[A Storyworld Chronicle]
When politics is viewed as business and collective values are reduced to "good deals, costs, and profits," what are the consequences?
First, democracy ceases to exist.
Democracy relies on collective values that protect and guarantee the rights and aspirations of the "sovereign people" who have entrusted authority to their representatives.
"Good deals, costs, and profits" have never protected anyone but the powerful who decide what constitutes a good deal for themselves.
Remember: "You don't have the cards," Trump repeatedly told Zelensky, attempting to coerce him into signing a deal to exploit rare earth minerals without guaranteeing Ukraine's safety. Only the powerful hold the cards. They decide. They impose.
The "weak" obey until death ends the deal.
Indeed, in a system without regulations and collective values, the good deal imposed by the powerful ends like an abusive marriage bound to its vow of "Until death do us part."
This is why states regulate business: history has repeatedly shown that without laws, powerful companies simply act as they please, disregarding honesty, safety, freedom, free will, nature, or human lives.
In a system where laws, states, and values are reduced to "good deals, costs, and profits," the concept of "corruption" doesn't even exist. Corruption becomes the norm, the way of life, common sense.
Second, there are no self-made men anymore.
What does "equality" mean?
Equality means that anyone—regardless of their background—is entitled to freedom, safety, respect, dignified treatment, social recognition, and success. This is the "zero degree of equality." The concept can then be expanded according to the political 'storyworld'—the political framework, set of values, logic, narratives, and norms:
1. You can broaden the conditions of equality: regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, age, abilities, etc.
2. You can extend its scope of application: access to good health, education, legal defense, food, housing, etc.
When only "good deals, costs and profits" rule, equality becomes a non-sense.
Only powerful families can access freedom, safety, respect, dignified treatment, social recognition and success, good health, education, legal defense, nutritious food, and quality housing. Others simply lack the means.
Castes have returned—not legally, but financially.
People can no longer afford to say no to "bad deals." The American dream of the hardworking, talented man succeeding regardless of their origins becomes impossible. I deliberately used "man" here; societies governed by "good deals, costs, and profits"—societies without collective values and regulations—have historically denied rights to women, relegating them to being the slaves of slaves.
So now, let's consider the original question.
In this corporate state that Trump and his executive committee of billionaires are instituting with a chainsaw, is Russia a “better deal” than Europe?
Europe has collective values that inspire its laws and regulations ; it abides by the “rule of law”. Russia does not.
Europe regulates business. Russia does not.
Europe won't agree to Trump helping himself to Greenland or any other country he fancies. Russia might not object if it means they can also help themselves as they see fit.
Europe values human lives. Russia does not.
Europe wants to preserve equality. Russia does not.
Europe is attached to reality and truth. Russia is not.
Europe aims to contain the power of large corporations. Russia does not.
So, what do you think?
Personnaly, I suppose the "good deal," the best deal, would be to share Europe's resources between Russia and America, much like the "good deal" Trump wanted to impose on Ukraine. Good old “imperialism and colonialism”.
And once again, Ukraine is merely the testing ground: can we—the powerful—simply take what we want?
What's at stake here is not only Ukraine, not even Europe: it's a new order that will impose itself on each and every one of us.
So, do we want democracy, or do we want "good deals" for the powerful and "bad deals" for the rest of us?
It is time to refuse this vocabulary and its consequences.
It is time to come back to the basics, and say:
We don’t want a startup nation.
We don’t want a corporate state.
We don’t want deals.
We want DEMOCRACY.
(on Earth, a still-living Earth, not on Mars).
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