Stalin
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2008
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The New York Times, in one of its rare instances of political lucidity, called attention to the underlying social conflict in Egypt: "The widening chasm between rich and poor in Cairo has been one of the conspicuous aspects of city life over the last decade--and especially the last five years... But as the Mubarak administration has taken steps toward privatizing more government businesses, kicking off an economic boom for some, rich Egyptians have fled the city. They have flocked to gated communities full of big American-style homes around country clubs, and the remoteness of their lives from those of average Egyptians has become starkly visible."
But is this state of affairs a purely Egyptian phenomenon? The New York Times' description of the social chasm in Cairo could apply just as well to virtually every major city in the capitalist world, including the United States. Consider, for example, the situation in New York City. According to a recently released report of the Fiscal Policy Institute, the richest one percent of New York City residents received 44 percent of the total income paid to all residents.
Throughout the world social inequality has reached staggering proportions. Indeed, according to some reports, income inequality in the United States is greater than that which exists in Egypt and Tunisia. Moreover, throughout Europe and the United States, governments are demanding and implementing massive cuts in social expenditures. Ever-wider sections of the working class are falling into poverty.
The political regimes that exist in the advanced capitalist countries--though doubtlessly equipped with more sophisticated propaganda agencies--are as ossified and impervious to the discontent of the broad masses as the Egyptian government. Only last week, the president of the United States delivered a "State of the Union" address in which he failed to mention that nearly 10 percent of the country's population is unemployed. For M r. Obama, a more important indicator of the State of the Union is the "soaring" share values on Wall Street.
Comrade Stalin
But is this state of affairs a purely Egyptian phenomenon? The New York Times' description of the social chasm in Cairo could apply just as well to virtually every major city in the capitalist world, including the United States. Consider, for example, the situation in New York City. According to a recently released report of the Fiscal Policy Institute, the richest one percent of New York City residents received 44 percent of the total income paid to all residents.
Throughout the world social inequality has reached staggering proportions. Indeed, according to some reports, income inequality in the United States is greater than that which exists in Egypt and Tunisia. Moreover, throughout Europe and the United States, governments are demanding and implementing massive cuts in social expenditures. Ever-wider sections of the working class are falling into poverty.
The political regimes that exist in the advanced capitalist countries--though doubtlessly equipped with more sophisticated propaganda agencies--are as ossified and impervious to the discontent of the broad masses as the Egyptian government. Only last week, the president of the United States delivered a "State of the Union" address in which he failed to mention that nearly 10 percent of the country's population is unemployed. For M r. Obama, a more important indicator of the State of the Union is the "soaring" share values on Wall Street.
Comrade Stalin
