Inequality, income, and democracy

I've always been committed to the idea that economic growth is important, that the interests of companies and employers had to be taken into account and given due weight in considering policies and in politics in general. Still, what we are witnessing at the moment is similar to what people have witnessed in the second half of the 19th century, and the first decades of the 20th. We are witnessing an enormous inequality between people who own companies, shares in companies, land, and estates. And we see that instead of more fair and and egalitarian re-investment of significant portions of these gigantic amounts of wealth, a few individuals are sitting on them. This is so in the US, West and East Europe, just as much as in Japan, Australia, or in Russia, India and China.

Governments are more and more reluctant to intervene and do their job in running societies well by creating legal and financial environments that are conducive to good societies. And they are more and more inclined to make their members extremely wealthy in exchange of giving the richest even more freedom. These governments are failing the societies which elected them, and know that they do. So they spend large sums on expert marketing and communication, and highlight issues and direct common talk in ways so that people are occupied with questions of nationalism, immigration, belonging and being a member of the community, personal and community identities. Such issues are important, but they should be issues where tolerance reigns, and communities take care of their own identities. People are not imbeciles in need of constant guidance. Especially not from politicians.

However, politicians and their advisory teams know very well that such questions sell, that it is easy to create stifle and tension between people, and they can be distracted from their further exploitation by such topics. What we need to start focusing on is a fight. It is a fight in which we need to engage in. We need to push back on the governments, the political and the business elite, the large owners, and the estate moguls. We need to force them to create the kind of societies we want to live in. We need to do this peacefully, but firmly. No votes for people who don't represent our interest. In fact, no money for them. We need much stronger checks and balances, and much higher levels of civilian engagement. We need to be there, call these people back, and sack them if they are not representing the interests which they should be representing. And we need politicians who are willing and able to stand up against the private players lurking in the backgrounds.

People like Trump, Xun, Putin, May and others won't do this job. They are part of the wealthy class and are very much willing to run their countries so that while stability is ensured, as much money as possible is diverted to their supporting clubs and circles. This is not a global issue, independent or race, nation, colour. It is a moral, political, and a class issue. People who have wealth and influence out of proportion are running the game. And they don't run it fairly.

What we need is to stand up and organize our representation. We desperately need a union that represents all workers in the EU. Not based on nation, not based on cultural background, but on the fact that capitalism does not ensure that workers and employers are in the same position when bargaining for wages. When people are selling their time and energy they are vulnerable, while a class of huge owners could live comfortable lives even if they would never again work. We need to change this. Security, safety, wellbeing are things we all need. And the current system does not ensure that hard work gets you any of this.

A website for volunteering and charity work in Hungary

Why isn't there a website in Hungarian that collects all useful social activities which are done without the government? That could be the basis for Hungarians who are looking for a strong, non-political identity, that emphasizes a commitment to community spirit.

Such a non-political view could be the foundation of strong citizenship. Instead of giving away rights to the government and accepting a more authoritarian leadership, it could foster independence.

That would surely be more beneficial for all of us then the current lukewarm soup of not doing anything and complaining. Or the imbecile staring into the past for role models that the current government is engaged in.