Britain Too:

Recently I ran across a review written by Henry Heller of a book about the history of poverty in Britain: from feudalism to neoliberal capitalism. The review was also published in Popular Resistance.

The writer of the book is Jim Silver, a professor emeritus from the University of Winnipeg in Canada. The book is Scoundrels and Shirkers: Capitalism and Poverty in Britain. The book was just published (May 2023). I will be getting a copy and reading it ASAP!

An image from the Tudor/Elizabethan Age - The Payment of the Tithes by Pieter Brueghel the Younger (or his workshop). I think I know some of these people! (Image is from wikipedia. Click on the image to get the link.)

USA In Decline

Recently I read an article on Consortium News by Michael Brenner, Professor Emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh. The article, 'The New 'New World'' (with this subheading: 'What happens when reality hits delusion? U.S. mythology and fantasy will remain resilient. Denial, doubling-down, scapegoating, recrimination and more audacious adventures are the instinctive responses') is very good, and made me really think.

I've been wrestling with posting this article, because of a couple reasons: 1. It's depressing and scary 2. It's way too damned long and repeats itself, but then, the writer's a professor, so, of course, it is and, of course, it does. 3. I agree with his points in the article, but I don't agree with them as well, at least as they pertain to me and those closest to me and, I think, as they pertain to most of the people on Caucus99% too. On the other hand, the writer, Brenner, is insightful and argues his points well. I wanna know what you think about the article, so here's the beginning of it:

Americans discount the past. They live in the present and imagine the future. Events are assimilated into a mythologized pageant of progress that leads to an ever fuller realization of a more perfect union — liberty and justice at home, goodwill and good works abroad.