A new report from Social Justice Ireland has shown that the economic crisis has pushed 100,000 more people under the poverty line in the south of Ireland, with a total of 750,000 people. That’s about 15% of people.
A new report from Social Justice Ireland has shown that the economic crisis has pushed 100,000 more people under the poverty line in the south of Ireland, with a total of 750,000 people. That’s about 15% of people.
Some live in a different world, totally insulated from the brutality of the system which provides their comfort and privilege – never going hungry, never fearing losing their home, never sacrificing healthcare for food or rent or travel. This should never be allowed to happen. All wealth is our wealth. There is no good reason we all shouldn’t live good lives.
However the economic crisis is no anomaly but part and parcel of the capitalist economic & political system, which has always had periodic crises which allows the capitalist class to restructure society to suit their interests.
Ultimately a society set up to be controlled by an elite motivated by the drive for profit will see that society moulded into their image.
It allows gross unfairness to be hard wired into society, because the aim is not a good life for all, but the drive for profit – an activity which objectively benefits a small few much, much, more than others and causes plenty of harmful ‘side-effects’.
We shouldn’t be scratching our heads wondering how we arrived at this sad day. We should take stock of the fact that this is inevitable result of a society which fundamentally does not prioritise general well being by virtue of its design.
The good news is that poverty is not a ‘natural’ fact of life but an artificial creation which we can banish to the history books.
Words:Andrew Flood (follow Andrew on Twitter)