Profit, Pollution And Poor

Profit is the biggest polluter. The economy that goes to any length for profit, the politics that stands for profit-thirsty economy, the conspicuous consumption-lifestyle that finds life in profit and considers nothing but self, and that is profit at any cost, pollute most. Ecology, environment, pollution, sustaining life on the earth, and all other issues between heaven and earth turns non-issues to profit-hunting.

Profit generates poverty. Profit pushes the multitude to a poverty-laden life, where the poor find nothing but the only way to scour and forage the dirt, the dust, the mud, the municipal garbage dumping grounds, the last portion of tree felled by the powerful, and all these are simply for survival in a world conquered by monster-profit. In their thirst for life, the poor save every drop of water, every piece of paper thrown away by the paper-rich, every piece of cans and plastic bottles, thrown away foods by the food-rich. They consume these, they use these, they recycle these, they earn by selling these to recyclers. Thus they contribute to the survival journey of this resource-poor planet. Thus they stand opposed to profit, to the rich, to the squandering life style of an irresponsible minority in society. Thus an antagonistic relation is established between profit and poor, between rich and ecology.

Excesses of the filthy rich are unsustainable. They live with $1,350 wedge-heel sandals, $18,400 leather tote bags, $80,000 BMW 750, $130,000 Maserati Quattroporte, $8,600 custom-tailored suit, day shirts in 350 colors, 35 fabrics, 10 different collars and 2 cuff styles, 127 million euro yacht, $35,000 intricately detailed canine palace with “recessed and interior lighting, air conditioning, dry-walled interiors and custom furnishing”, “Mughal-inspired kebabs topped with shaved pearls and plates trimmed with 24-karat gold leaf”, $1,200 a plate meal. (Newsweek, May 26/June 2, 2008) This is a miniscule, fractional-fraction of squandering by the energy-rich. The majestic mansions, the private jets and islands, the luscious parties, the blazing ornaments, the protected neighborhoods, the delicately designed detail arrangement for vacations of the rich exist as an obstacle to the changes the world needs immediately. Their vulgar lifestyle, ab ovo usque ad mala, from the beginning to the end, lives in a system. The shrewd system, economic and political, needed to feed and fuel this idiotic lifestyle is inefficient, energy-hungry, nature-gulping. The system devours environment and ecology. In this economy, it is profit, not necessities of life that determines allocation of resources. This market-driven allocation, as Professor Robin Hahnel explained, is inefficient. (“Against the Market Economy”) No doubt, it is an inefficient compulsion. This allocation, determined by compulsion for profit, all most all the time, contradicts with environment. Should not blame for the environmental crisis be laid on this inefficient, but profit-sensitive economy and the state and the society that this hungry economy creates?

All commodities produced in this world system are not essential for life, are not consumed by the masses of common persons. Rather, a lot of commodities burden life, and take toll from nature while getting produced, but they make profit. Dominating interests enjoy a lot of those commodities. Those lots are also in smaller proportion. But those are needed by the capital to make profit. Section of powerful media manipulates mass psychology so that masses turn consumers of commodities produced for profit, but not essential for life.

Economic-political-social-information structure is so designed that often consumers and, in broader terms, broad society remains unaware of harmful effects of many commodities or material used or processes followed for manufacturing these commodities. The structure keeps them unaware of and incapable to calculate the total cost they pay for the commodity they consume and for the pollution the commodities create in manufacturing and use processes. Most of the time, the consumers remain unorganized that makes them incapable to resist polluting technology. (ibid.) As an arithmetic of profit, technologies that carry risk of reducing profit but helpful for environment are not introduced by capital in control of technology and innovation.

A section of environmental discourse ignores this intricate relation between economy, nature, society, environment, profit for few, welfare of all, politics, distribution system, consumption style, etc. The “Mickey Mouse” model, ozpolitic tells, treats economy as an entity non-dependent on society and environment while the “bullseye” model treats economy as dependent on society and environment. The model followed by mainstream is the “Mickey Mouse” model.

It is not that the pecuniary dominating classes are ignorant of the science, economics and politics of ecology. It is oligarchy’s, and now in countries, plutocracy’s class interest – light speed-super-ultra-profit – that keeps them indifferent to environmental problems, to environment-destitute, to ecology-poor, to climate-refugees, to unequal access to ecology, to injustices of inequality, to indecencies of life, to indignities of poverty. The system standing on immense wealth power excludes the poor. The poor are excluded from fora for voicing concern with the defaced ecology they live in, excluded from getting aware of ecological devastations that degrade their life to the level even miserable than the living condition of pet dogs and cats of the rich. Most of the time, the poor are kept unaware of this despicable reality of I-enjoy-you-to-doom. (Keeping the poor unaware is another complex story, told elsewhere.)

Dominating capital and the state machine it controls benefit from processes harmful for environment. (A. Dobson, Green Political Theory: An Introduction) There are cases in this world when state protects environment plunderers as the party of plunderers has assigned state the task. State faithfully carries on this assignment, at times, with a mask of a blind-deaf-dumb-inefficient-worthless-broken down-hapless machine, at times, turning captive to detail, imposing legal edifice its masters have erected, at times, suffering from scarcity of resources required to enforce steps essential for environment, at times, presiding over distribution of chunks of land to its masters and masters’ underlings, at times, “benevolently” concerned with imaginary-trickling down growth only. Although, there are times, states in this amazing world act swiftly, unerringly, efficiently, delicately, smartly, secretly, head-hands-legs not tied or smoothened by legalities and legitimacies. Those are moments for maintaining status quo. Those are issues and times for its survival of its masters, not for survival of environment of/for common community. At times, state turns ignorant; it does not know the way to use taxation-tool to fight pollution. But, at times, it knows smart ways to use tax-tool to benefit polluters, at least not to harm those actors.

For earning bread, the working people have to take dangerous jobs, jobs harmful for their health and head and for environment. Environmental problems severely affect the working class. Many reports, studies, books and essays including Rod Crompton and Alec Erwin’s “Reds And Greens: Labour And The Environment” in Jacklyn Cock and Eddie Koch’s Going Green, D E Morrison and R.E. Dunlap’s “Environmentalism And Elitism: A Conceptual And Empirical Analysis”, (Environmental Management, vol. 10, no. 5), K D van Liere and R E Dunlap’s “The Social Bases of Environmental Concern: A Review Of Hypotheses, Explanations And Empirical Evidence” (Public Opinion Quarterly, vol. 44, no. 2), State of India’s Environment, Citizens’ Reports, People’s Reports on Bangladesh Environment provide evidence of the suffering.

Resolving the crisis requires replacement of the system and relation of production that cannot sustain without expanding always and without devouring the nature, and the political arrangement that the relation and system build up. It has to be replaced by a society that organizes production and distribution democratically in the interests of all. The social system that now governs human society blindly stands against the indispensable changes as Hervé Kempf, environmental editor, Le Monde, tells in his book How the Rich are Destroying the Earth.

Reality that appears puts forth the following urgent, immediate task: seriously review the political and economic power, processes, institutions and relations that maintain and control inequality in distribution pinning down multitude to an ecologically intolerable life – ramshackle, dingy, windowless, dark hovel adjacent to or amidst heaps of garbage, where stagnant water subdued by mosquitoes dominates with its odor, where water and energy are extremely scarce, where unhealthy little kitchen and toilet are disproportionately shared by too many, where it turns difficult to identify whether drains are in courtyard or courtyard is drains, where sons of Adam consume bare minimum but work for hours and hours, where park, play ground and affordable amusement are unknown facilities, where fresh air is a forgotten dream, where similar innumerable descriptions make perception unmanageable. The review will lead to increased space – ecological, economic, political, information – for the poor.

Mainstream environment dissertate don’t go for this review, don’t raise the issue of remodeling distribution and consumption. It keeps itself busy and vocal with the very important task of saving trees and rivers while it forgets the issue of the living condition of the poor, an essential part of environment. It denies looking at the reasons behind reaching the critical ecological threshold. It is a denial of connivance.

Today’s ecological equity demands: increased consumption of the poorest, for the sake of their survival, and reversal of consumption of the insensitive top 20% of the world population consuming 80% of the planet’s wealth. Common persons have direct interest in environment. For having a dignified human existence, a vibrant ecology is common persons’ requirement. For their survival, they have to stand for it. Communities of common persons have to take initiative identifying sources of environmental crisis, fighting the crisis out, regenerate environment. 

Vainglorious Sanction Victimizes Venezuela Oil

Oil fuels logic for the Empire. Now, the Empire finds that imposition of sanction is needed against Venezuela’s oil company. The logic is: the Bolivarian country has entered into an oil deal with Iran, the theocracy run state, where a group of guardians determine democracy’s limit.

James Steinberg, the US Deputy Secretary of State, announced: Secretary of State Hillary “Clinton has decided to impose sanctions on seven foreign entities under the Iran and Libya Sanctions Act of 1996.” Venezuela’s state –run Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA), the world’s most revolutionary oil company is one of those seven.

The US claims: PDVSA has delivered at least two cargoes of reformate, a gasoline blending component, to Iran between Dec. 2010 and March 2011.

President Hugo Chavez’s government condemned the sanctions, which will be effective for two years. “Sanctions against the Fatherland of Bolivia? Imposed by the Gringo imperialist? Well, welcome Mr. Obama, don’t forget we are the children of Bolivar!” Chavez said via his Twitter account. The Venezuelan government criticized the US step calling the sanctions an “imperialist attack” against Venezuela. It condemned the US decision as “it represents a hostile action, is in breach of international law and violates the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.”

Rafael Ramirez, the Venezuelan oil minister informed that PDVSA’s shipments of heavy crude to its US subsidiaries will continue. However, shipments to nonaffiliated private oil companies are not guaranteed. He rejected the imperialist interventionism. “Imperialism is not to decide who will be Venezuela’s friends. Their imperial decisions will neither hit nor stop us. PDVSA is ready to fight for sovereignty,” he added. According to Ramirez, the OPEC is under attack by the US. Venezuela’s industry has the capability to face and overcome this sanction, said Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro. He assumes that mostly US business using Venezuelan oil will be affected. In a press conference he said: “We are not afraid of these sanctions, nor are we going to debate the reasons that the North American government may have, but Venezuela is sovereign in making its decisions.”

An official document rejecting the sanctions was drafted and signed by pro-Chavez Venezuelan ministers, but opposition politicians refused to sign it. “This shows once again that these politicians are representatives of North American imperialism,” said Ramirez.

In a statement the Venezuelan government said that it would assess the situation to determine the ways the sanctions could affect the operational capacity of the country’s oil industry. Shipments of crude oil to PDVSA’s US subsidiaries are ensured. But supply to clients other than Citgo, the subsidiary, is under discussion. Average shipments of Venezuelan oil amounted to 987,000 bpd in 2010. Venezuela ships about 45% of its crude to the US that makes up about 10% of US oil imports.

Venezuela National Assembly has approved by absolute majority an agreement to refuse the sanctions. The Assembly considers the sanction as “an unprecedented hostility act in US-Venezuela relations.” The Assembly has urged the Venezuelan government to take “reciprocal measures, in proportion to retaliation against the United States,” within the framework of Venezuelan regulations and international law. The Venezuelan Oil Chamber condemned the sanctions. The Venezuelan-American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Venamcham) expressed its concern over any sanction that may damage trade between the two countries.

Oil industry workers rallied in front of oil facilities in the states of Falcón, Zulia, Monagas, Anzoátegui, Carabobo, and other states and in the Capital. They took part in demonstrations, take-overs of oil refineries, cultural activities and convoked a popular assembly in order to manifest their support for the government’s foreign policy. Women and peasant organizations, alternative media, and community councils also organized marches in Caracas in response to the sanctions. Many Venezuelans consider that the US is trying to “organize another right-wing offensive against the processes and countries which are currently liberating their own people”.

The sanction, largely symbolic, will also affect six other smaller companies in the UAE, Israel and Singapore.

The sanctions will not affect PDVSA’s capacity to sell crude oil to the US. It will prohibit PDVSA from competing for US government contracts or getting US export financing, any transactions in foreign currency from PDVSA that are subject to the jurisdiction of the US, and any transfers or credit or payments between financial institutions where PDVSA is involved. The sanctions confirm the US effort to escalate its Iran-initiative. Moreover, it expresses energy imperialism’s enhanced efforts to destabilize and interfere in energy-rich and strategically located countries.

But because of sociopolitical perspective and the ongoing economic-political transformation Venezuela is neither Libya nor Syria. The organizational innovations and initiatives, despite weaknesses, by the people and the country’s geopolitical moves make Venezuela a difficult piece to swallow.

The sanction is an effort by the Empire to hurt Venezuela economically, and a threat. “The U.S. needs to move quickly to cut off Chavez’s source of revenue, and bring an end to both his influence in Latin America and his dangerous relationship with the terrorist-supporting Iranian regime before it’s too late,” said Connie Mack, US Congressman and Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.

In the energy front, Venezuela has diversified its sources for technology supplies. Financially, it does not depend on the US or on any of its companies. China is accelerating its steps to get supply to its increasing oil thirst with Latin American oil. This carries all the possibilities of costing the US. According to the Energy Tribune, the Chinese secured deals throughout Latin America in 2010 worth at least $65 billion in stakes of projects that could eventually produce over 1.3 mbd crude oil. Most of China’s Latin American oil investments are in Venezuela. China is planning an oil refinery in Venezuela and has rented a 5 mb storage facility in the Caribbean. A major obstacle for China is to economically ship Venezuelan oil to its own land. To overcome the obstacle, China plans to construct a railway, dubbed as land-based Panama Canal, across Colombia, from the Atlantic coast to the port on the Pacific coast, which will allow China to ship oil and coal from eastern Colombia and Venezuela to Pacific ports. From these ports the energy material can be shipped to China. This project, after completion, will significantly transform energy politics in Latin America. During his 2004 China visit, Chavez told that his country was ready to help China establish its own strategic petroleum reserve.

Chavez played the central role in inking the agreement that will allow Manuel Zelaya, the president of Honduras overthrown in a coup in 2009, to return home. Zelaya and Lobo, the current president of Honduras, signed the agreement. Chavez, Santos, and Lobo met in Colombia to discuss the agreement. Before to that discussion, Chavez discussed with Zelaya in Venezuela. It is a major achievement by Chavez in Latin America’s struggle for democracy, which is opposed by its powerful northern neighbor.

In home, significant initiatives are being taken by the Venezuelan people. In late-May, workers’ council delegates from most of Venezuela’s 23 states met in Puerto Ordaz with the aim of advancing the organization of the management model of Socialist Workers’ Councils, analyze progress, strengths and weaknesses of worker control in Venezuela, and to “strengthen the struggle for productive independence through worker control”. The Organic Law of Popular Power recognizes Socialist Workers’ Councils providing these councils the legal basis. Slogans of the conference included “Neither capitalists nor bureaucrats, all power to the workers”, “Without workers’ control there’s no revolution”. In late-March, thousands of Venezuelan workers took to the streets of Caracas to demand immediate improvements in workplace democracy and the final passage of a radical new labor law. The marchers extended “critical support” to the government of Chávez and pushed for consolidation of Chávez proposed “21st century socialism” on job sites nationwide. The rally condemned the state bureaucracy, widely considered as a major roadblock to the advance of the revolution in general.

These developments strengthen Venezuela’s position in home and on international arena. Vested interests and their masters make all out effort to hinder Venezuela’s journey to peace, prosperity and dignity. Energy imperialism increases this danger.

Spain Spins

The slogans and the signs say the Spain-reality:

“ Liberty , Equality and Corruption. Do we know who our politicians are working for? It's called democracy and it's not it!”

“Real Democracy Now”

“We have the right to dream, and for it to become true”

“Be Indignant”

“For A True Democracy”

“No Corrupt Politicians, Businessmen, Bankers”

“Take the Streets”

“Less Policing, More Education”

“They Call It Democracy, But It Isn't”

Slogans cited above reveal a reality, a reality of indignation and aspiration, and this has put neoliberalism on the dock in Spain . This is a reality neoliberalism is facing in countries. In Spain , the neoliberalism is being implemented under the stewardship of the socialists.

Tens of thousands of protesters, young, old, pensioners, university students, civil servants, immigrants, campaigners for local languages, filled the main squares of about 50 cities including Madrid , Barcelona , Seville , Bilbao , Zaragoza , Valencia for about a week. They are los indignados , the indignant.

Protesters rallied against the country's economic crisis, against its superhigh jobless rate. In a wave of outrage over economic stagnation and government austerity marking a shift after years of patience they took to the streets. They protested against politicians, bankers and authorities' handling of the economic crisis. They defied a ban, the Supreme Court upheld, on political protests, but police was not active to enforce it. The apparent inaction was a political move by the authority. The government feared that an enforcement of the ban order could provoke clashes that in turn could hurt the Socialists. The protest took a political character.

The week-long protest “marks a shift in Spain where up to now people have scarcely protested.” This is the strongest outburst of spontaneous protests since Spain plunged into recession that followed the collapse of the 2008 property bubble. The protesters, known as M-15 as the protests began on May 15, lamented the economic crisis Spain is experiencing. They protested against the indifference of mainstream politicians, who ran Sunday's elections in 13 of the 17 regions and its more than 8,000 municipalities. The ruling Socialist Party is going to digest a big loss in the elections, a political price for following neoliberalism.

The protesters expressed determination to stand against the crisis wrought by capital creating bubbles with illusions. They expressed solidarity by raising arms in an assembly even after midnight in the Puerta del Sol square in Madrid . A protester put a sticker on his boot denouncing the existing democracy. The youth hang banner with the sign “Indignant” on the top of a building in Madrid . They painted caricatures of the main political figures. More caricature is in the wings.

These tell the strong sentiment of the citizens against job insecurity and government spending cuts. Their demands include jobs, better living standards, a fairer system of democracy and changes to the austerity plans. Actually, the demand is for state's enhanced role and responsibility in providing education, health and employment. The educated unemployed are demanding their rightful role in society and production. They are also, according to the BBC, calling for an end to domination of the political system by the two main parties. The demonstrations turned political.

A news agency report said: “ With tents, mattresses, a kitchen, a workshop and even a pharmacy, a protest camp in Madrid has grown into a real ‘urban village' for thousands of young people. Under blue plastic tarpaulins, demonstrators have gathered in the landmark Puerta del Sol square in the centre of the Spanish capital. Many of them have spent several days and nights there, to decry politicians who left Spain with a 21.3% unemployment rate.” There were tents with food, tents for political debates, even a tent for childcare. These were not Don Quixotic exercises.

The Spanish unemployment rate, highest in the eurozone, was in the highest level in the first quarter of the year in fourteen years. A government estimate said on April 21, 2011 that about five million persons were out of work. It is unprecedented. A gift of neoliberalism! The youth unemployment rate is 40%. Some sources cite it as 45%. In areas, it has jumped to 50%. The youth are angry; they are qualified, but there is no work. In terms of employment, it is a Tunisia-situation.

Spaniards' demonstrations crossed borders. News agency reports said: Expatriate Spaniards organized demonstration in London on May 18, 2011. The movement was coordinated through social media and Twitter. Now, it seems clear that it is not only foreign powers that use social media to foment discontent in countries they like to intervene. Protesting people also use it.

Prior to the present demonstration, on April 17, demonstrators made a human barricade in front of police. Their t-shirts bore the sign: “We still got no home”. Their posters said: “no house, no job, no pension”. At that time there were flats for sale in Madrid . But that is beyond the reach of the unemployed. The demonstration was followed by clash with police, injury and arrest of demonstrators.

In the movement, there is no flag or affiliation to any party. The protest, as it appears from the demands and slogans, are also against the unfair political situation that Spain 's ruling class has built up and nourishes. The demonstrators were “asking for a change in the political system.” Some of the protestors wrote to BBC: “We have no option but to vote for the two biggest parties in Spain , who are more or less the same. They are unable to solve any problem, it is just a nest of corruption. We are tired. In short, we want a working democracy. We want a change.” They view the political system that exists as unfair. So, they protest “against the political situation that allows more than 100 people who are accused of corruption across the country to stand in the next elections.” The electoral law in Spain has also turned controversial. It is alleged that the vote computing system benefits the big political parties while leaves the smaller ones without any possibility of achieving any success.

A number of protesters consider their movement as “anti-big political parties, both the one in power and the main ones in opposition. It's an anti-capitalism, anti-market ruled society, anti-banks, anti-political corruption, anti-failed democracy, anti-degraded democracy and pro-real democracy protest.” “The economy and unemployment are key to the protest because that binds all of us together,” said Jon Aguirre Such, a spokesman for the Real Democracy Now, which is one of the organizers of the movement.

The movement took serious political character as the demonstrating youth called on people not to vote on Sunday for the two main parties, the Socialists and the centre-right opposition Popular Party. The rich-poor question has also been raised.

Spain has “built more homes than England , France and Germany combined, of which too many now stand empty. Much of the financing for these superfluous homes was done through still seemingly healthy large Spanish banks like Santander and BBVA. … Santander is connected to the entire global financial system.”

The Spanish movement will not announce neoliberalism's last journey and will not herald emergence of a new politics. But it will widen and deepen political lessons, help emergence of new politics.