The Prophets of Profit

[Serial_Apologist]

A important series on how capitalism is conducted in this time and has now been for the last fifty years, but one in which main underlying issues in the end are frittered away, rather like wealth:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0027bnp

This series ends where the most important solutions seeking discussion urgently needs to begin.
Sometimes one wonders what the purpose of "balance" and "impartiality" is when questions are posed in the first instance with the aim of not being answered, leaving frustration all around.

[Serial_Apologist]

This programme, also from last Wednesday, turned out to be an insightful adjunct to the one above:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0026nbl

[smittims]

It seems to me that both those ideas are tempting because they seem to promise a good deal ,but have hidden consequences which may be harmful in the long term. Marx, of course, long ago in Capital, showed how the creation of capital has damaging side effects. It appears to create a better world in that more money means more investment, more facilities and spending power for the many, but it never works out that way eventually. .

In the same way, computerisation can dull the mind instead of enlivening it. We appear to have the word at our fingertips but the value of life slips through them. It appears to release many people from menial tasks, but the majority never benefit from more rewarding activity.

I expect many will disagree , but I feel the setting up of fututre unforeseen consequences is a weakness of parliamentary democracy. One government puts into place a shiny attractive new world which gets the votes. Bythe time the disadvantages appear they have moved on,having pocketed the wealth they created for themselves,leaving the rest of us to clear up the mess. .