Comments on: On corruption, capitalism and autocracy

By: james O'Neill

james O'Neill — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

The penultimate paragraph perfectly encapsulates what is already in process. the “attacks” of 11 September 2001 were a classic false flag operation that provided the perfect opportunity for the implementation of a range of policies long desired by certain classes within the American structure. The huge increase in the military budget, the cranking up of pre-emptive military strike policies, spying on the domestic population, the passage of non-democratic pieces of legislation such as the Patriot (sic) Act, the Military Commmissions Act and others, rendition, abuse of international law, illegal invasion and occupation of other countries, making torture acceptable and a host of other measures, are all “post-liberal, post democratic” in their intent and implementaiton. Australia has passed 44 pieces of “anti-terror” legislation since 11/9/01 including some of the most repressive found in any so-called liberal democracy. Yet there is nary a peep of protest. As perceptive as much of Guy Rundle’s article is, he needs to appreciate that the future he fears is already with us.

By: Venise Alstergren#2

Venise Alstergren#2 — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Guy Rundle: You have, with unerring accuracy, hit on the very part of Bernard's hypothesis which has a thoroughly well-grounded argument which can be proven. Well more than one. When he describes the muscular values of nationalism and political repression. Who do you think he is talking about, If not Nazi Germany? Of course China is corrupt, why else do they prohibit the prying eyes of any media to look too closely? There was a period of time when the Boeing company was selling their 'planes to China, yet the company couldn't work out why their aircraft tended to fall out of the sky. Subsequent research into the subject revealed that the Chinese were copying large parts of these 'planes, then assembling them as the originals. Regrettably, they didn't fly quite as well as the originals. You Guy, may think this is smart economics. Whereas I regard it as the sweet smell of corruption.
For the most complete example of how a country can be so corrupt that it even flirted with capitalism before withdrawing from the capitalist ideal so thoroughly that it was prepared to let it's people stave, over a period of 10 years-owing to famine; this country was, quite literally, unable to feed its people.-so they rounded up huge numbers of the population, locked them in rural concentration camps and stopped feeding them. It sort of gave the 'The Killing Fields' a whole new dimension.Nor did the authorities welcome outside help at all. If any country encapsulates Bernard's argument better than North Korea I would like it hear about it.

Onya Bernard.

Venise

By: Venise Alstergren

Venise Alstergren — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Guy; I need to re-read your article (in order to better understand it) However, I would like to know which form of corruption you might consider the State of Victoria to be? You might hazard a guess as ‘Functional’ corruption. But nothing functions. The state premier rushes to open his legs to the company who pays him the most. But surely a desalination plant-one which will use tons of Victoria’s brown coal to power it-an inefficient, blo*dy expensive, and grotty looking structure on one of the last pristine beaches left in this state. That there are better, and cheaper alternatives, worries John Brumby not a whit.

He has allowed endless people to come to this state (soon the whole southern part of Victoria will be one giant trough of concrete). Whole suburbs of once productive areas with all public amenities, have been bull-dozed and cleared of all trees and replaced by fence-to-fence concrete. All of this has he created, whilst doing bug*er all about the infrastructure. Whole areas have no parks, no trees, NOTHING.
He’s now in the process of stopping cars from parking on side streets in places like Richmond, Malvern, Toorak, etc. This will allow vehicle’s to use these suburbs as freeways, thus killing off what used to be shops selling fresh meat, fresh coffee, fresh bread, everything that would be doomed to gather into one of those ghastly shopping malls. So please Guy; what exactly is this kind of corruption called? Dysfunctional corruption?

By: ian Pidd

ian Pidd — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

One of the most pernicious forms of “legal” corruption is public liability insurance. Any given event, enterprise or undertaking is required to have multiple layers of public liability insurance. In the case of a festival this means that whoever is running the gig must have 20 million bucks worth, so must every performer, any caterer, all the venues, the council, the cleaners, etc. And good luck finding the clause that says that there is any circumstance whatsoever in which the insurance actually pays out.

By: Tom McLoughlin

Tom McLoughlin — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

That was pretty depressing really, not least because it was so well written.

By: John James#2

John James#2 — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Lives in an African society corrupt from the top down
Chooses not to be corrupt.
Removes those from the top who are.

Its called reform! Takes courage and probably God's grace.
Then, your soul is clean! Man does not live by bread alone.
Read Robert Bolt's play, 'A Man for all Seasons' Good lesson in 'holiness' properly so called.

By: John James

John James — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I assume the Mafia fall within the definition of “functional corruption”. A bullet in the head can solve alot of bad debts! But more broadly, this is just a Left wing apology for the failed centrist economies and the never ending attempt by its apologists to demonstrate that ‘open democracies’ are as corrupt as the ‘closed’ societies they purport to oppose.
At the end of the day, corruption, like sin, is always a personal thing. You own your actions. You are responsible. Corruption is not structural, much as the Marxists might like to maintain otherwise. Corruption always begins with the proposition that I may “use” a human being for my needs, economic or otherwise.
“What you did to these the least of my brothers/sisters, you did to me”.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

*Lives in an African society corrupt from the top down*
*Chooses not to be corrupt*
*starves to death*

Ah well at least my ever-lasting soul is clean!

By: Venise Alstergren#3

Venise Alstergren#3 — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Line 10, paragraph 2. The word stave should read starve. VJBA