Surviving Capitalism (Not) : The Digital Surveillance State: Vast, Secret, and Dangerous

We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

The Digital Surveillance State: Vast, Secret, and Dangerous

by Glenn Greenwald from Cato Institute. Yes, that is not some kind of mistake--this article is from that right-wing "think" tank! Maybe they are only worried that the sheer volume of citizen data collected is causing real enemies from being detected. Maybe I shouldn't be so cynical. Maybe it is even more worrisome because a right-wing organization is worried about the growing fascism in the US:

In every way that matters, the separation between government and corporations is nonexistent, especially (though not only) when it comes to the Surveillance State.

This is the very definition of fascism: "...the separation between government and corporations is nonexistent...."

The article prompts a lot of reactions from me.

First, the information clearly indicates that the surveillance agencies are violating laws and are not in conformance with the Constitution. This supports my argument that laws are designed by ruling classes to control their subjects. They in no way deter the ruling classes from violating the same laws. And constitutions are designed to provide legitimacy for the governments of ruling classes. You can look at any constitution across the world and you will be amazed at how wonderful they always appear.

Secondly, both capitalist parties are in collusion with the total surveillance state. Like most other issues, the political party designation doesn't really matter. It is just to fool you into thinking that you have a choice. You will never be given a real choice. The individuals occupying the White House are employees of the ruling capitalist class. Congress and the Supreme Court are owned by corporations.

Thirdly, regarding the realization that so much data misses some real bad actors among us, it is argued that the profit incentives of private enterprise encourages this excessive data collection. While this may be true to a certain extent, I would argue that the ruling class is more worried about its own citizens than it is terrorists.

The Empire is causing more and more havoc in the world in general and problems for US citizens in particular. Further deterioration of the economy for working people is in the offing as US corporations leave the US and continue to scour the globe for cheap labor and resources. The recent severe recession is not some temporary downturn in the business cycle; it represents a permanent "structural adjustment" of the US economy as corporations become global players.

Thus, the US ruling class worries that at some point US workers will revolt after they wake up and realize that the "American Dream" was only a dream, and they want to be prepared.