Jadyn Batch
When people think about happiness, some often think about family, love, or success, but others have money on the top of their list. The importance of money is at an all time high and in this capitalistic society, it is easier for the haves, people with a lot of money and possessions, to turn a blind eye to the needs of the have nots, the people with a lack of money and possessions.
According to FINCA, “3 billion people live on less than $2.50 a day. More than 1.2 billion live in extreme poverty and live on less than $1.25 a day.” Many financially thriving countries are knowledgeable of the world’s issue of poverty, and there’s a lack of foreign aid.
Two Indian children walk through piles of waste. Photo by: India Today
On the other hand, Noble Prize winner, Angus Deaton, argued that when wealthier countries decide to step in, the money usually corrupts the poorer governments, “turning what should be beneficial political institutions into toxic ones.” Therefore, it is questionable whether or not stronger governments should give large donations. Situations similar to this have many people questioning whether money is the real root of all evil or if the corruption lies deeper beneath the surface within individuals.
Deals are being made in secret because of money, which causes corruption. Photo by Global Risk Insights
The theory of Social Darwinism explains why crass capitalism is inevitable. According to Britannica, “Social Darwinists held that the life of humans in society was a struggle for existence ruled by ‘survival of the fittest.” This theory expresses that there are always going to be the haves and the have nots because there’s always a competition in society.
For a business to become successful, the company must compete with other companies for consumers. This competition is beneficial to the consumers because it allows them to have multiple options and deals on items. Since the buyers buy what they want, the competition can be good for businesses, so they could grow. On the other hand, if a small business can’t compete against a newer one, it will close.
Similar to large businesses, many landowners try to replace and move the less economically mobile with people, who are more economically mobile in order to make more profit, this process is gentrification. Dictionary.com states that gentrification is, “the buying and renovation of houses and stores in deteriorated urban neighborhoods by upper- or middle-income families or individuals, raising property values but often displacing low-income families and small businesses.” This leaves the less fortunate to find housing, most likely, in a poorer neighborhood and smaller companies to go out of business.
In politics, people are sandwiched between greed and power, being consumed in the process. Photo by: KSN News
In order to have dominance over others, many people and governments feel the need to compete due to the desire for power, control, money, and resources. Crass Capitalism is the modern day colonialism because a government uses money, products, services, resources to create a unbreakable flow of income and to have control of consumers.
Money itself is just fabric, but people give that fabric its value; with money comes power and with power comes superiority. In the crass capitalized society, the insatiability of power is fed by money; therefore, power and money are the culprits of inhumanity.