Class War?

The things we do in the name of the poor!

I never thought I would see the light of the day when certain people would use the same line of defense that their erstwhile nemesis - he who professed his innocence to high heavens yesterday- used to justify all his actions: to benefit the masa, or the poor.

Okay, so maybe there is no point in quibbling with intentions because there is just no way that anyone can actually measure sincerity and all that. Perhaps we can even grant that people do want to help the poor in this country and that the desire to alleviate poverty do haunt their waking hours - they can't sleep, they can't eat, they can't function productively until they are able to accomplish this noble mission.

Fine. So we need to do something for the poor.

But how is fighting for the rights and welfare of the poor a class issue? Does it automatically mean that when one is middle, higher middle, upper class, etc., one can not espouse anymore issues of the other "classes?" When did we have a formal caste system in this country?

I do not know about you, but it turns me off when people make such a big issue of demographics, particularly economic class.

Comments

cvj said…
Sorry Bong, could you care to elaborate further on what triggered your post above?
Bong C. Austero said…
hi cvj, just got pissed over pronouncements made by abueva and the people initiative advocates that, among others, it is only the rich and the elite who are against charter change.

bong
cvj said…
Taken at face value, i also don't understand where that line of thinking is coming from. As far as i know, the Constitution that they are proposing does not say anything about wealth redistribution to the poor.
i don't care who does what. let's just make sure that in helping the poor, we help them help themselves...veering away from the usual dole-out approach in helping. All of us need to realize that no one is going to help us but ourselves...

(On a lighter note: jerome and i watched Superman Returns. Watch it, bong.)
shashavica said…
In Croatia, where I currently live, The dividing line between the upperclass, middleclass and the lower class is not much pronounced. Well ofcourse this was brought about by their historical background being a former Socialist Republic ( as former state of Yugoslavia). The people from all levels of society eat the same food, travel to the same destinations and receive the same medical benefits. What is amazing is that this country gives a high premium to old people, the retirees. How I really wish that we practice the same so those old retirees in our country like my parents would benefit from it as well. Hope I did not digress from your topic. I just want to share
something with you.
JOY
www.shashavica.blogspot.com Please check out my blogsite.
curica41@yahoo.com
Gelo said…
I agree with you. Class analysis is a usefull tool for as long as we use it to understand, not to grandstand.
Bong C. Austero said…
CVJ, exactly! And it is like the kettle calling the pot black. They too are middle class, for crying out loud.

Shashavica, thanks for the information and for dropping by. I must admit that aside from its geographic location, I know zilch about Croatia. But I do agree, there is a need to strengthen social security in the country. This is why I maintain that instead of passing legislation that aims to provide job security, we must focus on the larget issue, which is social security. This is the best way to raise competitiveness.

Peter, i think that the lamp post analogy applies here. We should be using demographics and class analysis the way a sober man uses a lamp post, i.e., as beacon and guide to get home; not the way a drunk uses it, i.e., as support in order not to fall down.

Jerome, hi! been so long! thanks for dropping by. Yeah, i've heard so much about how this version of Superman finally gets it. I will try to catch is as soon as I can. Would you believe the last movie I watched in the big screen was...hold your breath, Maximo Oliveros! Sigh.

Bong
Gelo said…
Here is another intereting truism - politicians need the masses to win elections; the elite to run the government. Where then is the middle class?

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