Privatization: Ordinary Man Ambushed

“Privatization is the pre-cursor of market take-over!”

Two to three decades ago when privatization started, the Governments of the time marketed it by saying they are cutting costs. If you have read my write-up on Capitalism then you will know the only thing that was cut was ordinary person’s pocket depth. Before I explain my above statement, here’s a very short paragraph as a recap. And needless to say, this is another article which is really important for emerging third world economies like India, Philippines, Malaysia, etc.

Privatization does not save the Governments any money but rather chops of their earning arms, their own sources of income. The private organizations short charge the tax-payers by charging the Government for running those organizations still using the same man-power but underpaying the manpower, and then underpaying their taxes as well. This puts more pressure on underpaid workers who lose a big chunk of their earnings as taxes, as a source-less Governments tries to fill up its’ budget by raising various taxes.

But then privatization doesn’t just affect the workers or employees of the organizations that are privatized. If the general public thinks it’s not their problem if another man’s organization is being privatized, they are wrong. Privatization is the precursor of market takeover.

What is a market takeover?

A market takeover doesn’t necessarily mean a product, whether made locally or internationally, wiping out the entire competition in the market. It also means one businessman taking over his rival’s complete assets. And in its’ worst form, the one that leads to the crux of this article’s matter, a complete wiping out of small businesses by big business houses owned chains.

So all your supermarket chains, warehouse chains, hotel chains, restaurant chains, gas stations, electronic goods houses, clothing giants etc, their cumulative action is what I am referring to as market takeover.

How is privatization a precursor to this takeover?

As I mentioned above, privatization may not cost Government any less, in fact deprive it of its’ own sources of generation income but, more importantly, it leaves the workers of those industries poorer. The people in such organizations get underpaid. And being underpaid means having less fluid cash, which means not enough to buy everything you need.

That is when the next stage of the process, the market takeover starts. The big business houses launch their chains one by one. And as I mentioned in my write-up about Capitalism, because they buy in big bulk, they can afford to sell cheap.

So the people who get paid less have no choice but to walk into these retail businesses to buy their daily needs as it saves them money, which they already get in short supply. No prizes for guessing how it affects the small guy who owns a small business. Where does he go? To apply for a job!

Why doesn’t the Government stop it if it is so wrong?

Well, any sensible person will say, “Accepting your mistake and rectifying it reflects humility and intelligence!”

If that is the case then why does the Governments of the countries where it has happened undo it, and those where it is slowly happening, stop it? Am I more intelligent than the brains that run countries that I can see what they can’t?

Well friends, the question is not about intelligence, rather intentions.

Governments are run by politicians who come to power by winning elections when ordinary people like you and me vote for them. But those elections are fought using money that is provided by businessmen. And it is not just the money put in elections alone. When a political party wins an election the businessmen who paid for the campaigns expect to get repaid in kind. They expect the Government to make decisions that will help them make much more money than they spent on elections.

The Governments are elected by ordinary people but they work to promote the interests of the businessmen who paid for the election campaigns. But that is not all. The politicians also get paid for making decisions that help those businessmen make billions. It is the sweat nectar of this symbiotic relationship. Why do you think Swiss banks won’t give you details about who have got how much money in there? How do you think ordinary social leaders become business or real estate tycoons over their political careers?

Do you expect them to make a decision that will harm their business partners?

So how does this affect everyone else?

Even though this question shouldn’t arise anymore, but since it has, I’ll have to answer it.

The people whose organizations are privatized, they loose on salaries and many benefits, and their jobs become insecure. Every time the tender exchanges hands between organizations, the workers are forced to reapply for the same jobs and start at lower rates than what they might already be on.

The small business men suffer the brunt and are wiped out of market.

But what about those who have good jobs and salaries?

Perhaps I should rephrase it.

What about the kids, grandkids and posterity of those who have decent jobs today? How much can they be sure that one of their posterity won’t end up in a situation where he or she is without a decent job? Will they have resources to set up a business which will survive in a market governed by lavish business houses?

We have inherited a world and a society from our grandparents and great-grandparents. It is our responsibility to make sure we hand it over to our posterity in at least the same state if not better.

How does this page associates with India and other emerging economies?

Very simple! What has already gone wrong with every western society, is now slowly heading the way of Indian people and also other emerging societies. Why do you think Indian economy has been opened? Why do you think the western businessmen triumphantly claim that countries like India and Brazil and many other third world nations are big markets?

Governments need money to run the country and politicians want money to fill their dirty coffers. But where is money in India or other third world countries. All the money that was there has already been ripped off our motherlands by our former leaders.

Have the Indians forgotten how in early 1990’s, under the PV Narsimha Rao Government, Dr Manmohan Singh, the present Prime Minister and then Finance Minister, had taken all the Gold India had and deposited it as guarantee with the foreign banks to get loans to run the country?

How did that Gold return to India and how were those loans repaid? And mind you, I haven’t even asked yet, “How were those loans used?”

Now have the Indians forgotten how the Governments signed “Open Trade” agreements with G9 Nations, the group that controls the World Bank and loans nations like India? What did those agreements encompass?

All the privatization that has happened in India in the last decade or so is a direct result of those open trade agreements and is a precursor to subsequent market takeover. And if the ordinary Indians feel they won’t be affected by the privatization as they are not associated with those industries, forget it!

Read what I have written in this page above and you will get your answers. What has already gone wrong with the western societies is going to happen to Indians now. And people of other third world countries beware as well, “We all are in the same boat.”

Take care,
Fatal Urge Carefree Kiss (Amanpreet Singh Rai)

P.S.: A message for my American brothers and sisters is presented below.

Something about President Obama, Media and Businessmen:

First let me point out that every businessman is not bad. It’s just a handful of rotten apples in the basket. But they have started to rot the rest of the basket as well, so it’s time to tick them out.

Similarly, I am sure there must be media organizations that do have genuine interest in ordinary people’s lives and are honest. Perhaps I haven’t contacted them yet, or maybe they are not sure about me, or maybe they are wary of the Governments.

If I claim to be an honest man, then off-course I can’t be the only one on this earth. So let me assure such Media organizations and such Businessmen, I will never harm any of their interests as long as they are on the side of ordinary people.

However media as I mentioned, is generally misused for political interests. Let me take an example of the same.

The September 11 anniversary was coming and everybody was expectedly heavy hearted. However, it would have passed of uneventful but for the sudden media flash about a possible terrorist attack on the day. Everybody was suddenly concerned, and expectedly so, and their discussions must have centered around the war on terror, withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, Bin Laden, hate etc.

Nothing untoward happened, and thank GOD it didn’t, but this news very easily pushed a much more current, relevant and important issue out of the coffee table discussions. The job package being offered by President Obama!

My first reaction to this news was, “Is this really true or is there some other intention behind it?”

Now considering what I requested President Obama in my letter to him, what the President is offering is nothing more than peanuts but he is still offering something, something which might be more politically important for him, and detrimental to his political opponents chances in the next US elections, but something which is still important for ordinary Americans, considering what I asked the President, neither he, nor his opponents will ever do it, for obvious reasons which we all know.

But the importance of his offering was lost as American public’s attention was diverted from it towards 9/11 and its’ associated terrible memories, and a news which was nothing more than a sensational headline in the end.

That has set me thinking as I rewind all that has been happening since the last year or so, perhaps ever since Mr Obama became the President.

When Mr Obama talked about building a mosque at 9/11 site, I didn’t like his proposal as I thought it was political crap and what happened subsequently, like the threat to burn Holy Quran and the rest, it was all in bad taste.

But now when I look back at everything, all I see is a man who is desperately trying to do the right thing, trying to set the house in order, but someone who is not being allowed to do his job freely. His struggle to get the US deal about debt hasn’t gone unnoticed either. So what is happening down there?

I cannot be absolutely sure but it looks like, people in American politics have decided not to let him have another term in office. Considering he has withdrawn troops from Iraq, and now Afghanistan, and also, how US didn’t participate in Libyan conflict, I guess we all know which lobbies don’t want him anymore. And as I said, media runs for Politicians and Businessmen.

Even President Obama watching the killing of Bin Laden live was a bad political decision but I reckon he was set up for it.

Now Bin Laden deserved death because it’s not just the people who got killed because of him and their families destroyed. Even the people, the youth, he and his henchmen have misguided into joining the war, they have families who have been devastated. And then the innocents who are dying in the war, they all have families and friends

But watching the killing live was wrong as it cuts a wrong image of President Obama in front of Muslim voters. I won’t be surprised if those images are re-circulated on the net and media under some pretext during the US elections.

Perhaps there are people who don’t want him to return to the office, which is why everything he is doing, they are undoing it.

In case it was to become certain that Mr Obama will be re-elected, I won’t be surprised if he becomes the next US President in history, to be assassinated. And I won’t be surprised if Al Qaeda takes up the responsibility after that or some other radical group. After all, the war has to keep going.

P.P.S.: A short message to the lovely people of Korea.

To my lovely Korean friends:

Honestly, most of what I am going to write is meant more for the North Korean regime but it does concern people of entire Korea.

Please, don’t fight!

You are the same! Brothers from the same mother! Don’t fight with each other for someone else because when brothers fight, it’s only the outsiders who benefit. Remember following points:

1. Those who want you to fight are not your friends as friends don’t make brothers fight. Friends always patch up things.
2. It is not the ordinary people of those countries who want you to fight as ordinary people, doesn’t matter which part of the world they live in, which country, religion, race or ethnicity they come from, ordinary people only want to live in peace and want peace for everybody else.
3. The people who want you to keep fighting are not men of honor fighting for their dignity. They are just a handful of rotten apples among the Business class who want you to keep fighting for their own selfish interests.

I want a unified Korea, just like a unified Germany, a one Vietnam. I want peace for people on both sides because, as I said, you both are same.

If it is hard to find a common ground because of your different societal structures of Communism and Capitalism, then try moving your countries towards “Equalism”. Not only will you get a common ground, but it is also better for the welfare of ordinary people of both sides. You can read about “Equalism” at the following page:

Always Shine Australia Party (ASAP)

Take care,
Fatal Urge Carefree Kiss (Amanpreet Singh Rai)