Sundering the Social Contract

[marmar]

from Consortium News:



Sundering the Social Contract
January 28, 2012

In political philosophy, the idea of a social contract is that the individual surrenders some rights for the benefits of living in a civilized society that has reasonable rules for all. However, in recent decades, the greedy rich have torn up that contract, as Danny Schechter explains.

By Danny Schechter


The conflict between property rights and human rights has entered a new chapter. It is a debate that goes back to the challenge by landowners and merchants behind the American Revolution’s war on British control over the colonial economy.

Only today, as those speaking in the name of the 99 percent challenge the super wealthy of the 1 percent (actually the .001 percent), there is a new battleground in what’s known as the housing market with as many as 14 million Americans in or facing foreclosure.

The defense of property rights is the holy of the holies for the propertied classes with a whole industry set up to enforce their claims of ownership.

We have seen how this plays out with the courts, run by often bought-off and complicit judges rubber-stamping claims by banks and realty interests even when laws are disregarded amidst fraudulent filings, biased contracts, and phony robot signings. ...............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://consortiumnews.com/2012/01/28/sundering-the-social-contract/

[xchrom]

1. du rec. nt

[bemildred]

2. Hmmm, I'll have to keep an eye out for Mr. Schechter. nt