Who said democracy?

It was 1975, the change of an era was coming: the end of the dictatorship, the beginning of the transition.

Those were good times, times of change, but mainly of hopes and ideals. The ideal of a democratic government was closer than ever, and the freedom to speak and have a representative defending all kinds of classes began to loom on the horizon.

I was not born yet, but my elders always have that tint in their eyes or memory that makes you think that this moment was special.

After the transition, the democracy was reached. What a word!

Democracy: People elect their representative, and they represent their interests, promising to fulfil all the promises made to be elected (election promises).

Since then, and for many years the Spanish democracy has been defined by its bipartisanship. This, while it is a democracy, it is still, in my opinion, a biased democracy: you are with me or against me. In case you would decide another party, you will be called minority group, and will be treated as such.

To give you an idea, and relatively speaking, is like the situation that exists now in the Spanish league, where if you’re not the R. Madrid or FC Barcelona , your share of the pie in television rights will always be a minority, and have no option to influence in the match scheduling …

However, we are today in a society where the word democracy, beyond that bipartisanship point, has been fully disqualified, empty.

The will of the people, defined perhaps in election promises of politicians, has been devalued in favour of the interests of the political class and their party, which are well ahead of the needs of the people.

These interests are those that have led the Spanish political corruption to be widely recognized/ accepted, and extended along the entire political class (right, left, centre, … everybody seems to be guilty). The political class does not hesitate to defend their kind and offer pardons even when judicial powers have already condemned the accused.

When the separation of powers, defined by Montesquieu – separation of powers between the executive (government), legislature (parliament) and judiciary (courts) – is totally faded into melting colour pot of the same green tint ($) is when you can say, without a doubt, that democracy is dead.

The government chooses MPs to submit their lists, and after that decides who will be the legal representatives in the bureau of justice. And all of this funded by large corporations / individuals whose interests are not only economical but of power. Is that separation of powers?

It is often said that Spain is still a young democracy. It has not been that long since we were in a dictatorship when all Europe was maturing after the Second World War.

Is that a good enough excuse to justify the lies within the electoral promises, the acceptance of corruption, the culture and language imposition or the economic discrimination on certain regions of the country?

Sorry but to me it seems more something close to an under covered totalitarianism in the legitimacy of a democracy …

It might be that today we live in a democracy, but a democracy where our vote is sold to the highest bidder and where our voice falls into an abyss of bureaucracy impossible to circumvent.

Was it for that that we wanted a democracy?

I had always argued that a technocrat government was the optimal solution (which does not mean ideal) for a democracy like ours. People who know what has to be done, without political ties or obligations to large corporations, working towards a single purpose: the improvement of the country.

As Chilean President Michele Bachelet said, «only when it serves the integrity, democracy demonstrates its effectiveness and societies stop looking for leaders or demagogues and prefer technocrats»

However, some examples in recent years (Monti in Italy, the «Govern dels millors» in Catalonia or Samaras in Greece) have shown that even technocrats, as much as qualified they are (much more than most politicians), there is a background that does not allow an increase in quality / differentiation in the politics.

Then, what to do?

Lately, my believes has been moving towards social movements. Isn’t democracy the government of the people? Then let the people decide, organize, and influence, as far as possible, to the current anachronistic structure that we call state, and seems impossible to evolve.

Not to forget our friend Montesquieu, back to powers separation, as this is one of the foundations for a fairer, meritocratic and, after all, democratic government.

L’emigrant

Madrid 2020: a chant to meritocracy

Sometimes in Knowthing we escape the hottest topics in order to avoid being repetitive or because we think we cannot add value on certain issues that are being discussed over and over in the media. But, this case is quite different; we would like to offer our vision regarding the causes that led to the failure of Spain’s bid for the 2020 Olympics.

First of all, we would like to clarify the following: we truly believe in the goodness of the Olympics, and nobody better than us: we are born in Barcelona, and we certainly know how important and beneficial the ’92 Olympic Games were for Barcelona. For this reason, we want to express our desire for Madrid to hold the Olympics, but only when the city deserves it. This is what we know as meritocracy.

Did Madrid deserve to hold the 2020 Games? Let’s be honest, absolutely not. Some of the reasons:

• We lead rankings: Spain leads at an astonishing 26.30% unemployment rate and 57.6% youth unemployment rate.

• We are not recovering the market: Domestic demand and GDP remain in the red zone.

• We are corrupt: The Spanish political class is immersed in multiple cases of corruption.

• We do not speak English: The Madrid 2020 project presentation, even though not decisive, showed little language level and political accurateness

• We sell smoke: “Spain has 50 of the total 98 votes granted”; shown in the cover of the journal “El Mundo”.

• Democracy absence: Catalonia asks to step away, despite many obstacles.

• We do not have any Project: 2020 Madrid wanted to sell a project based on austerity and economically responsible, when the IOC requires high investments levels. It makes no sense. Logically, France, Germany and Italy moved away from the Olympic race for this reason.

But let’s go further. During the week, prior to the ceremony of the Olympic Games, and even minutes before the verdict, Spain was ranked as the favorite for betting sites, thousands of people gathered in Madrid in front of the screens waiting for the final decision. It seemed to be just a mere formality.

But the most surprising thing happened minutes after the verdict, when Spain was eliminated in third place, all journalists and experts began to state reasons like these ones:

• The Spanish delegation has failed to «convince» the IOC members. It reads convincing, put bribe.

• The English level shown has been ridiculous.

• The cost of the «expedition» to Argentina , around 10 million euro. Perhaps Spain should have rethought it. http://www.madrid2020.es/seccion/colaboradores/

• Among the members who have travelled to Argentina are politicians, ministers and others who is not easy to understand what they are doing there.

• Barcelona won because of ICO’s president, Mr. Samaranch.

Shocking. Not because they lack reason, in fact I agree with most of them, but because they are a clear reflection of how the media and politicians manipulate us at will. In case it was not known before the vote, it is obvious that the choice of the Olympic Games venue, is often determined by chain favors, money in hand and other business and political dealings . But this is the least serious of the situation.

The problem is not losing or feeling disappointed. The stark reality is that we are not capable of self-criticism. We do not learn from our mistakes, and therefore we do not have enough intelligence to overcome difficulties that we have encountered in the past. Why do we say this? As an example, the headline shown by “El Mundo” quoting Alejandro Blanco: «The performance of Ana Botella has been extraordinary.»

The lack of self-criticism, analysis and understanding have led this country, who was playing in the Champions of banking, as Zapatero said a few years ago, to the utmost of economic ruin. It has also led Madrid to bid 3 times in a row for the Olympic Games, and is still doubting whether to bid for a fourth time. Failure after failure.

Let’s be clear. The Olympic Games, given the current situation, it was a smokescreen to remove political debates, such crucial issues like education, health or the possible independence of Catalonia.

How did they think to pay for all the outstanding infrastructure development? All regional governments and municipalities, are cutting costs, and Madrid, meanwhile spending huge amounts of money in the Olympics? It seems that the government has it quite clear. As an example, we can put Luis de Guindos or Mariano Rajoy. We can deduct, then, that having won Madrid, Will all infrastructure investments have been aimed at Madrid and co – locations? In what position are left all other cities?

And looking to the future, what will happen from now on? Seeing that the Olympic bid is starting to become unreachable, it will no longer invest that «90% of infrastructures» in the capital and we will be able to start investing in the rest of Spain? It may no longer be necessary for the Mediterranean corridor to go through the center of Spain?

Even though, things are darker than ever, take a relaxing cup of “Café con Leche” in Plaza Mayor.

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Redirecting Capitalism

The economy is defined as the set of economic activities that occur in the movement of goods, people, money and / or services, occurring within a single system (local or global) between different actors in a market. The process begins with the existence of needs of market players (primary or secondary, companies or individuals) why should manage existing resources and produce goods or services to meet them.

The system is self-regulating, ie putting the offer price will not be absorbed by demand until both players agree on a point of interest in the quantity and price assimilate to the needs and demand rules.

Then, if the system is self-regulating and adjusting, we cannot but ask What, Who has led to a dramatic situation like the present?

All, or what is the same, the agents involved in the market have altered the rules and the requirements to participate in the economy. And, how those rules have changed?

• Imposition of tariffs and taxes on imports / exports

• Subsidies to promote deficit sectors

• Corruption at all levels of decision

• massive injections of money and credit facility in the market causing the increase, in a bubble, prices of basic and second necessity

• Excessive spending in good times

• And many more

Thousands of questions unanswered fly, but they all take an internal perspective. For example, in Spain we can only wonder how U.S. out of the crisis, but do not think about global solutions that can prevent market failures that lead to more serious situations in the future internationally.

What can we do? What can we change? These questions are not the focus from a macroeconomic point of view of the type: we could raise taxes, print more money or lower interest rates. Basically, it will change economic policies and will trip over the same stone.

On this basis, comes «The Venus Project» initiated by Jacque Fresco, and the mentality of redesigning the current culture. Its aim is to restructure society through the use of a resource-based economy, and not money. The form of organization is implemented through environmentally sustainable cities, based on energy efficiency, sound management of natural resources and the intensive use of technologies available to us today, and those that are to come. Social cooperation and scientific methodology would be the laws of governance and interaction between citizens. His theory will find in the following video.

The Venus Project is far from what reality allows us to do today, is true. We can not change the basis of global society in two days, let alone big upending the idiosyncrasies of all mankind. I’ve always believed that if you have to dream, dream big, if you have a goal, but a priori it seems impossible, fight for it, because if you fight will be closer than if desist at first.

Anyway, we live in the society of immediacy. Therefore, Een this time of corruption, it is time to speak out, locking up politicians in their bubble, and focus on self-governing, managing resources properly, but above all, open borders, to float freely markets, resources and people. The markets are smarter than politicians, should meet the needs of its agents.

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