An (un)educated America
I might not be American but given the way I was brought up every monumental event in the world is concerning to me; especially one that shakes the very foundation of belief in democracy. What happened in the Capitol is deplorable, sad and quite frankly deeply disturbing, while simultaneously predictable and expected.
The United States of America was for long a beacon of democracy and liberties. Its constitution, on paper the most enlightened document of its time, set up a system of governance and of law under which these two principles could thrive. The concept of capitalism, a high regard for individual freedoms and the pursuit of the American dream were all protected and supported by that very document.
Following WWII, where the economy boomed as a result of cunning political decisions, higher education became a top national priority, with 4% of government budget being allocated to it for 16 consecutive years. By the late 50’s the US had the most educated workforce worldwide, and strong labor unions to ensure that theses workers were granted their rights. Consequently, the US was able to claim the largest middle class the world had ever seen. What was occurring can be summarized by a simple equation: More prosperity = more spending = more production = more hiring = more prosperity. This virtuous cycle was so remarkable that in the last century thousands of people fled from the wars in Europe and from the misery in South America to seek refuge and opportunities under the umbrella of the late American democracy.
With globalization came peril to the system so finely tuned. The largest companies did not take long to realize that they profited from outsourcing labor and production, thereby significantly lowering their costs. As this became a trend, the wealthiest percentile of America profited greatly, but as workers lost their jobs and wages stagnated, labor unions lost their significance and inequality considerably increased. The system of taxation shifted against the middle class in the US. In the name of job creation, and the idea that levying taxes on billionaires would cripple their ability to create jobs, the middle class was suffocated under high tax brackets and simultaneously falling wages. And here is where another equation comes in handy: Wages stagnate = workers buy less = companies downsize = tax revenue decreases = governments cut programs = tuition for higher education increases = workers are less educated = unemployment rises = wages stagnate. As this vicious cycle took root in America, factions of people began to feel completely misaligned with the agenda of the politicians that were supposed to represent them. When Obama was signing agreements on efforts to halt global warming, when senators were discussing NATO treaties and world trade agreements, all these marginalized groups wanted was to be seen and understood. They believed that America was so fragmented, that the government was so badly misrepresenting them, that America was no longer great. Perhaps that’s what they saw in Trump and his beliefs, a simple message for their simple demands; to make (their) America great again.
It is easy to rule ignorance when there is no moral compass, and it is even easier to manipulate the illiterate when presidential statements are summarized in tweets. When a people are uneducated, a leader has the ability to replace their logical reasoning with emotions fueled by lies and manipulations. I have always said that no amount of dialectic can persuade an unwilling ear. Yes, Trump’s actions are disgraceful and embarrassing. Yes, he should immediately renounce on the basis of incapacity to lead. Yes, he is the worst US president in modern history. But his actions only had such consequences because some very uneducated and equally angry people, were ripe for the cultivation of such hatred.