500-year-view and a never ending battle

The names have changed, but over the last 500 years there has been a constant political battle.  It has taken many forms, often depending on the wealth and resources of the country.

It is a simply battle, those with power/wealth against the people who work for those people.

In today’s CNN/Fox News style, the miserable and the outrageous get all the attention. Things that are good are dismissed because they are not good enough. Things that are bad are made to be the end of the world. We expect change quickly, but what if a culture takes several generations just to ingrain basic change. Look at the big picture and you will see a very constant and very slow increase in the quality of life for almost all people, across the world. The workers have constantly pushed for changes and (over time) gained much. 500 years ago slavery and indentured servitude very commonplace. There were no laws protecting workers, children, civil rights, or the environment. Extreme poverty has decreased significantly and the quality of life in the modern world is vastly superior to the past (even for the poor).  The “middle class” really didn’t exist until relatively recently, but it is an tremendous achieve of workers to achieve such comforts.  Of course, it is still so frustrating when I see what the future progress could be and I want it now (and know it could happen now, but it just won’t).

The philosophy that the workers (who are 90% of the people) should continue to increase their quality-of-life should be the fundamental principles of what we call today the Democratic Party. Their tools are self-government, regulations, unions, education, public programs, and taxes.

But the powerful and wealthy see this philosophy as a threat. Their tools are corruption, division, free markets (and freedom in general), blame, and deception. In this country, they try to infiltrate (and now control) much of the politics though donations and social manipulations. They blame the powerless (minorities, immigrants, the poor) for the problems we face, instead of themselves (who have all the power). They warp social and religious issues (that people are passionate about) with the sole purpose of dividing the workers. They come in many forms, but today they are represented by the Republican Party, whose fundamental goals are to reduce/eliminate all of the tools that the workers use to better their lives.

I cannot think of anything more clear to exemplify this that the debate over the minimum wage. The minimum wage should ensure that somebody working full time could live a decent life.  This is the next step is the slow, slow, slow evolution of people over the last 500 years (the elimination of the working poor). The powerful and wealthy used the same arguments against the first minimum wage that they use now to stop increases (they say it work actually hurt the workers, but nothing could be farther from the truth, and history has shown that).  But the battle rages on between those who have power/money and everyone else.

I look at the world and see so many terrible things. Things like underage sex trafficking makes me literally sick. The thoughts that children at taken and forced into sex slavery is just overwhelmingly vile. And just as disturbing is the knowledge that people will pay (or profit) to be a part of this.  We could add a 1% tax onto million dollar corporations and have enough resources to virtually eliminate sex trafficking in this country.  But we choose not to, how is this possible?  Look at who is against increasing taxes for such things and make judgements.  I can’t erase this knowledge from my mind, but when I look at the big picture, the 500 year picture, there has been very slow, but steady progress; and it gives me hope.