Nature disaster just keeps on coming, just shortly after the devastating earthquake that took place in a month ago in Haiti, there was another earthquake hit South America country Chile that resulted huge damages to the country. But this is not what I am going to talk about, I am talking about the aftereffects that soon follow with nature disasters or human-made disasters. We all know that the first thing that follow with those disasters are the rebuilding projects, like building houses and public services, more often than not they involve major corporations coming in and making deals with the local governments. They seem like aiding with the situation but we all know there is no free meals in this world.
The closest event that I remember is the Iraq War. We killed Saddam Hussein, and found no trace of mass destruction weapons which was so the only aim that we went in there. But what happened next? We appointed a president for Iraq who signed a contract with the U.S. that allowed U.S. companies going in there and drill oil. If I am not mistaken that is government taking over its country’s economic resource, which is the total opposite of a free market economy. Friedman says that government has tendency to centralize and taking over its country’s economy, and society that can only be free if there is a free market system. He also said that the only way to achieve freedom is through free economy. The sole idea of free market economy for Friedman is that it is the key that leads to our other freedoms.
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The rebuilding you have talked about is precisely what Friedman would argue for. He thought that the government's hand should not be where a private company could, so as we read in Klein, Friedman's view is that we need to take advantage of such situations, and insert as much privatization as possible so that we limit the government role in our lives.
ReplyDeleteVery well stated blog post. I can't help but this back to Prof. Manos' example of taking cones in front of houses and putting them in their alleys so that he and whoever else can claim the parking space, which was public but was made privatized by the people with the cones or lawn chairs. And this brings us exactly to your blog post about how our government goes into other countries in order to set up business practices and a away to earn profit immediately, by taking advantage of a natural disaster or any other type of event. Our government truly does appear as a Frankenstein, one that has a mind of its own and decides to do as it pleases, without thought or care for the American people or the people of the country we're "invading."
ReplyDeletethis is true, natural disasters are money makers for big corporation. it is a way for them to get into other countries and benifit themselves while looking helpful.
ReplyDeletewhat the US did in Iraq Friedman would not like at all. they went in and took total control. they are not just regulating they are imposing different rules and oppositions for the people to follow.