Josef Kouba’s blog: Where have we come? (2)

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About debts

There used to be various sayings about debts, such as Felix qui nihil debet (happy is he who owes nothing), or To give to a debt where it would lead, it is difficult to pay what would be eaten… Debts are eaten from a common plate.. .
I was raised to do it. Probably wrong. Debts are growing at a record pace and everything is running smoothly. Everyone talks about the fact that we are putting future generations in debt, but few people address it. Perhaps “a flood will follow us.” Or is it thought that all debts will always be washed away by war?

Many politicians brag about the fact that we are not so bad compared to other countries, others have bigger debts. But we should always look at the better, not the worse.

As part of the privatization, a huge amount of property was sold for several trillions. This must also be added to the current debts. Then the comparison would be even more unfavorable. Where did the almost five trillion go? Can anyone even take stock?

We learned to live on debt, we learned to default. Until when will someone lend to us? Will money continue to be printed, its value devalued, and in the end we will go for bread with a backpack of banknotes? Is that what we want?
Inflation reduces debts, perhaps the government is counting on that. But what about the common citizen? He will lose his savings, lose his dreams, and be left with eyes for crying.

There is actually no tendency to reduce debts. Lenders still lend, they get benefits. How would they look if they lost interest. They are mostly banks and various funds where money is deposited mainly by citizens and businesses. Then there would be total collapse. There is no way out of the current state. A number of prominent world economists have long argued that current debts cannot be paid. Then the only thing left is a complete change of the entire world order, which will lead to the impoverishment of the inhabitants of the planet.

Are we a colony?

Especially after the Second World War, the original colonial order fell apart. Its basic principles were: low-wage work, a small local share of native intelligence, a small share of ownership in the hands of the native population, and the export of capital. Most of the colonies were always controlled by one state.

If we compare the current situation, many important vital enterprises operating in the Czech Republic are in foreign hands. It is mainly about lucrative banking, insurance, energy, gas and food sales.

Many important companies employ them on a salary basis – the automotive industry, large engineering companies. There is also an outflow of technical intelligence, doctors, even craftsmen abroad. And also the export of capital – profit, which annually represents more than 300 billion crowns. This money would easily pay off our debts. The difference, however, is that the profits do not go to just one country. So I would call it global neo-colonialism.

Once upon a time, a prominent German economist dealt with the issue of comparing the incomes of Czechs and Germans. He wondered why the incomes were markedly different. Education is similar, so is skill, although the organization of work sometimes falters, but not significantly. The answer was simple. A significant part of the income of Germans is made up of income from property, be it stock, fund or real estate holdings. In the Czech Republic, this part of the income is negligible on average. No wonder, the exported capital must show up somewhere.

Lobbying

Lobbying is the systematic promotion of group interests with state authorities and their representatives. It is a great opportunity for corruption in the biggest sense of the word. Different illegible groups use different means to enforce their ideas of how things should work. It is foolish to think that these groups do this for free. They are paid by large conglomerates, they have enough resources behind them to be able to get the “right” arguments. They then use these to influence opinions in order to advance their interests. Most of the time, their arguments are well hidden under the guise of usefulness for voters. But who lobbies for the citizen – the voter, the main election actor? No one. The citizen-voter is essentially poor, he will not provide any benefits to the lobbyist, so why lobby for him. Lobbying is robbing us of billions.

Passwords that are no longer valid?

The main slogans in November 1989 were: we want a government of experts, an end to the rule of politics over the economy, away with democratic centralism! Over time, the ideas of slogans faded away, it became clear that the individual parties did not have experts, that the rule of politics was pleasant for them, and that democratic centralism was well suited to maintaining obedience in the party. So everything is as before. Amateurs instead of experts.

People who haven’t gone through any life experience and have experience from, for example, a short stint in the fire department, can become minister of industry and then agriculture. A person who has not created and published a single scientific work in his life becomes the minister for science. A man who perhaps understands banking runs the industry. Many doctors who should mainly treat are in politics. Many teachers, who should be teaching, prefer to make a living in politics. Why probably? These are the posts that bring significant benefits. And if something goes wrong, they bear no responsibility. When an ordinary employee or entrepreneur makes a mistake, it costs him at least money or even prison. A politician is immune to it.

A good example is the former minister of education, who got involved in a corruption scandal. He lied and was even praised for resigning as a minister. Perhaps he also resigned because he was unable to handle the position. In his opinion, the MP’s salary is not sufficient, so he will also perform the function of gymnasium director on an “ambulatory basis”. What will the students think? How will this be reflected in their future lives? What values ​​are we instilling in them? Amateurism, which rules and has displaced expertise, has worse impact than current corruption.

My generation learned so-called political economy. The expression itself is quite absurd. The economy, especially the market one, has clear rules. When it breaks, a bigger problem comes. At present, however, these rules are being replaced by the efforts of various parties to obtain the votes of the electorate. What ever it takes. Perfectly reasonable reasons are replaced by various mantras just so that the party can win the next election and stay in power. They are hiding behind the fact that they want to fulfill their promises to the voters. It is not true, it is only about personal benefits.

Some time ago, I literally ran into a party’s promise that there would be a fifteen percent tax. As it turned out later, the tax was fifteen percent, but on the super gross salary, that is, in fact more than twenty percent, and that exceeded even the original lowest tax rate. This party, specifically the ODS, completely defrauded me. Now the same party is drastically changing its pre-election slogans again and even wants to change and modify its election declarations with which it asked for the confidence of the Chamber of Deputies. In my opinion, it would be fair for voters, not politicians, to decide on this change.

Honesty and truthfulness are probably forgotten these days. Do these people have no conscience and are not afraid to look people in the eye?

Author: Josef Kouba

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