Dans ce JOURNAL je partage de temps en temps de l'actualité et un aperçu de ma vie de chrétien catholique et de prêtre pour rejoindre d'autres qui désirent contribuer au bien commun et pour faire avancer l'ouverture personnelle à Dieu qui fait vivre toute l'humanité et veille sur nous. G.S.
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APOLOGY: It is to be expected that critics of Western Capitalism are - one way or another - drawn into the grinding gears of the machinery, to be ground up, spit out, and never heard from again. Hence, this option to go "Open Source".
COROLLARY: Critics of Western Capitalism are immediately labelled with false and misleading, derogatory labels in order to dissuade the general population from listening to them. Critics are variously labelled: socialists, communists, "pinkoes", subversives, revolutionaries, criminal elements, etc. The most effective defense mechanism for a criminal is to be first to label any and all opponents as "criminals"; even if these are the police working to protect the general population from the organized crime perpetrated by the real criminals.
PROVISO: I'll be very happy to stand corrected wherever I may have been wrong or inaccurate in the following statements and observations. In view of this, please write me at : abbagilles@gmail.com
INTRODUCTION
These thoughts are not organized into any "thesis" nor given any particular order; rather, they are merely random thoughts and observations on the current course of Western Civilization - if this is not an oxymoron - and the quality of life of the citizens living in the various socieities deemed to be part of this "Western Civlization".
1st Topic: Accommodations - places in which to live, to find shelter, to congregate
Accommodations are a basic human right and need... depending on the climate, proper housing makes the difference between life and death. Beyond that, a safe and comfortable place to live makes it possible to create and raise a family, and for young adults to begin a life of their own. Let's be honest here - the Western form of capitalism just isn't making the cut; it hasn't for a long time, but those handling the "levers of power" seem incapable or unwilling to be self-critical, self-monitoring, to re-examine themselves, their outlook, or their way of "doing business"; in view of taking a good hard look at the effects they are having on the general population, on their living conditions, even on their survival.
Check out this latest report on the closure of a residence in Washington D.C.
"Living with nuns: Priced out of D.C., young women found low rent with unlikely roommates", August 17, 20265:00 AM ET. Heard on All Things Considered By Windsor Johnston.
The stories are legion throughout North America and Europe and places farther afield from the place in which this "open source" commentary is originating. The common observable thread tells of families losing their homes and thrown out on the street, youth unable to find work or to earn enough to be able to afford their own apartment, and young professionals unable to find suitable accommodations, and this, despite earning a significant salary. What is wrong with this picture?
Upon examining underside of this widespread and harsh reality, we can find a variety of unbridled principles held sacred according to Western Capitalism and defended by those who have all to gain in the maintenance of "the system". I have no doubt that we are all too familiar with these "refrains" pervading college and university textbooks in economics, finance, business, entrepreneurship, leadership, and coflict management; among other fields.
1. The profit principle must not be limited or hindered in any way.
2. The "free market system" is the best in the world, and it operates on a "trickle down" dynamic: let entrepreneurs have free rein to maximize their profits, and the benefits will "trickle down" to the entire population. This is deemed to be the best economic system for the "common good".
3. Business, finance, legislation, government, military / police forces, and the courts are among the key pillars of Western Capitalism. As it is to be expected, governments and courts support this system and hinder anyone who would oppose or challenge this dynamic "free-market economy".
4. The general population of the citizenry are passive recipients and beneficiaries of this vast system. The above centers of power and authority are free to exercise a variety of means to persuade or, if necessary, coerce, the general population into "going along for the ride".
After World War II, and as a result of the vigorous industrialization catalyzed by that horrendous conflice, North American citizens achieved an unprecedented level of job security, remuneration, and even affluence. In conrast with the Nazis, western societies, represented by their armed forces, attained what felt like a "moral high ground"; they were the heroes ridding the world of one of the worst "bullies" in human history.
In retrospect, that apparent "high moral ground" made those same societies blind to their own failings, and not only in the moral sphere of human existence. Thinking they "could do no harm", they went on to do plenty of harm. Both national governments and capitalist industries and enterprises undertook a radical and devastating "rape of the Earth". They proceeded to such the life blood out of what have been called, euphemistically, "developing nations", and all in the interests of the "bottom lines" on quarterly reports to their respective shareholders.
Mining companies "rape the Earth" for minerals and precious elements; leaving behind poluted soil, water, and air. The local populations are deemed to have value only as a cheap workforce to exploit, and illnesses and deaths caused by the pollution caused directly by these companies are seen merely as "collateral damage" and "the cost of doing business". The human beings living there are considered expendable and of no value; since the only measure that matters to Western Capitalists is money.
After WWII, Western Socieites did make some progress for the improvement of the working and living conditions of the general population. Governments legislated restrictions on the greed of companies, favourable conditions for workplaces, significant remuneration, accident, and health benefits for workers, and any number of other laws designed to protect human beings and, in time, the natural environment.
Then, after two decades of such advances, the wind or tide turned against worker / citizens and in favour of the capitalists. Gradually, and slowly enough to pass relatively undetected, all those social advances were eroded and eliminated. In the Western World, as in the "Third World", it is once again becoming "open season" on human beings of all ages, not just the unborn. Western Capitalism is succeeding to get "the system" to give priority to the "sharks" in human society; unfortunately, that puts everyone else in the category of fish. This means that the general population is increasingly "on the menu" for the "sharks".
2nd Topic: the Health System - promoting health and treating disease and injury
At the beginning of capitalism during the Industrial Revolution, there were generally two categories of health care: high class hospitals built by and for the wealthy, and general hospitals built and operated by philanthropists motivated by Christians faith, both Catholics and Protestants. In "modern times", i.e. the 20th century, when the supply of people motivated by religion shrank, some governments took over and nationalized hospitals and other instituions, such as schools, colleges, and universities.
Unfortunately, the wealthy and successful may have a hard time understanding why the rest of the population don't simply do as they did and become wealthy like them. Their success and "family culture" may blind them to the truth that not all human beings have the same talents, abilities, opportunities, support, and beneficial circumstances. They may begrudge having to help finance public health instituions or ostentatiously refuse to help finance them.
Accompanying the deregulation of conditions beneficial to workers, there has been an increasing trend to "privatize" medicine. Costly procedures are then authorized for the weatlhy, while even simply life-saving procedures are denied those who are unable to pay. Health insurance companies have come under severe criticism for refusing to pay benefits to policy holders, and at times for the flimpsiest of reasons. Some may even be criminally negligent in respecting their own payout policies.
The wealthy may be able to exploit the health and medical system far better than common citizens; however, even the weatlhy cannot cheat death. Still, unlike the wealthy, common citizens may suufer the loss of their homes, incomes, and even lives at the hands of privalized health and medical systems. In nations with national health care, even they cannot escape the exponential increase in medical costs due to circumstances out of their control: the monopoly of big pharma companies that produce and distribute medications, as well as all the medical equipment, accessories, and supplies. This brings us to another topic.
3rdTopic: The Judiciary System: Police and the Courts - It is not for fictitious reasons that there are so many derogatory jokes about lawyers and the courts.
Human nature being what it is, there are always those who become adept at exploiting the system, any system, and this is particularly true of the judiciary system. Judges, lawyers, prosecutors, clerks, police officers and detectives, and all those working within the system, derive their living through their employment and their roles within the system. Some could be accused of hiding behind the rules in order to "take their time, if not their ease"; resulting in at times undue delays for those seeking justice. Then, there are rumours - and even facts - whereby criminals and organized crime "buy" officials in the police or legal system; in order to unduly influence the judicial outcomes in their favour. As a result, some criminals go free, and some innocent people end up in prison or dead.
From the start of legal proceedings, the ordinary citizen may be barely able to afford a lawyer to defend their cause, and even then, the exorbitant costs may cause them to lose their homes, their livelihood, their heatlh, and even their lives. Meanwhile, the wealthy can afford expansive legal teams with mutliple lawyers, clerks, and investigators. It is not too difficult to understand how Western Capitalism favours the wealthy at the expense of citizens.
4th Topic: The Military-Industrial Complex - The lesson from WWII: there is big money in the production and distribution of armaments.
It was not only workers in North America that rose in social standing and living conditions due to work in armament and accessory factories. An unprecedented number of woman found work and earned salaries while so manyh of the men went to war. While workers' conditions continued to improve for a few decades, since the 1970's, many if not most of those gains have been lost, and analysts claim that the purchasing power of workers had not only not improved, but it has rather declined in the past 50 years.
The clear winner has been and continues to be the "military-industrial complex". Why are there so many armed and brutal conflicts all over the world at this time, as there has been continually since WWII? Wars destroy armaments, while arms makers and dealers salivate at the prospect of making ever greater profits; year over year. What is to be concluded? Money has great value; while human life has no value. Profits matter, but lives don't.
5th Topic: The Financial and Banking System -
Western Captialsim rests on the foundation of a private banking system. The so-called "national banks" are in whole or in part private groups of financiers who set policy for governments. It is believed that what is in the banks' interests will also be in the interests of the general population and the common good. Is this necessarily the case, though?
The Economy of Francesco - A dialouge of young professionals and entrepreneurs seeking a form of economy that puts the human person at the center. (One could evoke the "Star Trek Universe and its Economy.) - https://francescoeconomy.org/
Mondragon Corporation - A more participatory form of capitalsims - https://www.mondragon-corporation.com/en/about-us/
Dans ce JOURNAL je partage de temps en temps de l'actualité ou un aperçu de ma vie de chrétien catholique et de prêtre pour rejoindre d'autres qui désirent contribuer au bien commun et pour faire avancer l'ouverture personnelle à Dieu qui fait vivre toute l'humanité et veille sur nous. G.S.
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© 2004-2026 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC
© 2004-2026 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC
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