Danielle Levy

We’re accustomed to thinking that our system of free enterprise is embedded in capitalism and fed by democracy. We naturally deduce that this would apply to other nations as well. But what about China? China has robust free enterprise and is neither democratic nor capitalistic in the way the West is. China’s economic success and the growing number of its millionaires ought to lead us to rethink our assumptions and priorities. Given the issues we face, about terrorism, first amendments right, the role of government, the lack of voter’s participation, the sway of corporations, we shouldn’t fool ourselves, for underlying many of these issues is a tacit question, which is more important democracy or free enterprise? Free enterprise, as many already know, is the phrase currently used by the Texas school board to replace the word capitalism. If we had free enterprise without democracy, as the Chinese do, then it wouldn’t be a relevant question. But not only is that not our system, a system without democracy is not what we want. If one believes in the openness that preserves the exercise of freedom and guarantees the development of one’s spirit, the values upon which a given society is erected and what those values mean for the quality of life of ordinary citizens, then democracy is paramount. And if democracy is paramount we ought to at least acknowledge it and start putting it ahead of free enterprise, capitalism and all the other isms that could undermine it.

Remembering Arms Spending
Most of us have never heard of SIPRI, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, a Swedish think tank whose annual yearbook tracks military spending across the world. Their latest edition tells us that worldwide, arms spending has risen %5.9 for 2008-2009 and almost doubled in the past decade. We now spend $1.6 trillion. The U.S. spent the most, followed by China, with France in third place.
Arms spending is a very old story. While the arms race may now have different players, the U.S. and China instead of the U.S and the Soviet Union, that too is an old story. The SIPRI yearbook is not new either. What is important besides the ever present increase is the fact that this spending exists. Behind every day news, behind the tidbits that occupy our attention on the Web or elsewhere, besides the ups and downs of existing wars, arms spending is an ever present reality. And while it may sometimes be necessary, it is not something we can glide over as easily as most of us normally do. If there’s ever going to be a step towards our swords being turned into ploughshares, it is a reality we owe ourselves to remember.

People are more than their worst acts. We say that, and sometimes even believe it. Still we need it to be underlined once in a while, if not for ourselves, then to enable us to answer those who doubt it. That’s why this example stood out and made me take notice. An international medical charity in Virginia received a check for $15,000 made out to Project Hope, part of their Haiti relief effort. Of course, they wanted to know where it came from. They soon discovered it came from a group of women at the Ohio Reformatory for women called the “life group” since its members were serving sentences of 15 years to life. It’s a group of about 130 women who make money selling photographs of inmates with their families when they come to visit. Each picture sells for $3 to $5 giving the group about $6000 a month. When the inmates saw news of the earthquake in Haiti, they wanted to help. Staff members used the prison library to research the charities which provided aid.
We often forget that inmates are more than their worst deeds, and whether or not this act of giving and sharing is their best, it still is part of who they are.