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Pain in the Middle
Newsweek (c/o MSNBC) ^ | 11/21/2005 | David Rothkopf

Posted on 11/20/2005 6:53:54 PM PST by Angry Republican

Too much of the world is getting poorer, not richer. That's bad news for us all.

The failure of the recent Summit of the Americas in Mar del Plata, Argentina, and the unrest in the streets surrounding it were further evidence that despite years of ballyhooed attempts at reform, the political wedge issue in Latin America remains as it has for decades: social inequity. Democracy, it turns out, is not in and of itself enough to enfranchise the poorest or to knit fragmented societies together. Not even when linked with freer markets. Not even when tied to stirrings of growth, albeit sporadic growth. What's more, the frustrations of the Mar del Plata marchers—the latest wave in a backlash against globalization and the American-style capitalism it's associated with—is not limited to the streets of the Americas. Read your newspapers regardless of where you may live. Theirs is a global lament.

(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: democracy; globalization; newsweek; summitoftheamericas

1 posted on 11/20/2005 6:53:54 PM PST by Angry Republican
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To: Angry Republican
"Too much of the world is getting poorer, not richer."

Unprove value judgment alert!

2 posted on 11/20/2005 7:21:58 PM PST by Uncle Miltie (Dems Cut and Run on their own ideas!)
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To: Angry Republican
"Too much of the world is getting poorer, not richer."

Unprove value judgment alert!

3 posted on 11/20/2005 7:22:37 PM PST by Uncle Miltie (Dems Cut and Run on their own ideas!)
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Comment #4 Removed by Moderator

To: Admin Moderator

My dinner plate stuck on the space bar gave me a multi-posting diability. Before I'm roundly criticized, would you be so kind as to delete duplicates?


5 posted on 11/20/2005 7:24:43 PM PST by Uncle Miltie (Dems Cut and Run on their own ideas!)
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To: Brad Cloven

That's the 1st thing that popped into my head.


6 posted on 11/20/2005 7:28:24 PM PST by Valin (Purgamentum init, exit purgamentum)
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To: Angry Republican

If much of the world is getting poorer, it's because of it's continued poor choices of governments, leaders, corruption and stupid social and business choices and lack of freedom. Free people and economic systems make the world better and more prosperous for everyone.

All the leftist BS of socialism, communism, fascism and all the so called multi-culturalist crap are not connected with the reality of peoples needs, wants and asperations. The left love words, platitudes and empty slogans instead of truth and reality.

All forms of leftism and socialism are a scourge on mankind, prosperity and a better way of life for all people. Where there is no law or respect for it, there is oppression, cruelty and poverty.

All the tribal hatreds and fascist religions are destructive.

Take a chance on freedom for relief from poverty.


7 posted on 11/20/2005 7:30:56 PM PST by garyhope (.)
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To: Angry Republican
"That's bad news for us all."

Unproven value judgment!
8 posted on 11/20/2005 7:39:26 PM PST by Ninian Dryhope
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To: Brad Cloven

There are plenty of economic measures out there suggesting that times have never been better in the Developing world. Open trade and capitalism have helped more people escape poverty in the last 20 years than any government program. As another poster also said, the only thing that keeps more poor in the Third World from escaping poverty is the greed, incompetence and dogmatism of their leaders.


9 posted on 11/20/2005 7:42:56 PM PST by happyathome
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To: Angry Republican
...the political wedge issue in Latin America remains as it has for decades: social inequity. Democracy, it turns out, is not in and of itself enough to enfranchise the poorest or to knit fragmented societies together.

True, and Hernando DeSoto's seminal work The Mystery of Capital, Why Capitalism Triumphs in the West and Fails Everywhere Else, tells us why. Anyone who wants to understand why poor countries remain poor must read this book.

10 posted on 11/20/2005 7:48:04 PM PST by beckett (Amor Fati)
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To: Brad Cloven
My dinner plate stuck on the space bar gave me a multi-posting diability. Before I'm roundly criticized, would you be so kind as to delete duplicates?

When I saw your multiple postings I yelled out, "Maybe his dinner plate is resting on the space bar." They all scoffed at me. Who's laughing now, you obnoxious imbeciles?
11 posted on 11/20/2005 7:48:23 PM PST by Jaysun (The plain truth is that I am not a fair man, and don't want to hear both sides.)
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To: garyhope
"All the tribal hatreds and fascist religions are destructive."

____________________________________________________ Believe it or not, garyhope, those antiquated systems of collective behavior are slowly disappearing and one day soon they will only be found in the excesses of hormonal aroused youths.
12 posted on 11/20/2005 7:59:07 PM PST by the final gentleman
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To: Angry Republican
The reason given for this unproven assertion is that capitalism and democracy don't work. The unuttered presumption is that communism or socialism works better. But a look at their respective track records would put that argument to rest in a Wall Street second.

Socialism is only good for spending Capitalism's money.

13 posted on 11/20/2005 7:59:16 PM PST by IronJack
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To: Jaysun

Ha!


14 posted on 11/20/2005 8:05:59 PM PST by Uncle Miltie (Dems Cut and Run on their own ideas!)
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To: Angry Republican
"Too much of the world is getting poorer, not richer."

Where do they find these idiots? Where is the evidence?

Are we eating less, driving less, wearing less clothing?

OK, so maybe teenage girls are getting poorer, since they'd answer "yes" to 2 out of 3.

But seriously, how can we be getting poorer if we are consuming more: more food, more energy, more stuff in general, more education (though perhaps less knowledge)?

15 posted on 11/20/2005 8:06:07 PM PST by GoBucks2002
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To: Angry Republican

Longetivity has been increasing worldwide among all populations, when genocide and wars have been extracted from the analysis.

Longetivity has been increasing because invidiually people are welathier, not just in cash but in terms of helathcare, education, food supplies, danitation, etc etc...

Wealth is not measured only by pocket money.

Among Christians it is not measured in units of money at all.


16 posted on 11/20/2005 9:21:56 PM PST by Mark Felton ("Your faith should not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.")
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