Wednesday, May 3, 2017
An Unfortunate Tipping Point and the Hope of New Positve One
An Unfortunate Tipping Point and the Hope of New Positve One
I recently read a review of Fear Itself by Ira Katznelson in Christian Century. The book is about the New Deal under Franklin D. Roosevelt and how it impacted our present times. It is on my to order list for my Kindle.
There is one section of this review that caught my eye and imagination. It had to do with the impact of the New Deal on the domestic front in relation to economics and the roll the South played in how the New Deal unrolled; a tipping point* in our history. (The author also believes that the New Deal pulled the world back from the brink of disaster.)
In the early and most radical part of the New Deal southern congressional members were convinced that the status quo of the racial order had to be maintained along with the expanding role of the federal oversight of the economy. As a result large numbers of African-Americans were not part of the new regulations. Regional autonomy was also emphasized.
This is the interesting part that Kratznelson concludes; that if the South had voted differently or had fewer votes “the United States might have ended up looking more like the European-style social democracy” with more of a commitment to the common good.
I have wondered over the years why European countries seem far more socially progressive in terms of social welfare systems than we are. This may well in part explain our differences and why we often seem so backward in social programs and have gone to a troublesome time, which we now see.
Our current do-nothing legislature in the past year did nothing about reforming immigration laws, tax reform, climate change or raising minimum wage. This congress has done less that any congress for 40 years.
We see some changes on the horizon that may make us a more socially responsible country; progressive voices seem to be finding their voice despite the undue influence of the wealthy power brokers in this country and currently make congress their toadies.
On a side note and a positive note, is the election of Pope Francis. I noted the other day a TV commentator saying that this pope is spending less time on social issues and more on the issues of the poor. It was a dumb statement. Those issues of the poor are social issues. What the commentator was trying to say is that this pope is not highlighting infighting in organized religion about entrenched doctrines that hurt people, but accenting the teachings of Jesus as found in the Sermon on the Mount/Plain. This is a social action Pope with his priorities clear on the teachings of Jesus that is paramount in our care for each other and our connections with each other.
While our human nature I believe tends to drag us down and splinter humans into a dog eat dog mentality with the result of uncontrolled capitalism created vast differences between the wealthy and others. I also belief that God lifts up leaders that guide us to a more enlightened and positive path, such as Pope Francis. We also hear the social gospel in the progressives of our era such as Bill Moyers and Robert Reich, to name a couple. This folk call us back to accountability and equality and the pursuit of happiness that all may pursue, not just a privileged few. May this be the new tipping point of our future.
*Tipping point is a concept developed by sociologist Morton Drodzins and later expanded by Tomas Schelling meaning when a group rapidly and dramatically changes behavior by widely adopting a new practice. Malcom Gladwell wrote a book in 2000 which mainly deals with economic moments.
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