Uptown Baubles and Command Economy
It is common knowledge that different types of economic systems have different results. The reason for these varied results has to do with how decisions are made to distribute the material gains of our work.
Capitalism has, historically, accumulated wealth as commodities. Commodities translate as those material things that have exchange value; they can be traded for money or other things. In different economic systems – command economies – wealth might be accumulated as temples and public monuments (arenas) or used for war, none of which can be traded. In the case of capitalism, the ability to exchange has led to a general improvement in everyone’s level of wealth. In command economies wealth is not distributed throughout the society but is concentrated in the hands of those in power. Additionally, it creates or maintains a caste system. (See Robert Heibronner – “The Veil of Economics” Chapter 2)
If one takes this basic knowledge of the difference between economic systems and notes the expenditures of today, it is easy to see that the ideals of big government and crony capitalism are those of a command economy. Using expenditures dictated by government, of which we are all aware, one can list an accumulation of public monuments that cannot be traded. Starting with arenas, Charlotte has built three and kept two during the past few decades. We have school buildings with excess space and excess adornment, in addition to having too many of them and rebuilding them when it is unnecessary. We have football stadiums at every high school.
There are convention centers of which Charlotte has built three or more during recent decades and there are more in surrounding counties. The new courthouse is excessive with pricey public artworks and lavish decor. We have scores of uptown museums, both for art and for racing. And now we have the multi-million dollar light-rail lines, with talk of even more down the tracks, along with yet another uptown stadium, this one a glittery diamond long-sought for baseball.
The result would be another huge public monument, which, of course, reflects the ability of those in political power to abuse the economic system. Another result is to make the general taxpaying public poorer relative to the rich. But this is what is to be expected of a command economy. It is not capitalism, where people are free to work, to improve their personal position. It is the misuse of government force and power for the benefit of the few.
The Declaration of Independence states “….that all men are created equal…That to secure these rights Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, …”
The Constitution of the United States was supposed to enhance these ideals. Today, because they would get in the way of Crony Capitalism and Socialism, it is ignored. As a reminder, Amendment IX says: “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.” Amendment X says: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
Both of these are part of our Constitution, which is supposed to protect the people from the abuse of government. We have a Supreme Court that we allow to decide whether laws are compliant with the Constitution, but when the Courts ignore Amendments 9 and 10, they are not abiding by the Constitution either.
Power resides with the people, but so long as the people allow the government and its cronies to get away with the abuses they heap upon the people, they will not stop.
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