Tapsearch Com EditorWork and Labor stepchildren of philosophy and religion (LINK)
March 13th 2008 21:05
If there is an economic theology somewhere, it seems to be bypassed by globalization and free trade in the "commodization" of labor. Labor is not a term secluded to economic measurements but it is essentially something very human.
Robert Costanza, Director of the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics at the University of Vermont says the GDP is out of sync with the real world of the streets. The GDP is defined as the value of all goods and services in a given interval in a geographic territory. The GDP replaced the GNP in 1992 as the main expression of our economy. The GNP is based on the value of goods and services by factors of production internally owned within an economic geographic territory. The balance of trade is included in the measurement. In simple terms, the GDP is the amount of money spent on an economy and the GNP is the amount recieved from an economy. The giant trade deficit would be a negative factor subtracted from the whole.
Robert Costanza says by some measurements of economic performance, the United States has been in a recession since 1975 with it being a recession in the quality of life and well being. In short, the GDP is used to describe a good or bad economy but it does not measure how well the citizens are living within the confines of the GDP reporting. It does not include the loss of jobs, personal income or quality of life including the lost of leisure time, the costs of crime, the cost of commuting and the cost of pollution. We do not need any measurements to know that it now takes two spouses to make what one spouse made in the past. The "latch key" children of our times are growing up without their parents being there. The GDPdoes not include workers silently standing in food lines and the request for emergency food breaking records.
Capital has taken on an identity all its own with investors measuring everything by results without looking at the well-being and quality of life issues. They say that is not their jobs. They say government should stay out of the way of business ventures but do not want to deal with those who are outside looking in at their celebration of success. People like Gates have called for migrant workers in the high tech field after millions have lost their jobs in the computer and high tech industries. They were a component that was not cheap enough for the process in the global economic arena and were tossed out. However, when imports start affecting the value of work, consumption will be affected too. And consumption is what holds up the pillars of free trade and globalization. These pillars are cracking under the stress now. The race to the bottom is in progress.
What does this have to do with philosophy and religion? Once upon a time in America , there was an understanding of a convenant between labor and capital. Proud honest and faithful workers today find they are just tools that need to be replaced. There place in society and family are something separate from the GDP. Today the term "productivity" still carries with it a good connotation. However today it is based on people getting fired instead of hired. Companies want workers to be ready to work when they want them as if there is a waiting room next door to their offices and factories.
If this imbalance is not part of economics it should at least be part of philosophy and religion in terms of human dignity and the common good. Labor and work now have to be included and not be just stepchildren of philsophy and religion.
By Ray Tapajna, Editor and Artist at Tapart News and Art that Talks at Tapsearch Com summary of articles and sites
Robert Costanza, Director of the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics at the University of Vermont says the GDP is out of sync with the real world of the streets. The GDP is defined as the value of all goods and services in a given interval in a geographic territory. The GDP replaced the GNP in 1992 as the main expression of our economy. The GNP is based on the value of goods and services by factors of production internally owned within an economic geographic territory. The balance of trade is included in the measurement. In simple terms, the GDP is the amount of money spent on an economy and the GNP is the amount recieved from an economy. The giant trade deficit would be a negative factor subtracted from the whole.
Robert Costanza says by some measurements of economic performance, the United States has been in a recession since 1975 with it being a recession in the quality of life and well being. In short, the GDP is used to describe a good or bad economy but it does not measure how well the citizens are living within the confines of the GDP reporting. It does not include the loss of jobs, personal income or quality of life including the lost of leisure time, the costs of crime, the cost of commuting and the cost of pollution. We do not need any measurements to know that it now takes two spouses to make what one spouse made in the past. The "latch key" children of our times are growing up without their parents being there. The GDPdoes not include workers silently standing in food lines and the request for emergency food breaking records.
Capital has taken on an identity all its own with investors measuring everything by results without looking at the well-being and quality of life issues. They say that is not their jobs. They say government should stay out of the way of business ventures but do not want to deal with those who are outside looking in at their celebration of success. People like Gates have called for migrant workers in the high tech field after millions have lost their jobs in the computer and high tech industries. They were a component that was not cheap enough for the process in the global economic arena and were tossed out. However, when imports start affecting the value of work, consumption will be affected too. And consumption is what holds up the pillars of free trade and globalization. These pillars are cracking under the stress now. The race to the bottom is in progress.
What does this have to do with philosophy and religion? Once upon a time in America , there was an understanding of a convenant between labor and capital. Proud honest and faithful workers today find they are just tools that need to be replaced. There place in society and family are something separate from the GDP. Today the term "productivity" still carries with it a good connotation. However today it is based on people getting fired instead of hired. Companies want workers to be ready to work when they want them as if there is a waiting room next door to their offices and factories.
If this imbalance is not part of economics it should at least be part of philosophy and religion in terms of human dignity and the common good. Labor and work now have to be included and not be just stepchildren of philsophy and religion.
By Ray Tapajna, Editor and Artist at Tapart News and Art that Talks at Tapsearch Com summary of articles and sites
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