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Re: NAFTA, Capitalism and Alternatives: Debate, pt.1
Harry:
Besides the anti-capitalist view that you offered, what else can you offer to
"solve" the situation?
Yes, land reform is needed, promotion of investment required, labor intensive
projects demanded , and so on. But, as usual, the Key question is, how to do
it?
On the other hand, I can tell you that- also as usual- people like Mr Esteva
in Oaxaca are pretty good in making "proposals" sound wonderfull but in
practice, unfortunately, -and I don't want to discuss why- they have not
worked very well. As somebody use to say, Mr Esteva is one of those people
who "gets its salary using his 'right'(capitalist) hand and make criticisms
and proposals using his left hand". But as long as no consistency be reached
between the "speach" and the "actions" the situation for the poor in Mexico
will, unfortunately, be the same.
States like Oaxaca have also the problem that most of their revenues come as
"participaciones federales", which means that the state government by itself
is unable to generate the money needed for their projects- and even worse
there is the problem that a good amount is wasted because government
officials and functionaries (most of whom do not reside within the state) are
paid personal expenses in amounts that even PRONASOL beneficiaries would like
to get for their whole communities. This situation is going to be more
difficult for Oaxaca now that many state governments in Mexico are claiming
the right to use the federal taxes generated in those states.
Yes, we need to think about solutions but we have not been able to give them
so far. Lots of forums reach conclusions that, yes! there are alternative
views and ways to solve our problems! But, unfortunately they prove that only
in the speach!
Jorge Raygoza
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