Strasbourg

Gate Keepers

The reason the a system any system have gate keepers, to control access, while capitalism thrives on limiting access and accenting privilege, base on race, religion, sex or class. Capitalism rational for discretion is found in Plato an ideal of the myth of the Philosopher King (Book IV and V).  But this position is not unique to Capitalism, Feudal Society or Aristocrat system. The collapse of the Marxist system of the Soviet Union or Eastern Europe is found when the dictator ship of the working class become the new aristocrat, the nomenclature give themselves the right in the name of his class to become not just the economic oppressor, but human dignity with his liberties, today we can see the same effect in China, Cuba, Venezuela or theocratic state like Iran or Saudi Arabia.

The gate keeper effect is found from early stage education. In education the key is continuity of the information, in US the SAT is oriented only to Middle Class or Upper Class, because the social class can afford the continuity in the education, not to say the bias in the education considers what the right information is and the test is base on this assumptions. Later on work base individual has the capacity to repeat the information consider correct, case on point the Economic Meltdown in 2008 any economist who try to published decent, question monetary policies where sensor, from 20,000 professional economist (PhD) only 3 question the deregulation a big factor for the meltdown.

The fallacy of the system, can be found in the Marxist believe like any pseudo Science, economics or social behaviour is sciences, since the base for science is experimental. Like any religion who deviated humans can be irrational or self destructive, the psychological need for certainty. The free market religion want to believe humans are rational where history recount anecdotes of the contrary, a soldier jumping in front of a Granada given his life for his comrades, when they re not his biological family or saving from genocide even not relation.

Today due to internet, while is obvious was not indented to be a forum an encyclopaedia of ideas, while the original was developed because in the 1950´s funding agency of US Government wanted to control the research for their own purpose, now has flourish a open ideas, where not walls, while repressing system trying, but now instruments like Freedom Box  and others have forced no more gate keepers and freedom of information can be preserved by creating alternatives networks from the clutches of the gate keepers.   

Serenity on the Lake

Winter Moment

The History of Privilege

While, in human history we have been with privilege, the question why we accepted in on daily lives. Not to say, we have rebel through time and they are many examples consider: the Hebrews rebels against the joke of Pharaoh, to peasant rebellion and slaves rebellions through time. Why after the rebellion past, Luther rebel against Rome, but when a more radical rebellion took place with the peasant rebellion, Luther in the name of the order and Luther hated the same power control Rome impose  Rome, but in his hands he impose the same yoke, but taken sides with Nobility.

Antisemitism has been a product, since the Hebrews believe being select by a God, and the other, specially the other major monotheistic religions Christianity and Islam fight for the same privilege could not accepted Hebrews  described the right. Here is the paradox both religions have the privilege impose an permanent historical alienation, by imposing color and exclusion from the society. We need to recognize the original restrictions were created in Caliph of Baghdad in eight Century restricting Christians, for example introduction of blue color to identify the Christians, eventually yellow to the Jews, restricting professions, for the Christian work not suitable to Islam  graveyard yard work (i.e. working with the death is not pure), in the same token in Feudal Europe from the Roman tradition land was the base of the economy. Constantine restrict the Jews to won land, the only jobs where wine making who was not consider land ownership and vineyards small to be treat, gardens products like onions, money leading, since Jews religion emphasis some basic education, more over education was restrict by the Church control, Jews had education in reading and writing and the University was run is Guilds to created exclusion, but certain profession were base on license by the state Medicine and Advocates. Through this alienation this two religions make sure dehumanize and to increase the status for the idea of chosen, while the alienation towards the Jews was ideological, but not unique. The Samaria have been 700 A.D inhabitant in Samaria, but through different Islam regime, Nablus Mt Gerezin were deny the right of the Pascal sacrificed and during Ottomans by restrictions and persecution where reduce to 15,000.

We can recognize in human history the innovation of the force and created the power of privilege, in US, the innovation of slave was base on Color, and the Roman Catholic Antisemitism was base on ideology that has the authority in name of a God.

Socrates in the Republic set the rationalization through the fantasy of the Philosophy king will be benign and wise. In the renaissance, Machiavelli saw the de Medici, an industry in Political Philosophy to rationalize despotic nobility, feudal rationalization took a major drive in enlightenment, and many rulers like Frederick of Great in Prussia, Katharina of Great, in the America revolution am inherent contradiction devolution of power, but an elite controlling the power itself.

But not just political power, the innovation of US, slave trade was base on race, and idea of an individual or group, in many ways the measure conflict of 20 century who was best power holder, need to said German Nationalism was in superiority of race given the right of rule and to submitted to Authority, manifested in Fascism and Dictator like Franco supported by the Rona Catholic Church (i.e. the introduction of Industrial Genocide, was not Germany or the Mass Killing by Staling the Honor goes to the Ottoman Empire, and today Turkey is till deny the mass killing of 1.5  Million Armenians). Nazi Germany, haven delusion, envy and desire of British imperialism, not different of Japan imperialism having the same desire. Or Marx with his fantasy a working class because having a yoke of oppression, can become ethical and benign, in the 1990 the run out steam.

The fallacy of Fukyama, Andrew Carnegie in Gospel Money using protestant ideology, to rationalize the right robber barons to be the Philosopher King, Capitalism will be justice and ethical, in the economy meltdown of 2008, due for 40 years (since Nixon and accelerated by Regan in the 1980s) base on economy of credit card, where the credit was given according to race, religion or ethnic group.

Society or individual does not have capacity ourselves to be the righteous individual who become the philosopher king, since fundamental fallacy is how well intent, disconnect with time where in the end king does not have clothing.

The alternative is how community and individual find a middle ground, where justice is possible, from the economy point of view cooperatives run by individual or groups. The political frame should be direct democracy and consensus in a frame of general assemblies. Advocacy should be a commonwealth of cooperatives and collectives. An irony the computers were design to give a respond from a nuclear attack by having a decentralize network, the same network can be use to manage such commonwealth or federation.

2011 Trauma and Renewal, Perhaps

Since the collapse of the Berlin Wall, our time has been in trauma. Since the supplied economics school in Chicago, created the fantasy of society base on credit in the 1930´s against the Keynesian model, and brought to live by Nixon in the late 60´s, with Kaiser Permanent of California to change health care non-profit to profit, and with Regan and Margaret creating a society base on credit, 30 years of borrowing from Student loans and any loan backup on class and race.

In 2008, a society who has not tangible products and real cash or liquidated, collapsing the system. Capitalism origins is privilege and the  foundation on the privilege of the Feudal Europe, today is translated on Religion, Ethnicity, Sex and race to decided who is worthy to access to the credit. Education has become an instrument for the connections to get access to the privilege of credit, if you are in arbitrary defined by the society a top school the individual will have access to the privilege.

While we have seeing Arab spring but with the indications, Islamic regimes are being created, by the believing the religion is privilege.  Egypt, with 10-13 Million Coptic Christians will come legally second class citizens, while in reality the discrimination exist, but not justify, using their religion laws will legitimize. Of course the first victims are women, but making their sexuality an issue, because reproduction is control.

As reported and Canada in the name of God an Tradition give the male in Islam to demonize, abuse and honour killing in cases. In Canada, where many trying to romanticized the veil, a father, with two wives kill 4 of his daughters because acquired western values . Of course we all accepted the private and the right to believe, but when believe is part of the public square, any believe becomes an issue, after all when you slave and discriminate half of any population. Creativity and development only can occur when every one is free.

A society to achieve any type of equality will need to be base on Mutual Aid and Solidarity; a solution is a commonwealth of cooperatives, whether own by individuals or groups as the owners. Property has develop for the last thousand years is privilege of the few, the privilege turn into the theft of community, after all individuals have benefit, themselves from community education, roads, even the infrastructure give by the community. A society not base on consumption, but what ever production can be renew to minimize the impact to limit resources.

Hildesheim

In 825 become the seat of Bishop of Hildesheim and 1367 is part of the Hanseatic League, during pogrom in 1938 the Synagogue was destroy today a memorial as left (most of the Jews were deporte to death camps to the east):

Carpentras Provencal

One of the continues and surviving synagogue 1367 and May 1990 Jewish cemetery was desecrated by French and European Party.  

Troyes and Ramerupt

While Sholomo Yazhaki (Rashi), born in Troyes and study in Worms. The Jews under Medieval Europe law were not allot to own land, but the land for wine growth was consider industry and one of the land uses was allot to Jews, what left from Medieval is nothing, except the graveof his grant son Jacob ben Meir (Rabbeniu Tam).

The Symbol of R and Shin, is approximated location where the Jews cemetery was located.

The Synagogue in Troyes

Troyes today

Rameperut

Property

Property definition considered in classical liberal though: Hobes consider property “give every man of his own. John Locke  Second Treatise on Civil Government: “Every man has a property in his own person. This nobody has a right to, but himself.”  James Harrington “property natural but not inevitable.” William Blackstone in codify English Law the property is: "can resist tyranny of the Nobility." David Hume considers the liberty should be submitted under the state control. Charles Comte  Traité de la propriété (1834) try to legitimize property in respond to the Burbon Restoration:

a)      Interference by the state over the centuries in property ownership has had dire consequences for justice as well as for economic productivity.

b)      The property is legitimate when it emerges in such a way as not to harm anyone.

c)       Historically some, but by no means all, property which has evolved has done so legitimately, with the implication that the present distribution of property is a complex mixture of legitimately and illegitimately held titles

The use of property is found in Sumerian code, where the exchange merchandise is described for tax payments. Of course the Jews Law should not steal defined what property. Aristotle in Politics said lack property will neglected the commons.

Property from this historical tradition based on a right by authority, in most cases represented of the governance elite.

Western tradition, Byzantium and Ottoman law which appropriated the definitions of property derive from Roman law ( While some Roman Historians suggested the 12 Tablets are derived from Athens Solon Laws, much discussion, since Rome wanted a mantel legitimize by embracing Athens tradition, which many disputed). In Roman law Ius privatu, private property was defined as right granted in by the state and conducted by agreements.

A good example the Intellectual Property or patents considered in Venice 1774 issuing a decree of a creation will have a commercial value, by given a monopoly of period of 10 years. But early cases of this monopoly is found England in the form of Letters of Patents in 1331 given to John Kempe and his Company as Royal grant, later on codify in Status of Monopolies 1673. In Florence 1421, this Letters Patents found, and there is some evidence use Greek City states: In 500 BC, Sybaris today in Italy “encouragement was held out to all who should discover any new refinement in luxury, the profits arising from which were secured to the inventor by patent for the space of a yea (Charles Anthon, A Classical Dictionary: Containing An Account Of The Principal Proper Names Mentioned in Ancient Authors, And Intended To Elucidate All The Important Points Connected With The Geography, History, Biography, Mythology, And Fine Arts Of The Greeks And Romans Together With An Account Of Coins, Weights, And Measures, With Tabular Values Of The Same, Harper & Bros, 1841, pp 1273).” 

Patents can be describe a individual/individuals producing an particular idea, while derived from a common experience, still is individual production, but the monopoly is decided by a privilege.

Ricardo using the arguments by Adam Smith, Labor Theory of value, defined what is labor needed for producing or obtained commodity, given a quantity, private space is created an possession of the particular quantity define what is property.

 While ownership (control) of use, benefit, transfer, sells, excluded is definition of property.

Socialism critic of property is the individual ownership, benefit, transfer and exclusion is not sufficient to cost to rest of society. While oil production will benefit cost benefit the individuals, the cost, by limiting resources CO2 tramp the right of the others, one can said since is not insufficient information during using should not be detrimental, except the consequence is so global not possible individuals should have the right to harm everyone on such scale.

Libertarian Socialism suggested property is the continue use, when individual realize the detrimental force will stop.

Communist does not mean the state or the city, by collective use minimize the harm and inequality obtained by privilege granted. 

A definition of property is given by Locker and Tucker, property is function to produce as scarcity, production of Land for scarcity, food.

The terms of property consider is western tradition others views like Cherokee Nation:” The lands of the Cherokee Nation shall remain common property; but the improvements made thereon, and in the possession of the citizens respectively who made, or may rightfully be in possession of them: Provided, that the citizens of the Nation possessing exclusive and indefeasible right to their improvements, as expressed in this article, shall possess no right or power to dispose of their improvements, in any manner whatever.”

Corporate property exits to shift liability of the holder to abstract identity the corporation.

The question sis mention by Proudhon and Analyze by Kevin Carson in Mutualism Political Economy,  property is theft not by the individual by the Authority- the State, the Polis, by asserting the right and granted a privilege, moreover,  this privilege is tilted derived from nepotism to family member; to friend granted a right. 

Property become in exercises of power, not just in a Capitalist Society, the rights of the Free Cities in Europe are rights given by Aristocracy, but in a central authority as given in Marxist  tradition, where the Elite, benefits in with the implosion of the Soviet System in Russia, the elite, the managers, technocrats, the intellectual elite benefit by liquidation of the factories and Russia today where is country falling into underdevelopment manage by a corrupt elite benefit from natural resource, from Minerals to Gas production.

For the elites in the west, especially in Europe a need of energy independence, while Europe has imperial tradition, but dependence in cheap natural resources hinder invention of alternatives, not to say the Russian can cut the gas in the middle of winter, when Europe does not go along in some Economic or Foreign Policy which does not agree with the Kremlin or country holding the natural resource is power play.

Cordoba

The synagogue of Cordoba was built in 1315, and in 1800´s´s was the chapel for the shoemakers, in the process of restoring the chapel
the panels of the synagogue was discover in the 1800´s become a national monument. Besides the Synagogue in Cordoba, the second is Toledo Santa Maria la Blanca.

 

 

Granada

 

The State

How the state is come to being, from what is told, if the state has been part of human history, but the state is creation  of Napoleonic code of 1806, but secular view and the impact changes Europe and eventually the modern world.

Plato in the Republic in Book VI (Plato, Republic, translation Sterling RW and Scott CW, 1985, W.W. Norton & Company Inc), (499-d):“If, then at any time in ages past the best philosophers have obligated to govern the state…” establishing the right to rule is base philosophy and the philosopher is the rightful ruler since the philosopher has the knowledge to be a ruler Book V (473-d):

“It will be possible then, and only then, when kings are philosophers or philosophers kings. The philosopher desires all knowledge. Justice, beauty, good, and so on are single, though their presentation is multiplex and variable.”

The rationalization of the right top rule in the west is describe in Augustine in the City of God

Chapter 21 Book XIX (St Augustine, City of God, Translation Honan et al, Image Books, Toronto, 1958) : “If a commonwealth is the weal of the people, and if there is not people save one bound together by mutual recognition of rights, ad if there is not rights where there is not justices, there is not commonwealth ” but, Chapter 21 of the XIX, the right of ruler was base
on the right for justices.  Leibniz consider the fist cause is God and (Mediations pp 61) and

the justification to rule.  The periods of the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque the western tradition a rulers were base on despotism authoritarian rule manifest in feudal, Roman Catholic through the absolute rule of Bishop from Rome and Fascist/Marxist.

Another tradition base on Oligarchy exposed by Aristotle in (Politics III.1.1275b17–20) and the ones who established first city has the right (Politics- I.2.1253a30–1). Aristotle defined citizenship the right of jury:  “Citizens are distinguished from other inhabitants, such as resident aliens and slaves; and even children and seniors are not unqualified citizens (nor are most ordinary workers). After further analysis he defines the citizen as a person who has the right (exousia) to participate in deliberative or judicial office” (1275b18–21).

The Aristocrats models of elites were adopted by free cities of the medieval. In the same token Aristotle in Athenian constitution chapter 43-49, Penguin Classics, 1984, describe the councils and the election by lot and the concept of the direct democracy for the few.

Up to Napoleon introduce the civic, the right of citizen in Anglo-Saxon, was the owner of the property and for the rest of Europe was base on religion, ethnic group, exclusion was the Jews, never being recognize is part of the citizen.  The fact Jews is outsiders, but in the tradition Pirke Avot (Book I):  “Shemayah and Avtalion received the Torah from them. Shemayah said: Love work; hate domination; and seek not undue intimacy with the government.”  And priority being outsider was again mention Pirke Avot Book II: “Rabban Gamaliel the son of Rabbi Judah the Prince said: Great is study of the Torah when combined with a worldly occupation, for toil in them both puts sin out of mind. All study of the Torah which is not supplemented by work is destined to prove futile and causes sin. Let all who occupy themselves with communal affairs do so for Heaven's sake, for then the merit of their fathers sustains them and their righteousness endures forever. And as for you, G-d will then say: I count you worthy of great reward as if you had done it all yourselves.”

“Hillel said: Do not separate yourself from the community; and do not trust in yourself until the day of your death. Do not judge your fellow until you are in his place. Do not say something that cannot be understood but will be understood in the end. Say not: When I have time I will study because you may never have the time.”

One aspect the Feudal code was different from state to state, was capricious of the will of the Aristocrats. The feudal code base on Justine I code and different was vernacular not base on Christianity.  The modern states suppose to overcome this aspect, but the element and traces, are continues: socialism/cronyism capitalism for the elites supported by the collective taxes of the community and everyone for himself/herself casino capitalism for the rest.
The nation state has been reduce today base on ethnic, religion and race. After collapse of the Soviet Block, the Balkans where WWI began due to ethnic conflict and during WWII, Croatia, Bosnic and many of Islam ethnic groups creating and work with National Socialism of Germany at the time, note Slovinia as group divided themselves some of them fought with Tito and others supported the Germans. Italy concentration Camps in Trieste not only genocide Jews but Slovenian Partisans, but the bigger camp was located in Nova Gornica . Tito in some ways to maintain cohesion kept the past under raps, in 90´s all grievance of the past come alive and today especially in old DDR, Neo-Nazis are alive because for the sake of a new future the responsibility of the genocide of Jews and aggression never took responsibility, the myth the Germany was a victim of the Nazis especially the political justification was base because their race they had the right of land to east. The state is base on authority Bakunin state in Chapter II, in Marxist Freedom & the state, state, Marxism is Authoritarian strand base in many ways in the history of the state, in 1990´s by the end of the Soviet Union, the elite the old nomenclature control the national resource, not the worker, of machine number 5, today Russia is run by elite who still the wealth of a nation.

Relaxing Canals Galway