Localisation and the middle class

Capitalism and decline

As capitalism falls into a deeper decline the physical volume of world trade will decline also and localisation and/or nationalism will bring about tensions and conflict as it has done in the past. Nothing will stave off the inevitable fall or the interim boom and bust cycles as this is an integral component in the internal logic of modern capitalism; the existence of which, we can attribute to the middle classes.

The myths

There is a perpetual myth that without the middle classes the economies of the world will collapse. The middle class argue that globalisation is bad because it results in cheaper products, poorer wages and fewer jobs and this has a trickle down effect, but the working class have always had lower wages, they have always been exploited because this is inherent in the middle class revolution and the nature of middle class capitalism.

The middle class have always been opposed to any kind of help or welfare and we are now seeing its devolution running alongside the notion of “resilience”, the current localisation buzzword. But “resilience” is not environmental change it is making do with what will take place and adapting to it, including the destruction of the environment and a new poverty class.

The middle class suggest that supporting globalisation is supporting a path to international feudalism. Well, who owned the 18th century satanic mills, the early mining rights and the deplorable industrial conditions that people laboured in before the advent of unions? Who owned the laws where men and women were deported for stealing a loaf of bread? Who owned the manufacturing and production factories were children, the elderly and the sick eked out a living on assembly lines? Who owned the land for agriculture after the previous feudal epoch and tightened their hold by closing off what was left of the commons? The middle classes were the propertied class and any crisis is their doing. Is it going to be any different?

I do not dispute the fact that the multinationals are greedy and dominant and do what they can to cut corners on human rights and expected standards. I do not dispute that many aspects of globalisation need to be changed, but let’s change them for the better not to suit middle class interests.