by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
Philanthropy is a scam as it allows the (super) rich to influence global affairs and gain political power with no consequences. We can see time and again in the case of George Soros and his “foundations” and NGOs supported by the OSI when it comes to projects for Roma in Eastern Europe (none in the West need to apply) which he uses to gain access to and political power in those countries, such as Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, etc.
Capitalists use philanthropy as a tool that links charity, capitalism and development by investing in “fixing” complex historical problems in poor countries (and communities) to expand privatization and their agenda being only limited by their own resources.
They intervene in public life but are not accountable to the public, are privately governed but publicly subsidized, reinforcing the problem of plutocracy, the exercise of power derived from wealth
NGOs and foundations make it seem as if capitalism were the solution and not the cause of the world's problems especially the disparity between the poor and the rich.
Neoliberal practices are imported that ultimately harm locals who are pushed out of their own land or pay higher prices for public services.
For example supposed philanthropic projects in Congo involving Bill Gates, Monsanto and Howard Buffet proved to be devastating as local farmers will be forced to use GMO seeds and fertilizers only benefiting private companies. A model that is being replicated all over the world.
Will this kind of “charity” fix the system that allowed capitalists to become so rich? Don't for a moment believe that. It will not fix the system; it will perpetuate it. They need to have the poor, be it Roma – and that case also Antigypsyism – or others in order to be able to perpetuate their operations. They have no intention to fix anything in the situation of, say, the Gypsy People for if they would fix the problem then there would be no need for them to continue to operate in that field.
Philanthropy, just like much of the “charity” work today, has become an industry that can only continue to exist and gather funds, most of which end up in certain people's pockets, if the situations on the ground are not alleviated too much. Very much in the vein of “Mother” Theresa (of Calcutta) and her attitude to the poor and the sick. Her real attitude, I am referring to, and not the one presented to the world.
Philanthropy and many other NGO work has become an industry and poverty is being made profitable be that in regards to the homeless, the Gypsy, refugees, and so on. That is why only that much is being done and no more. A little like Margaret Thatcher when she said that for wages to be kept low the country needed a million plus unemployed, the charity industry needs the poor and marginalized and can't do too much otherwise it would lose its reason to exist.
© 2018
