires, who will suffer in the end, beacouse state's debt is uncollectible ("Unfortunately, they cannot take neither Crete nor Rhodes from Greece.", but it has to be made possible). These kind, honest guys have only, due to some mysterious reasons, tried to appease enormous apetites of state apparatus and, while doing that, they just took a liberty to "do things" with bonds, that is, with credit financing of state deficits.
Ideology of (neo)liberalism
It is an interesting opinion which causes scepticism even to completely ignorant. Those with bit more knowledge about it scepticism is caused by knowledge that in his article there is no mention of work and power of global financial oligarchy; there is no mention of neoliberalistic ideology whole that system is based on either. Believable author who decided to write a competent, analitical text about european debt crisis and world economical depression in general simply cannot avoid these themes due to pure nature of things he is writing about, and Perisic's pretension at seriousness and analiticality in his text are apparent from its pure size.
But, far larger scepticism is caused by some quite concrete ideas which Perisic writes, ideas related to sovereignity of states in situation of huge economical problems and high foreign debt. We will cite two paragraphs of Perisic's text which are most ddirectly related to these problems: "Irresponsible indebtment is attack on international order and civilizational, legal and moral values which can be equilized with armed agression, same as empoorment of citizens can be equilized with crime against civilians. Constitutional and international right must find mechanisms to stop and saction such acts but in way to unconditionally protect economical interests and political rights of citizens. It is only about people, and nothing else isn't and mustn't be more important, certainly not a state, nation, national interets and similar things without moral cover." And: "If state's properties and states sovereignity are price that has to be paid so as to save citizens from suffering someone's expenses – and state's expenses are never it's own althought state elites are convincig crowd that state is "theirs" – that cost is small and actually very affordable. Homeland which doesn't know and doesn't want to do jobs as it should deserves to be sold, primarly in interests of its own citizens.
MMF as an instrument of financial oligarchy
At first look, t's unclear what I wan't to say here. On what drum goes our homeland, whose drum, and how it is drummed on it? Pity it isn't described in more detail here. Maybe the problem is in the fact that it wouldn't really be good if public were to know about it, since it's same thing that may await our homeland in the future. Does he mean only activity of IMF as instrument of finantial oligarchy, which would, in critical situations, take things even firmer into its hands, and make justice even more agressively, as well as dictate most important parameters of economical and finantial politics of country which found itself in trouble? Or should exponents of global capital completely take over control of country, its resources and its populace?
In first, and especially in second case, it is clear that it is nothing but replacement of democratical social system, in which country is ruled by democratically elected representatives, with totalitarian one, in which country is ruled by "invisible bosses", which we don't know who they are, what they are, where they are, to whom they are responsible, or even wether they exist (in our reality)? Someone may even admit it's exactly this, whereas he will excuse this suspension of democracy with alleged efficiency of that model of ruling (which is something new, unseen), as only way for troubled country to solve its troubles and prevent complete social chaos. But, question is: first, how efficient that model would really be, and second, is it temporary solution or something that should stay for longer time, or maybe forever (I should add here, that United States are definetly controlled by corporations since eighties. All it has brought was trouble, and now US economy is falling apart. So much about efficiency of that system.). How long will, for example, forced control in Greece last (it is already set up, as "technical government"). Until Greece pays off its debt? How long it will take them to return those one or two hundred billion of euros if they are getting indebted all the time? And isn't social chaos there growing all the time?
It is interesting that Perisic avoids to ask that key question – who allowed Greek government to become indebted over any measure? Weren't that those poor bankers? And what they wanted to achieve throught that? To help one government which was trying its most to give populace nice life and good fun (for example, Olympic Games in Athens had cost Greek state, according to avaliable data, around 20 billion USD)? Were it really as it is in some media explicitly, and in Perisic's article implicitly, suggested, it would mean that entire banking caste consists of utter idiots of Duke Miskin type, who are trying to make world better than it is, but they, so fatally, fail.
Creation of ideal human community
But, when we are already with Dostojevski, it would be nice to mention another one of his characters, that crazy Sigalov from book "Demons". That guy, as it is known, was obsessed with creating ideal human community, and his conclusion was that he and his ideological partners will, starting from demand for absolute freedom, create a system of absolute slavery. This Dostojevski's prophecy was, until now, connected to russian Bolshevism, that is, so-called "real-socialism" in ex-USSR, but it is more and more likely that it will also be usable in relation to system of neoliberal capitalism which was being set up in western countries for last two decades (process started in USA in 1980s, with Milton Firedman and co. - note by translator). (Doesn't neoliberal ideology also set this demand – demand for "absolute freedom" of single person?)
Really, if we look a bit better at what was and is happening in connection to debt crisis in some countries of European Union, it becomes clear that world's finantial oligarchy did not give money into hands of corrupt and inefficient governments beacouse it was naive, and thought it will get it back with large interest rates, but beacouse, obviously, it also had some other interests and plans. Besides, money in sums I am writing about here stops being money in usual sense, that is, it loses it's meaning as a tool used to exchange goods and keep dynamics of economy, but becomes tool of political power and domination, or, better said, weapon, whose power was used since ancient times to set up interactions between social groups, nations and states.
Couldn't we today, after creaton of these "technical governments" in Greece and Italy, ask – Is this well-planned action of occupying countries which, due to their weaknesses (economical problems, corruption, lagging behind in civilizational development), can be conquered in relatively quick and simple way? Of course, it isn't classical military occupation, but one specifical kind of it, where, slowly and quietly, so that people of country in question don't even realize it, certain material resources are being taken over. But it must be said that, in far wider proportions, there is another kind of occupation going on in modern Europe, which is simply preparing terrain for already meantioned one, just like that one, maybe, is preparring terrain for physical occupation of state – it is occupation is "spiritual sphere", in which spiritual resources are being taken over – public opinion, knowledge and counscience of a society, and, of course, its "intelligence" (which, mostly, can be bought for little money), and in which attempt at destruction of identity, tradition, historical memory, as well as freedom and free thought of single person and social groups is made.
Monetary war between dollar and euro
Perisic will, of course, like many others, discalrd such thoughts as a "conspiracy theory" or as "nacistical mantra about jewo-masonical plutocracy" which controls the world. We can't say for sure wether it's truth or not, but who now can untie that knot of interactions, opposed interests, conflicts, threats, compromises, in which life of modern world is happening (lat's just mention monatery war between US dollar and euro, taxing war between US and China, conflicts over markets and influence in Middle Asian countries, arabic world, Latin America, fights over remaining resources of our planet, among many others) and give final, truthful judgement about what is happening on european and global economical and political scene. And regarding conspiracy theories, it is true that they sound unbelieavable, but truth is also that those unbelieavable things on this world are happening exactly beacouse people don't believe that something so unbelieavable could be happening around them.
Besides, unbelievable are also news about "adjusted" reports of Greek Government to European monetary institutions. Couldn't all that data be checked? Also are unbelievable sums which, according to avaliable data, Greek government spent on weapons in last few years, as is the already-mentioned one about expenses of Olympic games in Athens. Usually are unbeleavable dimensions of “finantial engineering” which is happening in modern world and generally the possibility of functioning of system in which finantial capital is more important than realistical one, and speculations or simply the ability to stamp US dollar stamps are most reliable sources of richness and power, that is, global domination.
But, let's return to Perisic's text for a moment. As we have seen, in thinking and mechanisms which are to “stop and sanction wasteful practices of state elites as well as unconditionally protect economical interests and political rights of citizens”, Perisic is mentioning everything written not too far above, beacouse condition for creating such mechainsms is obviously seen in major changes to political setup of Europe and world, which would pave way for possibility that states get not only monetary, that is economical, but also political sovereignity taken away from them, in so-called “attempt to protect freedom of their citizens”; that is, in usage of doctrine of limited sovereignity which could, “by new”, be implemented without direct military intervention, by simple integration into either unitary European or world super-state with common institutions (european or world government, and so on).
Of course, according to him it is no conspiracy, but rather necessity created by various circumstances and accidents. But let us ask ourselves – is the fact that Perisic so nonchalantly misses one far simpler, more natural and far more rational solution to this problem (of money-wasting state elites and debt crisis) also coincidence? And that solution is to put limits on power of global financial oligarchy (it's another thing how to really do it). It is understandable that something like that this author cannot, that is, must not say. Another thing he also cannot say is the fact that true power in modern world is not in hands of state institutions (if it were, his arguments would be perfectly okay), but rather that it is owned by certain centers of power on global scene which work “from backseat” (which has already bacome rather obvious).
Someone may say that this power is quite “spread out” over wide spectrum of persons of different “profiles” from different parts of the world, but here the most important thing is that that power is controlled by nobody, least of all the people which, according to democratic principles, should be able to do it. Besides, who puts presidents of USA in power? It is hard to agree with thesis that they are set by american people (it may “choose” them in some way).
Too expensive capitalistic “news”
It is interesting to see, however, from one side nonchalancy with which Perisic ignores the movements opposed to modern neoliberal capitalism and try to offer alternatives, such as “Occupy Wall Street” movement, and from the other, his fanatical belief in efficiency of measures of market liberalization and limiting of state's influence in economical sphere. However, it must be said that there are many examples that show this fath to be unfounded – for example, liberalization of drinkable water market led to mass rebellion and removal of regime in Bolivia, liberalization of electrical energy market in Hungary led to electrical power price being monstruously increased, and liberalization of telecomunicational market here in Croatia led to absurd situation that we pay more for those services than, for example, electrical power or gas.
Therefore, it is quite clear that, regarding position of majority of people, here and in rest of the world, in regards to liberalization of market and involvement of state in economical life, it is wrong to say anything about “marxistic phobia against capital, market and private ownership”, but about elementary life experience and common sense (here, people were always set to help each other, and we had common household ownership of many things all the way until middle 19-th century, and even later in some cases, in contrast to many Western, mainly protestant countries, where importance of individuality and individual ownership of things is generally overstated – note by translator). Noone forbids anyone else from believing Perisic's flosculs coined in who knows which laboratory for psychological and promotional work, but luckily, there are very few people who still believe in these stories.
Market liberalization and usage of postulates of neoliberal economy (that is, ideology) in economic life of any country in the world, except maybe ones that dominate and dictate world happenings, instead of starting economical prosperity, created only chaos and lawlessness, promoting so-called “transitional” and many other kinds of economical crime, and pushed majority of populace below poverty limit.
Truth is that there is responsibility of state institutions in all this, but they are just facing consequences of huge contradictions and absurds created by neoliberal doctrine in those last few decades since it took over world domination – ones of these are monetary system that floats between material world and esoterical one; imaginary economy without any real basis, which launched itself in sky of projections, expectations and imaginations of this world's moguls, many false, fictional values, along with one entire completely warped system of values in which pearls, astragals and mirrors are worth a lot, and human life isn't worth anything, in which lies are treated as truth and truth as lies, in which kindness and morality are being punished (no good deed goes unpunished), and crime is being rewarded, in which vices are very desireable, and virtues are to be ashamed of. Which other result can we expect from one warped ideology in which greed, egoism, cold heartedness and similar vices are being presented as basis of human progress?
It is completely clear that this doctrine, that is its theory and practice, are not succesfull in securing normal life for majority of people on this planet, but is rather promoting global regress. If, in some periods, its “positive results” were noticeable, any statements about success of this model are being successfully disroven by economical crises like one we are currently suffering.
Pure fact that human civilization is running in circles instead of moving along the track of development and prosperity, fact that all possible problems are not being solved but only piled up, fact that scientifical and technological achievements are not used to better the life of at least majority of people on Earth, but rather one small percentage of them, fact that development of automatization and robotics did not release people from heavy physical labor, or at least humanized conditions and ambient in which work is being done, and allowed for larger pay, but rather forces workers in even greater poverty, as well as many other facts about failures of our civilizational development, show that ideology of liberalism is complete failure, that it causes heavy damage to human society and that it should be discarded as soon and as completely as possible (while in Western countries, work conditions did improve in relation to 19-th century, most large corporations are moving production facilities from US and Europe to China, India and Indonesian archipelago, where work conditions are comparable to those from 19-th century Europe, despite at least some automatization in certain factories – note by translator).
This ideology has caused huge inequalities among people, nations and cultures, which can easily lead towards social explosion and catastrophy for human society as a whole. It is also mostly to blame for ecological problems, beacouse all these problems were created by human greed and egoism, but not as some “ancient” human sin, but as a result of liberalistical outlook and thought, which cares only about profit, and not about betterment of all living beings on this planet (and human species is only species that can and has responsibility for life on planet as a whole (simply due to magnitude of its impact on ecological system of planet – every day, several species go extinct as a direct consequence of human activity – note by translator)), or care about future for coming generations.
Necessary return to original Catholic values
(author, who is Croatian, is speaking about Croatia specifically here – in this entire text – but everything said can be used for other countries, except some specific things, like religion. - note by translator)
Consequences of ecological crisis which is continually deepening are already huge. But, worst part is that this ideology is destroying people, by promoting vices and laughing at virtues (promotors of this ideology are especially attacking so-called “moralizing”, while forgetting that only alternative to moral life is – suicide (either individual or collective; or both, as can be seen by ever-increasing suicide rate in Western world and countries that have adopted modern Western values – note by translator)), degrades our humanity, transforming us into subhuman creatures, “chirihauas” as Hamvas would have said it. It is good to read Hamvas' texts, which we can often compare to mirrors in which we can see our true reflection, as opposed to mirrors that are being produced right now and which give completely warped image about ourselves and our reality.
Let us say in the end that fight against liberalism over here has quite rich tradition, but that fight and that tradition are both long forgotten. Croatian Catholic movement which has during 19-th in 20-th century, under guidance of its founder, Krk's bishop Antun Mahnic, began a very fruitful work on showing that demonic ideology for what it really is, on promotion of Christian outlook and value system, but also on some concrete economical projects (founding of consumers' associations and public savings banks), experienced heavy attacks during and immediately after World War One, and was forcefully shut down after World War Two (understandably). However, it is hard to understand that during these last twenty years nothing has been done, not only to revive the project on this or that way, but also to revive memory, conscience about its existence and work, memory of its successes and failures, of people who were its founders. There are, however, blessed Ivan Merz and Alojzije Stepinac, but only, it seems, for us to remember them once a year and say word or two, which usually has no connection to our past, and even less to our present or future.
It is obviously high time for Catholic intelectuals to engage themselves on one such project. We need new Mahnic, new Catholic movement, new Catholic action, new enthusiasm for ideals of truth and justice, new enthusiasm for Christ. If that flame doesn't start to burn again, then we're in trouble. Those who are trying to live in truth in this case obviously won't be able to find some wordly reasons for their enthusiasm. Beacouse, in the “Brave New World” which is already being built for two decades right before our eyes, human can be thrilled only by lies.
http://www.hrvatski-fokus.hr/index.php? ... a&Itemid=3
Written by Zdenko Kremer, translated to Engish by Picard578
By reading an article by Vuk Perisic, titled "Night guard or profligate" that was published 22. 11. 2011. on Pescanic portal, someone could think (as author of this text did at first) that it is a solid, critical review of some aspects of debt crisis which is shaking EU right now, in which those who caused this financial cataclism are being impeached. However, it is only an impression that reader can get before nearing to the end of this slightly atypical publicistical writing of almost thirteen cards. And when he reaches end of it, unavoidable conclusion is that entire thing was left unfinished, that it is set extremely one-sided, and that, as such, is just one more propaganda pamphlet, casually decorated by rethorical figures, which are better at hiding than pointing towards key questions and answers related to problems article is about.
Mr. Perisic, as hardore liberal (liberter), as we saw it earlier, uses his articles as a way to propagate his ideology, while cleverly ignoring parts of discussed subject that are contrary to these theses, while trying to discredit opponents of his views one way or another. In this text, for instance, Perisic attacked lack of conscience and prodigality of state institutions controlling finances. Which is completelly correct. However, after disclosing them eloquently and somewhat arguably, as well as mentioning sanctions that could (maybe) be used to put them back under control, Perisic ends his article casually, suggesting that entire problem is solely in organization of state, as it is today.
Not only does he suggest, but explicitly amnests all other participants in this criminal orgy on expense of tax payers. Bankers are here, according to Perisic, completely innocent, even more, they are too victims of state's vampires, who will suffer in the end, beacouse state's debt is uncollectible ("Unfortunately, they cannot take neither Crete nor Rhodes from Greece.", but it has to be made possible). These kind, honest guys have only, due to some mysterious reasons, tried to appease enormous apetites of state apparatus and, while doing that, they just took a liberty to "do things" with bonds, that is, with credit financing of state deficits.
Ideology of (neo)liberalism
It is an interesting opinion which causes scepticism even to completely ignorant. Those with bit more knowledge about it scepticism is caused by knowledge that in his article there is no mention of work and power of global financial oligarchy; there is no mention of neoliberalistic ideology whole that system is based on either. Believable author who decided to write a competent, analitical text about european debt crisis and world economical depression in general simply cannot avoid these themes due to pure nature of things he is writing about, and Perisic's pretension at seriousness and analiticality in his text are apparent from its pure size.
But, far larger scepticism is caused by some quite concrete ideas which Perisic writes, ideas related to sovereignity of states in situation of huge economical problems and high foreign debt. We will cite two paragraphs of Perisic's text which are most ddirectly related to these problems: "Irresponsible indebtment is attack on international order and civilizational, legal and moral values which can be equilized with armed agression, same as empoorment of citizens can be equilized with crime against civilians. Constitutional and international right must find mechanisms to stop and saction such acts but in way to unconditionally protect economical interests and political rights of citizens. It is only about people, and nothing else isn't and mustn't be more important, certainly not a state, nation, national interets and similar things without moral cover." And: "If state's properties and states sovereignity are price that has to be paid so as to save citizens from suffering someone's expenses – and state's expenses are never it's own althought state elites are convincig crowd that state is "theirs" – that cost is small and actually very affordable. Homeland which doesn't know and doesn't want to do jobs as it should deserves to be sold, primarly in interests of its own citizens.
MMF as an instrument of financial oligarchy
At first look, t's unclear what I wan't to say here. On what drum goes our homeland, whose drum, and how it is drummed on it? Pity it isn't described in more detail here. Maybe the problem is in the fact that it wouldn't really be good if public were to know about it, since it's same thing that may await our homeland in the future. Does he mean only activity of IMF as instrument of finantial oligarchy, which would, in critical situations, take things even firmer into its hands, and make justice even more agressively, as well as dictate most important parameters of economical and finantial politics of country which found itself in trouble? Or should exponents of global capital completely take over control of country, its resources and its populace?
In first, and especially in second case, it is clear that it is nothing but replacement of democratical social system, in which country is ruled by democratically elected representatives, with totalitarian one, in which country is ruled by "invisible bosses", which we don't know who they are, what they are, where they are, to whom they are responsible, or even wether they exist (in our reality)? Someone may even admit it's exactly this, whereas he will excuse this suspension of democracy with alleged efficiency of that model of ruling (which is something new, unseen), as only way for troubled country to solve its troubles and prevent complete social chaos. But, question is: first, how efficient that model would really be, and second, is it temporary solution or something that should stay for longer time, or maybe forever (I should add here, that United States are definetly controlled by corporations since eighties. All it has brought was trouble, and now US economy is falling apart. So much about efficiency of that system.). How long will, for example, forced control in Greece last (it is already set up, as "technical government"). Until Greece pays off its debt? How long it will take them to return those one or two hundred billion of euros if they are getting indebted all the time? And isn't social chaos there growing all the time?
It is interesting that Perisic avoids to ask that key question – who allowed Greek government to become indebted over any measure? Weren't that those poor bankers? And what they wanted to achieve throught that? To help one government which was trying its most to give populace nice life and good fun (for example, Olympic Games in Athens had cost Greek state, according to avaliable data, around 20 billion USD)? Were it really as it is in some media explicitly, and in Perisic's article implicitly, suggested, it would mean that entire banking caste consists of utter idiots of Duke Miskin type, who are trying to make world better than it is, but they, so fatally, fail.
Creation of ideal human community
But, when we are already with Dostojevski, it would be nice to mention another one of his characters, that crazy Sigalov from book "Demons". That guy, as it is known, was obsessed with creating ideal human community, and his conclusion was that he and his ideological partners will, starting from demand for absolute freedom, create a system of absolute slavery. This Dostojevski's prophecy was, until now, connected to russian Bolshevism, that is, so-called "real-socialism" in ex-USSR, but it is more and more likely that it will also be usable in relation to system of neoliberal capitalism which was being set up in western countries for last two decades (process started in USA in 1980s, with Milton Firedman and co. - note by translator). (Doesn't neoliberal ideology also set this demand – demand for "absolute freedom" of single person?)
Really, if we look a bit better at what was and is happening in connection to debt crisis in some countries of European Union, it becomes clear that world's finantial oligarchy did not give money into hands of corrupt and inefficient governments beacouse it was naive, and thought it will get it back with large interest rates, but beacouse, obviously, it also had some other interests and plans. Besides, money in sums I am writing about here stops being money in usual sense, that is, it loses it's meaning as a tool used to exchange goods and keep dynamics of economy, but becomes tool of political power and domination, or, better said, weapon, whose power was used since ancient times to set up interactions between social groups, nations and states.
Couldn't we today, after creaton of these "technical governments" in Greece and Italy, ask – Is this well-planned action of occupying countries which, due to their weaknesses (economical problems, corruption, lagging behind in civilizational development), can be conquered in relatively quick and simple way? Of course, it isn't classical military occupation, but one specifical kind of it, where, slowly and quietly, so that people of country in question don't even realize it, certain material resources are being taken over. But it must be said that, in far wider proportions, there is another kind of occupation going on in modern Europe, which is simply preparing terrain for already meantioned one, just like that one, maybe, is preparring terrain for physical occupation of state – it is occupation is "spiritual sphere", in which spiritual resources are being taken over – public opinion, knowledge and counscience of a society, and, of course, its "intelligence" (which, mostly, can be bought for little money), and in which attempt at destruction of identity, tradition, historical memory, as well as freedom and free thought of single person and social groups is made.
Monetary war between dollar and euro
Perisic will, of course, like many others, discalrd such thoughts as a "conspiracy theory" or as "nacistical mantra about jewo-masonical plutocracy" which controls the world. We can't say for sure wether it's truth or not, but who now can untie that knot of interactions, opposed interests, conflicts, threats, compromises, in which life of modern world is happening (lat's just mention monatery war between US dollar and euro, taxing war between US and China, conflicts over markets and influence in Middle Asian countries, arabic world, Latin America, fights over remaining resources of our planet, among many others) and give final, truthful judgement about what is happening on european and global economical and political scene. And regarding conspiracy theories, it is true that they sound unbelieavable, but truth is also that those unbelieavable things on this world are happening exactly beacouse people don't believe that something so unbelieavable could be happening around them.
Besides, unbelievable are also news about "adjusted" reports of Greek Government to European monetary institutions. Couldn't all that data be checked? Also are unbelievable sums which, according to avaliable data, Greek government spent on weapons in last few years, as is the already-mentioned one about expenses of Olympic games in Athens. Usually are unbeleavable dimensions of “finantial engineering” which is happening in modern world and generally the possibility of functioning of system in which finantial capital is more important than realistical one, and speculations or simply the ability to stamp US dollar stamps are most reliable sources of richness and power, that is, global domination.
But, let's return to Perisic's text for a moment. As we have seen, in thinking and mechanisms which are to “stop and sanction wasteful practices of state elites as well as unconditionally protect economical interests and political rights of citizens”, Perisic is mentioning everything written not too far above, beacouse condition for creating such mechainsms is obviously seen in major changes to political setup of Europe and world, which would pave way for possibility that states get not only monetary, that is economical, but also political sovereignity taken away from them, in so-called “attempt to protect freedom of their citizens”; that is, in usage of doctrine of limited sovereignity which could, “by new”, be implemented without direct military intervention, by simple integration into either unitary European or world super-state with common institutions (european or world government, and so on).
Of course, according to him it is no conspiracy, but rather necessity created by various circumstances and accidents. But let us ask ourselves – is the fact that Perisic so nonchalantly misses one far simpler, more natural and far more rational solution to this problem (of money-wasting state elites and debt crisis) also coincidence? And that solution is to put limits on power of global financial oligarchy (it's another thing how to really do it). It is understandable that something like that this author cannot, that is, must not say. Another thing he also cannot say is the fact that true power in modern world is not in hands of state institutions (if it were, his arguments would be perfectly okay), but rather that it is owned by certain centers of power on global scene which work “from backseat” (which has already bacome rather obvious).
Someone may say that this power is quite “spread out” over wide spectrum of persons of different “profiles” from different parts of the world, but here the most important thing is that that power is controlled by nobody, least of all the people which, according to democratic principles, should be able to do it. Besides, who puts presidents of USA in power? It is hard to agree with thesis that they are set by american people (it may “choose” them in some way).
Too expensive capitalistic “news”
It is interesting to see, however, from one side nonchalancy with which Perisic ignores the movements opposed to modern neoliberal capitalism and try to offer alternatives, such as “Occupy Wall Street” movement, and from the other, his fanatical belief in efficiency of measures of market liberalization and limiting of state's influence in economical sphere. However, it must be said that there are many examples that show this fath to be unfounded – for example, liberalization of drinkable water market led to mass rebellion and removal of regime in Bolivia, liberalization of electrical energy market in Hungary led to electrical power price being monstruously increased, and liberalization of telecomunicational market here in Croatia led to absurd situation that we pay more for those services than, for example, electrical power or gas.
Therefore, it is quite clear that, regarding position of majority of people, here and in rest of the world, in regards to liberalization of market and involvement of state in economical life, it is wrong to say anything about “marxistic phobia against capital, market and private ownership”, but about elementary life experience and common sense (here, people were always set to help each other, and we had common household ownership of many things all the way until middle 19-th century, and even later in some cases, in contrast to many Western, mainly protestant countries, where importance of individuality and individual ownership of things is generally overstated – note by translator). Noone forbids anyone else from believing Perisic's flosculs coined in who knows which laboratory for psychological and promotional work, but luckily, there are very few people who still believe in these stories.
Market liberalization and usage of postulates of neoliberal economy (that is, ideology) in economic life of any country in the world, except maybe ones that dominate and dictate world happenings, instead of starting economical prosperity, created only chaos and lawlessness, promoting so-called “transitional” and many other kinds of economical crime, and pushed majority of populace below poverty limit.
Truth is that there is responsibility of state institutions in all this, but they are just facing consequences of huge contradictions and absurds created by neoliberal doctrine in those last few decades since it took over world domination – ones of these are monetary system that floats between material world and esoterical one; imaginary economy without any real basis, which launched itself in sky of projections, expectations and imaginations of this world's moguls, many false, fictional values, along with one entire completely warped system of values in which pearls, astragals and mirrors are worth a lot, and human life isn't worth anything, in which lies are treated as truth and truth as lies, in which kindness and morality are being punished (no good deed goes unpunished), and crime is being rewarded, in which vices are very desireable, and virtues are to be ashamed of. Which other result can we expect from one warped ideology in which greed, egoism, cold heartedness and similar vices are being presented as basis of human progress?
It is completely clear that this doctrine, that is its theory and practice, are not succesfull in securing normal life for majority of people on this planet, but is rather promoting global regress. If, in some periods, its “positive results” were noticeable, any statements about success of this model are being successfully disroven by economical crises like one we are currently suffering.
Pure fact that human civilization is running in circles instead of moving along the track of development and prosperity, fact that all possible problems are not being solved but only piled up, fact that scientifical and technological achievements are not used to better the life of at least majority of people on Earth, but rather one small percentage of them, fact that development of automatization and robotics did not release people from heavy physical labor, or at least humanized conditions and ambient in which work is being done, and allowed for larger pay, but rather forces workers in even greater poverty, as well as many other facts about failures of our civilizational development, show that ideology of liberalism is complete failure, that it causes heavy damage to human society and that it should be discarded as soon and as completely as possible (while in Western countries, work conditions did improve in relation to 19-th century, most large corporations are moving production facilities from US and Europe to China, India and Indonesian archipelago, where work conditions are comparable to those from 19-th century Europe, despite at least some automatization in certain factories – note by translator).
This ideology has caused huge inequalities among people, nations and cultures, which can easily lead towards social explosion and catastrophy for human society as a whole. It is also mostly to blame for ecological problems, beacouse all these problems were created by human greed and egoism, but not as some “ancient” human sin, but as a result of liberalistical outlook and thought, which cares only about profit, and not about betterment of all living beings on this planet (and human species is only species that can and has responsibility for life on planet as a whole (simply due to magnitude of its impact on ecological system of planet – every day, several species go extinct as a direct consequence of human activity – note by translator)), or care about future for coming generations.
Necessary return to original Catholic values
(author, who is Croatian, is speaking about Croatia specifically here – in this entire text – but everything said can be used for other countries, except some specific things, like religion. - note by translator)
Consequences of ecological crisis which is continually deepening are already huge. But, worst part is that this ideology is destroying people, by promoting vices and laughing at virtues (promotors of this ideology are especially attacking so-called “moralizing”, while forgetting that only alternative to moral life is – suicide (either individual or collective; or both, as can be seen by ever-increasing suicide rate in Western world and countries that have adopted modern Western values – note by translator)), degrades our humanity, transforming us into subhuman creatures, “chirihauas” as Hamvas would have said it. It is good to read Hamvas' texts, which we can often compare to mirrors in which we can see our true reflection, as opposed to mirrors that are being produced right now and which give completely warped image about ourselves and our reality.
Let us say in the end that fight against liberalism over here has quite rich tradition, but that fight and that tradition are both long forgotten. Croatian Catholic movement which has during 19-th in 20-th century, under guidance of its founder, Krk's bishop Antun Mahnic, began a very fruitful work on showing that demonic ideology for what it really is, on promotion of Christian outlook and value system, but also on some concrete economical projects (founding of consumers' associations and public savings banks), experienced heavy attacks during and immediately after World War One, and was forcefully shut down after World War Two (understandably). However, it is hard to understand that during these last twenty years nothing has been done, not only to revive the project on this or that way, but also to revive memory, conscience about its existence and work, memory of its successes and failures, of people who were its founders. There are, however, blessed Ivan Merz and Alojzije Stepinac, but only, it seems, for us to remember them once a year and say word or two, which usually has no connection to our past, and even less to our present or future.
It is obviously high time for Catholic intelectuals to engage themselves on one such project. We need new Mahnic, new Catholic movement, new Catholic action, new enthusiasm for ideals of truth and justice, new enthusiasm for Christ. If that flame doesn't start to burn again, then we're in trouble. Those who are trying to live in truth in this case obviously won't be able to find some wordly reasons for their enthusiasm. Beacouse, in the “Brave New World” which is already being built for two decades right before our eyes, human can be thrilled only by lies.