Adumbrations on the cruel manifestations of capitalism

Sep 10, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
In a letter by Rudolph Singh dated Sept.08, 2017 and captioned, “ The arguments denouncing capitalism are flawed” He seeks to criticise Gerald Perreira for unscientifically criticising Peeping Tom”s article captioned- “Capitalism cannot exist where there is socialist thinking”. He says that after reading Perreira’s article four times, “I still could not grasp the writer’s concept that socialism is a superior system to capitalism”.
Now I am not here to defend Mr. Perreira. I do have serious questions re: his article but I am wondering why Mr. Singh chose to reply to Perreira’s criticisms of Peeping Tom. I do not know If Mr. Singh read my articles in the Kaieteur News dated June 22, 2017 and captioned “Cultural hegemony and “Massa” ideology determine how we think” or my letter dated August 20, 2017 and captioned “Capitalism versus socialism; an argument” as I have not seen any response.
I am hoping that Mr. Singh as he has expressed an interest in the topic would read those letters and respond so the debate can continue. Mr. Singh should ponder in the mean time if he is a product of “cultural hegemony” or whether he has escaped the socialisation process. Mr. Singh says to Mr. Perreira, “Sir! If you’re on the path of refuting someone’s knowledge of something or concept you have to provide a clear and concise description of your knowledge of that something or concept”. I do not have a problem with that.
Mr. Singh continues; “your point about socialism is a superior system to capitalism puts the onus on yourself to explain the concepts and the pros and cons and your reason for giving socialism superior status”. I have no problems with that too. However after saying, “Me! I don’t have a clue” Mr. Singh continues, “What I do believe is that socialism on paper is a glittery concept. It seems to offer a fair distribution of a country’s wealth”.
Here Mr. Singh seems to have fallen prey to his own criticisms of Mr. Perreira as he has failed to explain his concept of socialism especially since earlier in his letter he stated, “the Peeper could have been speaking of a different type of socialism than the one Perreira was alluding to”.
Mr. Singh continues, “What the proponents of socialism failed to understand or grossly underestimate is the inherent greed in humans that commands them to strive and struggle to achieve wealth and prosperity for themselves”. Here again which socialism, French utopian socialism, the Christian Communism of Jesus Christ or Marx’s scientific socialism.
Mr. Singh then proceeds to declare his ideological persuasion stating exactly what the capitalist information dissemination has been pedaling to the masses. He states categorically, “State ownership of the forces of production under socialism practically killed the human spirit in that regard. Ultimately it failed leaving a trail of dictators around the world” I wonder what 16 hours sweat shops, slavery, colonial subjugation and neo colonialism under private ownership have done to the peoples that were subjected to them.
Now I know we had the socialist block but when one speaks of leaving a trail of dictators around the world he definitely could not be speaking of socialism. It had to be capitalism. Do we want to start with South Africa, How about Rhodesia? Hitler, Mussolini, the Shah of Iran. Democratically elected Allende was replaced by Pinochet.
Least Mr. Singh is not keeping in touch let me remind him that the private sector, the military industrial complex, and the privately owned financial oligarchies; the eight persons that own more than the entire third world need wars to make profits. So the capitalist world is presently bombing over 7 countries under one pretext or another but the reason is what I have described as destructive consumption. We make bombs and war machines and we have to destroy them in order to create demand for more thus ensuring profits.
So Mr Singh, I am just providing some alternative facts for you and others like you to ponder on. I want to say this to you though; I know your information is primarily from the western press. But in 1917, the time of the Russian Revolution. Russia was 90% feudal. It had 97% illiteracy; by 1941 it fought 2/3 of the German army; it lost 20 million people. It, according to the UN, had one of the best education systems in the world and so does not have to depend on draining brains from the third world to run its productive forces like the West.
Even though there is a cruel blockade you have to complement the Cuban people re their achievements notably in the field of Medicine. The biggest dictatorship in the world fell without a drop of blood. Russia is now capitalist but do you believe the workers are now better off? Look at the capitalist world today after 400 years of capitalism and the high technology that has been developed.
It is a shame that a billion people are without pure water and 10,000 children die each year because of poverty. It is time for thinkers to question the system that dominates the world Baring in mind that we had communal society, slavery, feudal society and now capitalism. In the mean time the present elites through their propaganda has demonized any possible. We have to begin to seriously question what we know, what we believe to be true.
Rajendra Bisessar

1 thoughts on “Adumbrations on the cruel manifestations of capitalism”

Kassem_B September 10, 2017 at 3:52 am

‘The biggest dictatorship in the world fell without a drop of blood. Russia is now capitalist but do you believe the workers are now better off?’
Did you ever mention this to Cheddi and Janet?
What were their reaction to you?