Economic Imperialism and Religious Fundamentalism

(Peas of the Same Pod)

Economic imperialism is on display in most of the countries around the globe.  Religious fundamentalism is highly visible in the Muslimism of Afghanistan and the Christianity of America.  In the west, economic imperialism and religious fundamentalism are different while being the same.

Differences

Here are some of the differences:

• Economic imperialism’s vehicle of focus is economics and religious fundamentalism’s vehicle of focus is religion.
• Economic imperialism is capable of disguising its nature while religious fundamentalism is impossible to disguise.
• Economic imperialism can thrive in the midst of information flow while religious fundamentalism depends on information ignorance to be sustained.

Sameness

Here are some ways they are the same:

• Both elevate and empower males above females.
• Both are about importing individual worth.
• Both prefer despotism and despise democracy.
• Both are class prejudicial in tone and affect.
• Both are comfortable with violence as their means of accomplishment and maintenance.
• Both are unconcerned about their destructive effect on the social and ecological environment.
• Both are committed to using government to facilitate their goals.

Defeat

It is difficult to defeat economic imperialism because it so easily attaches itself to governmental promise and perverts notions of freedom into hiding places.  An example is the United States where it has attached itself to the concept of The American Dream and has perverted the notion of freedom into an individual economic right.  It is difficult to defeat religious fundamentalism because it is an ideology that thrives on worth deprivation.  An example was the war in Afghanistan that attracted people with social worth deficit who engaged because of its promise of worth endowment through physical sacrifice.

Capitalism

While economic imperialism is about economics it is a mistake to assume that its use of capitalism makes the two synonymous.  Countries with all forms of government use capitalism.  Capitalism is an economic tool that can benefit the citizenry of any form of government, while economic imperialism is an economic view of reality intended to benefit the user alone. Strong socialist governments use capitalism to the benefit of their entire populace. The economic imperialist uses capitalism as a weapon for personal economic benefit and is unconcerned about the residual harm to other classes. Tools and motives are different.  An axe can build a cabin or kill a human and the difference between the two outcomes is the user’s motive and not the tool wielded. Crony capitalism is not about capitalism. It is about cronyism.

Outcome

The battle of democracy against economic imperialists and religious fundamentalists has shaped the history of western culture. It is a battle between the ideologies of inherent worth versus imported worth.

The only way for democracy to win is through the assault of greater knowledge that affirms the innate human worth and separates this worth from both economics and magical beliefs.  And this can only be done through a sustained common educational experience.

Conclusion

In whatever way economic imperialists and religious fundamentalists are the same or different, both are a scourge on the human enterprise.  Both militate against human rights and democracy.  Both wantonly kill and destroy for their own goals of self-empowerment and profit.  Both are enemies of human progress and community stewardship. They are peas of the same pod.

The American Battle

From its inception, America’s historical battle has been between democracy and its persistent enemies of economic imperialism and Christian fundamentalism.  And while significant progress has been made in respect to the democratic notion of worth equality and civil rights, economic imperialists found new life in Donald Trump’s suppressive despotism and the conversion of the Republican Party into its mini-me.  Christian fundamentalism, while no longer dominant nationally, will empower any despotism that supports its goals and is still strong enough to influence elections. These two pod peas have underscored the truth that democratic progress is not inevitable and can be reversed.   Onward and upward is an illusion. Guarded and upward is more realistic but requires sustained commitment.

The American Solution

The singular solution in America remains an educational system that dispels the citizenry’s ignorance about both economic imperialism and religious fundamentalism and which compels a knowledge of the true nature of democracy along with the perception to tell the difference.  And this requires a national curriculum that overcomes the contradicting provincialisms of independent state curriculums.  Until this happens America will continue its plunge toward a democratic suicide facilitated by its own versions of economic imperialism and religious fundamentalism. Dealing with symptoms will only facilitate democracy’s demise.

Robert

mythinlink.com

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