The more market/profits driven capitalist elements have gained control over government over recent years, the less percentage wise has been spent on infrastructure, anti-poverty, and quality of life/social spending. The reasons are actually not hard to grasp. But are rarely spoken of anywhere in public discourse , movies, in the news, or almost anywhere else. Karl Marx was wrong on many predictions, but still hits the nail on the head on many others. Including understanding the basics of the capitalist system.
Profit = Privilege
The answer lies within capitalism’s profit driven competitive world view and manners of operation. Production and creation of any product whatsoever must be sufficiently profitable. Furthermore, profit rates factor into all important decisions and policies they advocate, here and across the world. The capitalist world lives and dies on their ability to create and control surplus value and control the systems which market their products. Everything else is viewed as a cost/expense on which as little as possible must be spent. It is why we have, in every state and city “good neighborhoods” and “bad ones.” The super rich and the dirt poor. A dependent “middle class” that is in reality one lost job away from disaster. New gentrified cities springing up along side millions living in dying ghettos. Pollution and contaminated drinking water. Even spending on Pandemic prevention was controversial and considered by many in power as an obstacle to profits. Which literally led to speeches by Republican leaders asking the old to step aside and die gracefully.
The wealth and resources necessary to address infrastructure and social issues like poverty, clean water, pandemic prevention, infrastructure, health care, job creation, global warming, pollution, and environmental destruction are gobbled up by the collective trillions of dollars in profits/surplus value of large corporations, banks, and businesses. That amount of capitalist surplus value in the last 50 years is a staggering amount. Easily hundreds of trillions of dollars. Used and spent or not spent as they see fit with the emphasis on maintaining the highest rates of profit possible for them. We have reached a point globally and internally upon which our very survival as a species is now threatened as the amount of neglected investment on the essential aspects of preserving life at a humanitarian level and of combatting the threats we face continues to grow.
Why Republican Leadership Opposes Infrastructure Spending
Which brings us to the Infrastructure Bill being advocated by President Biden. We can honestly debate if the Bill is enough or we need much more of this kind of spending. But we must admit that many in our market driven capitalist system oppose anything but a minimal commitment to such spending, just enough so that they can say we did infrastructure spending. And of course they will oppose raising tax revenues to support it. And as sure as the sun rises, it will be the Republicans which lead the charge to spend and commit as little as possible on infrastructure.
One reason Republican leadership opposes infrastructure spending is because the revenue to finance it can only come from taxes, much of which has to come from increased taxes the corporations they represent will have to pay. They want taxes as low as possible, to boost their profits. Which, even though most of their corporate backers would also benefit in the long run from such spending, the short term effect is to reduce their profits, which dominates the way most corporations think. The other reason is that the Republicans know that major spending on infrastructure will help cement Biden’s position and create positive results for the country. This form of mass treachery needs to be exposed.
If the end of the world were profitable . . .
Another more ironic way to phrase market driven capitalist thinking, is that if the end of the world were determined to be more profitable, that’s the direction they would choose. This is not to say that there are some voices in the corporate world that advocate infrastructure spending, but they may be beaten down by others backed by the power of the political reaction machine which is the Republican party. A better life for most Americans, and a future world capable of solving the problems we face, rests with having the political ability to gather enough public support and understanding for a major infrastructure and socially affirmative economic package.
Back in the 50’s through 80’s was a time when we fought like hell to change the direction of America. In some ways we succeeded beyond our wildest dreams. But in many other ways we failed to recognize the extent to which the capitalist method of operation still controlled the direction of the economy, government, and its priorities. The corporate world is firmly in control of the country and increasingly a power which has roots in both parties. Recent times have super polarized politics, with both post positive and very negative aspects. On a positive side, the progressive wing of the Democratic Party has finally gotten its voice and is influencing national policy. The Republicans are well aware of the dangers this could pose to them. And correctly see that the polarization of politics threatens the established order. It’s more than time for us to promote a national grass roots campaign to reach some of those 74 million Trump voters. The alternative is Civil War. This is a potential tool that Democratic leadership has not used much in the past. But America may not survive the next coupe. And the old guard Centrist leadership needs to change its ways and priorities. The Republicans went “all in” on fascism, make no mistake on this. What are we “all in” on?