[lbo-talk] RE HOW THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT IS BLOWING IT:

[Michael Dawson -PSU]

Q: Where's the evidence for the argument that there's a strong
First-World-elite reliance on Third World dependency?

A: In the partially declassified records of the U.S. government, and in the
vast secret records of the TNCs and their think-tanks/trade associations.
Why did the U.S. endorse the Venezuelan coup last year?  Not very hard to
figure out, and undoubtedly mirrored and encouraged by the petro-corps'
boardrooms/think tanks/industry groups.
    If one is going to say Third World dependency is minor stuff, then one
has to ignore actual history, which is exactly what mainstream economists
(and others) do.  Iran/Seven Sisters, Chile/Anaconda Coper, Guatemala/United
Fruit, etc.  More generally, there is not one single example of the U.S.
Chamber of Commerce or the NAM doing anything but calling for Third World
repression, anywhere and everywhere.  They do so because they are indeed
deathly afraid of good examples.  And let's not forget that literally all
post-WWII U.S. foreign policy makers have been corporate whores working from
within the revolving door.

Q2: What would change if social democracy (good examples) were allowed to
exist in the Third World?
A: Wages would rise sharply there.  Union organizing would probably catch
fire everywhere, and would be much more internationalist.  Key commodities
would become more expensive on the market.  People everywhere, including
within the G7 would develop new faith in the changeability of the world
situation.  Of course, none of these things is tolerable to the G7 chambers
of commerce.  Ergo, they are crushed wherever and whenever they show signs
of shooting a seedling through the snow.