Oligarch Capitalism ...........A Photo Collage

 

"I hope we shall crush in its birth (of our nation)  the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial by strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country."

Thomas Jefferson

In 1844 the Factory Acts were passed to address the injustice of exploitative child labor. These acts addressed the working conditions that children and women had to work in.  All women and young persons (13-18) were limited to work for only 12 hours and children under 13 could only work for under 6 ½ hours. In addition, all children under 8 could not be employed in factories. This was a continuation of the first factory acts in 1833, and there were 3 more factory acts to follow.  

Eventually  child labor, and slavery, were outlawed in the U.S.  Later came environmental protection laws, affirmative action in the labor market, decent work environment protection,  and pensions for retirees. 

 And also anti-trust laws to limit corporate power.

Faces of the past.

Just about everything we buy now does away with those laws. 

 oiiiiiiiii

 

Faces of  contemporary capitalism..........

 

  

Do you know where your chocolate comes from?

  It might not be so appetizing......

“The history of the twentieth century was dominated by the struggle against totalitarian systems of state power. The twenty-first will no doubt be marked by a struggle to curtail excessive corporate power.”  

 Eric Schlosser

 

We Are Becoming an Authoritarian Oligarchy: an Urgent Message from Bernie Sanders & Lawrence O'Donnell

This is a historical and crucial moment for our nation, and for the world, as we are all interdependent in a changing planet.  

I know that I have not been posting much about the Goddess, or Earth Spirituality, or feminism, or art, as I usually do.  Yet all these important subjects are endangered as we lose our democracy, our right to free speech, and the tyranny of the oligarchy, and their front man, Trump. We live now in a global society, and what is happening affects not just Americans, but many other countries, and indeed, our planet itself.  

I feel so strongly that I have to be informed, and to that end I've been listening to the clear and truthful voice of Bernie Sanders, who says it out loud and what it is that we are very close to losing.  It is beyond shameful that people with unfathomable wealth are smugly supporting Trump and Musk's agenda.  So very much is to be lost as this country becomes sucked dry by the very wealthy, and a regressive, authoritarian, Christo-fascist regime.   Bernie Sanders summarizes where we are with a powerful and very clear statement.  Had me in tears. 

 https://www.youtube.com/live/QWf_b-_4uXg?si=fucmJT1a09UJEtMO

https://youtu.be/BIOaxR_UHIQ?si=QdCX3e0zLac8xeYd