Page 23 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 28

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economic growth is the supreme good, or at

least a proxy for the supreme good because
justice, freedom and even happiness all
depend on economic growth.” For this reason,
the worth of life is defined by how much
capital one possesses.

Upon making capitalism a principle of

life, we have made all else dependent. For
instance, a scientist who wants to improve
human life can only get funding by the
amount of profit s/he could bring the sponsor.
The donation for universities and generally
for education depends on the profitability of
the field of study. For instance, the medical greed of the capitalist. During the industrial
field is funded more because it generates revolution, the machines were made to
more money, and not because it saves make life simple, despite the consequence.

more lives. The money spent on medical Currently, more and more technologies focus
researches goes to those who work on drugs on producing gadgets that serve as toys and
that make life pleasurable than those who try make people lazy.
to save lives. There is more investment for
cosmetics than there is for curing diseases. This is just the tip of the iceberg. The terrible
The principle of capitalism dictates that profit historical facts surrounding privatization
or capital must increase. A fresh graduate in and deregulation are other manifestations

Chemistry prefers to work for a beer or fast of capitalism. I have only shown the basic
food company than for a low funded medical problem of capitalism but promise to return
institution that fights cancer or diabetes. This to this issue of privatization in the near
is also why the company causing air pollution future. This is not an attack on capitalism as
has more lobbyists working for it than does an economic principle, it is rather an attack
the environmental institution fighting against on its failure when applied to issues that
pollution. require moral and ethical principles. When

people desperately need humanitarian relief,
The same principle of capitalism works the system or government should not let

in agriculture and innovation. There is an capitalists take over. It is difficult to accept a
increasing number of cash crop producers person who uses another’s misery to profit by
and flower exporters in developing countries simply saying ‘this is how capitalism works!’
while these countries suffer from food After all, capital and profit are means to
insecurity. In Ethiopia too, more farmers human ends; they are not the ultimate goal of
have begun producing Khat instead of life.
vegetables because it yields more profit. The

tech industry also focuses on satisfying the

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