Analyzing Capitalism and Democracy

For a political science class, I was asked to				chaotic place in which only the super wealthy can
investigate the relationship between democracy				ever hope to attain security and happiness.
and capitalism; the quality of democracy is heavily				Although both Parenti and Moore make compelling
influenced by capitalism, but to what extent? In				arguments, Moore's information seems only a bit
"Democracy for the Few", Michael Parenti				more disturbing because he is picking apart and
discusses the relationship between "want" and				criticizing the very foundation through which the
"wealth" in a capitalist society. To Parenti, "want" is				state of our lives depend: the government. Moore
concerned with genuine human needs, while				contends that the election of George Bush is a
"wealth" is merely the concern of profiteers, and				sham; he maintains that Gore was the rightful
capitalism allows the subordination of "want" to				winner of the 2000 elections. The Florida scandal
"wealth". He explains how a capitalist society				robbed 173,000 people of their voting rights; the
creates an endless cycle in which the rich continue				manipulation of the absentee votes in which "344
to vigorously prosper, while average citizens (the				ballets had no evidence that they were cast on or
majority of people) are exploited, underpaid, or				before election day;" and the sloppy design of the
otherwise neglected. "The top 1 percent [of				voting ballets "which made it easy to vote for the
Americans] own between 40 and 50 percent of				wrong person because candidates' names and
the nation's total wealth" (Parenti 8). Parenti				punch holes were crammed unevenly onto facing
argues that capitalism allows for the undermining				pages" all contributed to the false election of Bush.
of labor's value since the ultimate goal is profit.				Furthermore, Bush's connections with Fox crippled
Furthermore, he is troubled by the nature of the				Gore's chances of winning because they
"free market" and the careless greed exhibited by				prematurely announce Bush as the winner before
large corporations; instead of concerning				it was confirmed; "Nothing was more
themselves with human need, corporations focus				psychologically devastating for Gore's chances of
only on their profit. "When asked what they were				winning than the sudden perception that HE was
doing about the widespread hunger in the United				being the spoiler by asking for recounts" (Moore).
States, one food manufacturer responded with				I agree with both Dr. Parenti and Michael Moore;
refreshing candor: If we saw evidence of				they both highlight the faults and hazards within
profitability, we might look into this'" (Parenti				our government, and the threat these issues
15).Parenti criticizes capitalism (and the inevitable				impose on democracy. Dr. Parenti's discussion of
"wealth vs. want" issue it produces) in a				capitalism was maddening. He elaborated on the
democratic country because, while democracy				laborer's burdens and the sort of "glass ceiling"
promises equality and fairness, the very nature of				that holds people in their initial economic class. I
capitalism spoils and corrupts democracy's efforts.				have had jobs in which I felt completely
Since the incredibly wealthy have managed to				dispensable and under the mercy of my
grow their roots so deep in financial security, any				employer. No matter how qualified and excellent
economic crisisin which the bulk of a country				of an employee I was, questioning my pay and
becomes vulnerablewill further add to the power				benefits threatened the security of my job since
of these tyrant corporations. "For the big				so many other peopledesperate for jobswould be
capitalists, economic downturns are not				willing to settle for less. It seems Dr. Parenti was
unmitigated gloom. Smaller competitors are				right: "unemployment is functional to capitalism.
weeded out, unions are weakened and often				Without a reserve army of unemployed to
broken, a reserve supply of unemployed workers				compete for jobs and deflate wages, labor would
helps to further depress wages, and profits rise				cut more deeply into profits" (Parenti 12).
faster than wages" (Parenti 12). Capitalism affords				Furthermore, the fact that "At a plant in Iowa,
a grotesquely unequal distribution of money, and				4,000 people applied for 53 jobs" suggests that
the majority of people afflicted with joblessness,				there is more to the problem of unemployment
homelessness, and/or starvation are simply				besides human laziness (Parenti 19). Michael Moore
products of its insufficiency.				explains how elections and other political
In "Stupid White Men", Michael Moore expresses				endeavors can be manipulated by the wealthy:
his frustration with the kind of corrupt politics that				"The Schering-plough pharmaceutical company
are influencing our government and ruining				contributed $50,000 [to John Ashcroft] perhaps as
America; he believes the three fundamental				a thank-you for the bill he had introduced that
principles of democracy were violated in the 2000				would have extended the companies patent on
presidential elections since the majority of people				the allergy pill Claritin" (Moore 52). The Florida
wanted Gore for president, but got Bush instead.				scandal, along with the rest of Bush's devious
Bush has a lot of powerful connections that were				political schemes, was absurd. Furthermore, we
able to manipulate the election results. It is				had to "look to a country 5,000 miles away to
troublesome that big businesses neglect and				find out the truth about our own election" (Moore
abuse their workers, and it is worse still that				32). As an average American citizen, I can't help
these tyrants often fund political endeavors, which				but feel somewhat helpless when I read about
inevitably influence political decisions, and thus				these regrettable facts.
secure their reign. It is curious that "the third				The small fraction of wealthy people holds the
largest contributor to Bush's campaign was able to				most influence in the political arena and on the
work a loophole into Texas environmental				economy. Big corporations make big donations to
regulations that allowed Alcoa [the world largest				political activities, and therefore are able to
aluminum manufacturer] to emit 60,000 tons of				manipulate political results, ensuring their own
sulfur dioxide each year" (Moore 54). If we cannot				security. It is a vicious, and seemingly unbreakable
count on the government to uphold truth and				circle of tyrants. When this country is said to be a
fairness, then the world seems a scary and				democracy, I often wonder for who?