I recently read an article by Allan Patience from the University of Melbourne claiming that the world as we know it is heading for disaster.
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We are moving towards a post-capitalist era that will be characterised by neo-corporatisation: where the rich, governments and militia will run things and the masses (the rest of us) will live in poverty in a polluted environment.
Wealth will be concentrated in the hands of fewer and fewer people who will live in isolated enclaves completely separated from the rest of us. As we already know that - currently, eight multi-billionaires own more capital than 50 per cent of the world’s population - I suspect we are really not far from this scenario now. Patience certainly seems to think so.
A number of writers are arguing that we also see signs of this in the contempt the elite demonstrate for issues around equity, social justice and even basic human fairness.
The World Economic Forum, for example, identifies Australia’s poverty rate as problematic; more than one in 10 are living on less than half of the Australian median income, placing us 20th out of the 29 advanced economies they considered in their report.
Rather than addressing these inequities, our government seems to be accelerating them. We know that thousands of jobs have been lost in the last 12 months, the safety net is being reduced, and both school and Medicare funding are under attack. At the same time, multi-national corporations and big businesses are being given a tax break.
Patience argues that it is time we all begin to think about the kind of post-capitalist world we want.
Neoliberalists will certainly not change the direction in which we are currently moving. Changes will have to come from regular, ordinary citizens who are willing to think about the issues, to discuss them with others, and to join local, national and international movements fighting for the things they think are important.
Educators play a really important role here as we can choose to encourage our students to reflect on, and take action over, issues of social justice and equity. To be part of a democracy means citizen voices should be heard, and we have to make sure that we are informed and have our say on issues that matter to us (it’s easy to sit back and say a lone voice does not make a difference but if we all do that then no-one is heard, ever).
I am reminded of the poem written by Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984):
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
I hope that Armidale educators, and Armidale citizens, lead the charge to debate these issues, to encourage others to think about them and talk about them, and make sure that their voices are heard.
We don’t all have to agree with each other. That is not the point. The point is to have the conversations, to be engaged, to think and to share your thoughts.