[Buddha-l] Re: "So much for tsunami dana"

[Benito Carral]

On Thursday, October 13, 2005, Curt wrote:

>> If of $100 billion $90 billion go to a rich minority
>> and  $10 billion go to a poor majority, would not it
>> increase  the  breach between poor and rich people?,
>> would  not  it  empower the oligarchy that keeps the
>> breach growing?

> I  think  your  argument  only  holds  if the initial
> disparity  between rich and poor is less than 10:1 to
> start with [...]

   Could you elaborate it?

> And even that makes assumptions about where the money
> is  coming  from - but I was assuming that all of the
> money  would  be  coming  from  the  rich  Capitalist
> fat-cats.

   I  think that the process works somehow differently.
Many   middle-class   society  members  send  money  to
humanitarian   causes  -  I'm  also  thinking  here  in
gubernamental    funds    mainly    collected   between
middle-class.   This   money   is   taken   from   what
corporations  let  middle-class  for  enjoyment  (in  a
postmodern   vein,   we   could   call  it  "money  for
entertainment").  So  by  sending funds to humanitarian
causes,   middle-class   is   using   its   money   for
entertainment  to empower local oligarchies (and more).
BTW,  middle-class  feels good thinking they are really
helping   people   out   there,   so   its   money  for
entertainment  has  been  well spent after all. The $10
billon  that  poor  people receive will buy basic goods
and   services   (owned   by  corporations)  and  build
infrastructures  that will by exploited latter (also by
corporations). So as far as I can see it, sending funds
to  humanitarian  causes  is  acepting global taxes for
middle-class  that  help corporations keep making money
without having to spend a buck.

> I  admit  that  I  personally  prefer  a  more  rapid
> redistribution  of  the wealth - is that what you are
> proposing?

   Not  exactly.  What  I'm saying is that it's not the
kind  of redistribution we think it is, but just a sure
non-investment for oligarchies and corporations.

   I agree that we need new strategies for dealing with
such circunstances. I would start suggesting to empower
the  UN  and  unempower  the  US,  to make corporations
internalize social and ecological expenses, to create a
Fair Trade Federation for Disasters...

   Best wishes,

   Beni