[lit-ideas] national defense and global economics
- From: Eric Yost <NYCEric@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: Lit-Ideas <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 03 Sep 2004 02:00:41 -0400
It's a commonplace that we are in transition from national sovereignty
to international capitalist sovereignty. This transition is a zone of
blurred identification. Who are "we" anyway?
(1) When asked to fight the War on Terror, Americans are asked to defend
"their country," and think nationally.
(2) When told to tolerate job outsourcing, less free time, harsher
working conditions, etc., Americans are told to understand "the
realities of the global marketplace," and think globally.
"Are we "defending our nation" so that our government can hand over yet
more power to corporate entities with no national affiliation? Is it a
case of "When they need us, it's national defense; when they screw us
over, it's global economics." There's a deep disconnect there.
The political paradox seems to be a sort of hostage situation, in which
citizens, through patriotic appeals, are asked to defend institutions
that are indifferent to them and to their country. But citizens and the
government do defend these largely indifferent institutions because the
economic might of these international institutions has taken the country
hostage.
Refutations and enhancements always welcome.
Eric
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