Struck By Congress: Social Welfare In The United States

Authors : Eddie J. Girdner

Pages : 0-0

Doi:10.1501/Intrel_0000000142

View : 11 | Download : 11

Publication Date : 2007-05-01

Article Type : Research

Abstract :The purpose of this paper is to present a state of the union status of the United States, which is likely to ring very different than that which is delivered by the US President every January. The perspective will be from that of the working class and based upon published statistics, mostiy from the US Government itself. The paper will also attempt to address the above observation by Harry Magdoff concerning the dominance of neoliberalism in mature capitalist countries. Is it a result of Gramscian ideological hegemony, vvhich tends to preclude democracy from the grass roots, or is it necessarily part of the logic of mature capitalism and part of the contradictions of the capitalist system? Even if life is to become more of a struggle for the majority in the interests of corporate profits and capitalist accumulation, why do the vast majority of people tolerate their economic degradation vvhen the tools of democracy are available to be used?
Keywords : US, Neoliberalism, Social VVelfare, US Economy, NAFTA, Imperialism