#114 Why democracy does not work

person dropping paper on box

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You must have heard the statistic that the wealth of the richest 1% in the world is equal to the combined wealth of the other 99%. It doesn’t sound very equitable does it?

Almost half the world’s population live in some form of democracy so why don’t they do something to change this inequitable situation? Well, unsurprisingly, the world’s media tends to be owned by the wealthy who, having become rich under the current system, would like to keep things that way, thank you very much.

It therefore makes perfect sense to assume that those in control of the media are going to favour candidates who are more likely to maintain the status quo. But how capable is the population at reading between the lines and understanding for themselves what is really going on? A study of world intelligence shows a not conclusive but arguable link between intelligence and the amount that country spends on education.

It makes sense why those parties of a right leaning are supported by big businesses and media giants and tend to be more reluctant to invest in education for the masses but it’s more insidious than that. The programming of these media giants glamorises the 1% making their lifestyles something to aspire to. So, there’s another reason why the 99% chose to maintain the status quo, it’s because they believe that if the system stays as it is they might one day become part of that elite.

Of course, this is not new. Back in 2011, the Occupy movement started in Wall Street and spread to over 951 cities across 82 countries, and in over 600 communities in the United States.

It’s time to destroy the myth that giving tax breaks to the rich will somehow help the poor. This video by Britain’s Labour Party explains why this simply is not the most effective way to stimulate an economy.

Come on. We are the 99%, let’s take back control of our lives.

About M J Dees

M J Dees lives and works in Sao Paulo, Brazil with his wife, daughter and two cats. He has written three novels, Living with Saci, The Astonishing Anniversaries of James and David, Part One, and When The Well Runs Dry. He is currently editing the fourth and writing the fifth. You can sign up for more information on his book launches at http://eepurl.com/cTnAD5 and receive a free copy of Living With Saci.

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