A group of hyper-capitalists, including Sir Richard Branson and Arian Huffington recently launched the “B-Team.” As Huffington describes it, the global business leaders come together to form the B-Team in order to “introduce a Plan B that will prioritize people and planet alongside profit and to move beyond our obsession with quarterly earnings and short-term growth.”
Don’t be duped. Looking to the B-Team to solve wealth inequity and is like someone going Vegan and following the lead of McDonalds for dietary advice.
That is not to say the B-Team will not have legions of fans and supporters. This will play well with the Moveon.org crowd, I am sure, who might support the argument that a healthy mix of capitalism with a socialist sprinkle has worked best historically here in the United States, along with an economy that incentives upward mobility. However, that analysis assumes and accepts a class system that is, in my opinion, immoral.
Capitalism, as it has been said by other much smarter than me, requires hierarchy, exploitation & polarization. The global revolution against neo-liberal ideals that is currently emerging is based on a vision of another world that is possible that has as its common denominator democracy with a big D and egalitarianism. This global revolution should no more seek solace from the B-Team than Little Red Riding Hood should ask the Big Bad Wolf for directions out of the forest.
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