A Brief Tirade On Insurgency And Government

Written by Carol Lawton

In the timeline of history one thing holds true in regards to governments, liberation movements and paramilitary groups and that is they wrestling for power within the state. These struggles between the factions may be covert, overt or collaborative. But the end result is always the same as the formal structure now has to deal with the dynamics which will always lead to social unrest.


In the development of dictatorships, it is the state failure to control and maintain society because of the compromise given to the factions. Democracy is a scaring concept if the parties involve are not willing to safe guard it. Theocracy in of itself cannot be avoided as in any society one religion will be dominant but with this dominance it must allow all to seek their own enlightenment in the belief of a higher being. Socialism is an artificial state because of the availability of limit resources yet unlimited wants and the difference in talents and ability between people. Capitalism in its pure state is by far the best but pure capitalism without safeguards to protect the weakest of society will lead to corruption and social unrest hence no system is superior.

What is striking is the balance needed between them all. The strong arm of the state while give the citizen the choice to choose which opportunity to purse to build wealth while protecting the weakest to allow them to have access to the capital that they need to survive. Such a system is the ideal but where does the system begin or end.

To have seen democracies where there is none. Socialism in Capitalism is a paradox. The ism of government is an illusion as good governance is about making decisions based upon the need of the state. Hence to allow covert or overt groups to develop system above the platform of government will lead to strife and the eventual take over of government. In war torn region, it is the warlord who governs not the state, in inner city fiefdom it is the don through the collection of gains from transaction (unofficial tax), in war, the military rules the ground while the insurgency rules the night, and then the terrorists who rule by fear due to their ability to strike without regards for damage ; human or material.

The state of government can only exist in peace. Hence peace is the objective of all government in the end regardless of the form. So when a state foster insurgency groups or terrorists with agenda against another state. They have entered into a formal war under the veil that they are in the country as unknown participants. Functionaries of the state will always have access to the information hence it will always move information up the chain of command and the objective is the survival of the state and information is key. So when a country like Lebanon allows for Hezbollah to organize, finance, set support social systems and military logistics system it should not be surprise that if Hezbollah can not destroy its enemy, it will turn against its host like a parasite as it has already undermined the state in that an entity can wage war against a sovereign nation and undermine the state ability to protect its borders and deploy diplomatic policy that leads to peace. Woe be unto a state that believe that it can exist in peace while pseudo governments exist within.

Revolution Evolution and Devolution of Jamaica

Written by Carol Lawton

Jamaica! What is it really to the people? We are in the time of Olympics and Independence where all eyes are glued to the track including myself and party out from last week. Have we evolved from the plantocracy or have we devolved into a mess of garbage that even we don’t know who we are, where we are going or where we are at. Many young speak of revolution but to what purpose whether it is social, economic or political what will it benefit us if we are unable to channel that energy to building a nation. All a revolution will due is adding more chaos to this volatile mix.

Here it is, bare face materialism with nothing tangible holding it together other than the fact that we are stuck on a rock in the sea. First world plans are just those plans, which will remain a myth to keep the population dreaming of a world to come when it is here. And while this may sound angry or aggressive, I would I would yes and no. I am not angry or am I aggressive in simple language I would say I am piss off has I am tired of this drawn out saga of words that lead to nothing. Why tell the youths about 2030 for First World. When up town or Mobay it’s at your fingertips. Why tell them 22 years for it when we can fly to it in less than a hour in Miami or Cayman? I will be 60 when that day arrives in Jamaica. I lived it, worked in it, and got educated by it as did many like myself. Why should we wait on this plan? This first world does not mean that you have to live abroad but the use of systems that make life easier. That’s first world!

But our system has failed us and is flatling on life support through loans for overseas and remittance. As a Trinidadian told me this week, do business in Jamaica is a foolish move just get a container of goods and market it, they will consume anything, that’s how you make money here. And he is right as even simple products are now imported into the country. Labor does not want to work because of the hustle paradigm of the black market and capital does not want to invest as the risks are too high. Our economy has evolved to nothingness as we have evolved to a nation of dependents live on remittances which is even figured into the GDP.

Public administration has failed us and that a fact as that is the only constant as government change but the civil administration remains the same. Its failure is placed at the feet of one man as a woman has not held that position has yet. Mr. Governor General it is you would is in charge of the Civil Service. You have the power to fire, hire and change. Get some political balls and do something as this figurehead deal is wearing thin on this generation. You don’t seem to be fulfilling the responsibilities that the constitution says. So either this guy works to help in the evolution and stop the devolution of the governing system so that aggressive elements do not respond with senseless revolution to leads to nothing as they have no common vision of what they want!

So to end this tirade by being brief, revolution in what, we are already killing each other as one just has to look at the murderer rate. We are killing each other by having so many functional illiterates in our mist. We are killing each other as there is no bond between country and self as symbols, folklore and history, constitution and rights are not known by masses. So where are we at in this process is the final question to you all that read this tirade as we have a 2030 plan that no one has ever seen, the masses don’t know where they fit into it, the middle class already living it and the rest want to fly a hour to it or live it through the cable TV. In order for Jamaica to evolve, devolve, or have a revolution, it has to have vision and our leaders can’t seem to relate that to us.

Tirade on Economies, Markets and Crime

Written By Carol Lawton

Crime blooms where there is a vacuum in law and order. This space is filled by the informal organizations known as gangs. These gangs do not exist because of poverty but as a power structure to control resources. Poverty does not cause crime but the lack or law and order coupled with poor management of economies. Markets it must be noted can not be controlled due to the many variables that encompass it both internally and externally hence government can fix economies not markets. Thus with strong economies the pressures of the market can be statically forecasted which will lead to complex derivatives and commodities futures. Derivatives are really just complex futures as well.

These futures markets becoming planning tools that can change the policy of any nation hence the market control the policies, the policies control the economy and the economy is controlled by private and public sector. If a gap develops in this, entire population will be disenfranchised as is the case in inner cities around the world and especially here in Jamaica . As the flight of capital retreats from areas because the policy for these areas are not realistic for the development growth of formal markets, public and private sectors will also retreat as any investment must show a return on investment (ROI). This ROI can be tangible or intangible return but a positive return none the less.

As our garrisons in Jamaica has become disenfranchised the government past and present has allowed the financial sector to black list these areas. This is not a unique anomaly for Jamaica but the norm around the world especially third world where informal settlement ie squatting communities exist. Crime exists because the people here are at the bottom of Maslow’s pyramid. The social and economic fabric of communities are gone hence a battle for scarce resource which most times are controlled by political and criminal forces.

The government has the ability to end this blacklisting and informal settlement by using the full force of the state to enforce law and order. It has the ability to ensure that a titled property in the inner city is considered an asset vs a liability by banks, insurance companies and the owners of property themselves. It has the power to define clearly land ownership whereby a person can not be force out of their capital because of criminal elements as this is duress. The rule of law and not politics or fear should apply. If land owners consider these properties as valuable assets which the capital market recognizes as assets then a move to destroy the garrisons can begin. But when a free for all is allowed to operate with this basic resource informal organizations are cultivated as a means of self preservation hence the ultimate pariah for a government to control is born and that is the informal economy which policy cannot control or direct thus giving power to the informal organization as a revenue generator is in place to fund their activities with no regard to law and order.

A BRIEF ON INSURGENCY AND GOVERNMENT

Written By Carol Lawton

In the timeline of history one thing holds true in regards to governments, liberation movements and paramilitary groups and that is they wrestling for power within the state. These struggles between the factions may be covert, overt or collaborative. But the end result is always the same as the formal structure now has to deal with the dynamics which will always lead to social unrest.

In the development of dictatorships, it is the state failure to control and maintain society because of the compromise given to the factions. Democracy is a scaring concept if the parties involve are not willing to safe guard it. Theocracy in of itself cannot be avoided as in any society one religion will be dominant but with this dominance it must allow all to seek their own enlightenment in the belief of a higher being. Socialism is an artificial state because of the availability of limit resources yet unlimited wants and the difference in talents and ability between people. Capitalism in its pure state is by far the best but pure capitalism without safeguards to protect the weakest of society will lead to corruption and social unrest hence no system is superior.

What is striking is the balance needed between them all. The strong arm of the state while give the citizen the choice to choose which opportunity to purse to build wealth while protecting the weakest to allow them to have access to the capital that they need to survive. Such a system is the ideal but where to the system begin or end.

To have seen democracies where there is none. Socialism in Capitalism is a paradox. The ism of government is an illusion as good governance is about making decisions based upon the need of the state. Hence to allow covert or overt groups to develop system above the platform of government will lead to strife and the eventual takeover of government. In war torn region, it is the warlord who governs not the state, in inner city fiefdom it is the don through the collection of gains from transaction (unofficial tax), in war, the military rules the ground while the insurgency rules the night, and then the terrorists who rule by fear due to their ability to strike without regards for damage human or material.

The state of government can only exist in peace. Hence peace is the objective of all government in the end regardless of the form. So when a state foster insurgency groups or terrorists with agenda against another state. They have entered into a formal war under the veil that they are in the country as unknown participants. Functionaries of the state will always have access to the information hence it will always move information up the chain of command and the objective is the survival of the state and information is key. So when a country like Lebanon allows for Hezbollah to organize, finance, set support social systems and military logistics system it should not be surprise that if Hezbollah cannot destroy its enemy, it will turn against its host like a parasite as it has already undermined the state in that an entity can wage war against sovereign nation and undermine the state ability to protect its borders and deploy diplomatic policy that leads to peace. Woe be unto a state that believe that it can exist in peace while pseudo governments exist within.

TIRADE ON RIGHTS IN SMALL STATES AND GDP

Written by Carol Lawton

Liberty is nothing less than willingness to compromise my rights for the rights of others. Hence for societies to be free there has to be boundaries of the state, the citizen, and the government. The long standing premise of rights has been long discussed as too the responsibility of states but much has not been discussed about the health of the economies. In the globalization of states in world economies where a tree falls in the jungle and it’s heard in the financial markets where do small states fit into this process.

Small States economies are barely the size of a small multinational but with the full responsibilities of sovereign states. The functions of these states must be dependent on the human capital to expand the reach of the state. The citizens’ development and ability to produce acts as a force multiplier which in the end impacts the taxes need to make a small state viable. We all want our countries but do the citizens know what is required to hold this sovereignty.

I believe that this answer is no as a balance is not there between the services offered by the state and the consideration rendered by the citizen. The state has become the mule on which the citizen depends yet many are unwilling to produce to enable the mule to survive. Jamaica is for Jamaica but given a chance most will migrate as it has become our prison as well. Governments are not machines but made up of the human element.

Countries are not land alone but people bounded by a common history, language and culture. Hence for productive government and countries to function the common factor is the people. In a sense the state is the creation of the people. Why then should we be puzzled by the state of Jamaica? The balance is what is missing. Money, Policy, Planning is for nothing if the mass is unwilling to offer the state their all thus expanding opportunities for development and the expansion of the gross domestic product.

Revolution Evolution and Devolution of Jamaica

Written by Carol Lawton

Jamaica! What is it really to the people? We are in the time of Olympics and Independence where all eyes are glued to the track including myself and party out from last week. Have we evolved from the plantocracy or have we devolved into a mess of garbage that even we don’t know who we are, where we are going or where we are at. Many young speak of revolution but to what purpose whether it is social, economic or political what will it benefit us if we are unable to channel that energy to building a nation. All a revolution will due is adding more chaos to this volatile mix.

Here it is a bare face materialism with nothing tangible holding it together other than the fact that we are stuck on a rock in the sea. First world plans are just that plans, that will remain a myth to keep the population dreaming of a world to come when it is here. And while this may sound angry or aggressive, I would I would yes and no . I am not angry or am I aggressive in simple language I would say I am piss off has I am tired of this drawn out saga of words that lead to nothing. Why tell the youths about 2030 for First World . When up town or Mobay it’s at your fingertips. Why tell them 22 years for it when we can fly to it in less than a hour in Miami or Cayman? I will be 60 when that day arrives in Jamaica. I lived it, worked in it, and got educated by it as did many like myself. Why should we wait on this plan? This first world does not mean that you have to live abroad but the use of systems that make life easier. That’s first world!

But our system has failed us and is flatling on life support through loans for overseas and remittance. As a Trinidadian told me this week, do business in Jamaica is a foolish move just get a container of goods and market it, they will consume anything, that’s how you make money here. And he is right as even simple products are now imported into the country. Labor does not want to work because of the hustle paradigm of the black market and capital does not want to invest as the risks are too high. Our economy has devolved to nothingness as we have evolved to a nation of dependents live on remittances which is even figured into the GDP.

Public administration has failed us and that a fact as that is the only constant as government change but the civil administration remains the same. Its failure is placed at the feet of one man as a woman has not held that position has yet. Mr. Governor General it is you would is in charge of the Civil Service. You have the power to fire, hire and change. Get some political balls and do something as this figurehead deal is wearing thin on this generation. You don’t seem to be fulfilling the responsibilities that the constitution says. So either this guy works to help in the evolution and stop the devolution of the governing system so that aggressive elements do not respond with senseless revolution to leads to nothing as they have no common vision of what they want!

So to end this tirade by being brief, revolution in what, we are already killing each other as one just has to look at the murderer rate. We are killing each other by having so many functional illiterates in our mist. We are killing each other as there is no bond between country and self as symbols, folklore and history, constitution and rights are not known by masses. So where are we at in this process is the final question to you all that read this tirade as we have a 2030 plan that no one has ever seen, the masses don’t know where they fit into it, the middle class already living it and the rest want to fly a hour to it or live it through the cable TV. In order for Jamaica to evolve, devolve, or have a revolution, it has to have vision and our leaders can’t seem to relate that to us.

Capitalism, Socialism, and Development

Written by Carol Lawton

The market is pure and the market will correct itself is a premise I adhere to. Now as it states you will say Capitalist and I will say no. The wealth of the nation cannot be held by a few but should be for the welfare of all stake holders in equity. Now you will say Socialist and I will say no. Development of the nation can be realized by objectively analyzing key sectors using statistics and other analysis tools. I will again say no, but why these entire no? Too long have we stuck to the idea of measuring the correct course as far as social equity, capital development and national development using philosophies of centuries pass without acknowledging how far the systems have evolved?

Let again be frank and wipe the slate clean. Most economies were developing because of human farming heritage. The rich and the poor have always existed and man have sought various ways to determine equity for each other based upon many factors such as race, .status(citizenship), class, skills, education. For this we will use the latter four as this is where the world is at now. Most nation states as we know them today are political creation of less than 200 years. I will say less than 200 years because of the wars that were fought to secure or give up land to form the borders. Hence the stake holder of a nation may share numerous borders as these borders secured by might and political decisions. So we created a mess.

We have always been a globalize world in vision as empires always though their empire was the world. Alexander the Great may have started the model we now use as he left in tack the ruling class of regions that fell to the Hellenist. The Romans would further push this as one could be a Roman but never see Rome thus the creation of a borderless citizen. With massive military machines, the works to support them became more complicated even utilizing many of the principle of Adam Smith to produce their stock piles. Let’s not forget a to thank China for the printing press which open the minds of people in Europe which lead to the Reformation and yes ‘paper money’. By the time the Union Jack came to fly at its might, the development of the isms had began with mercantilism being the word of the day. The French with their revolution would bring about the vision of all citizens being equal and the removal of heredity rights and the spread of the vote. It must be noted that it was the French who removed barriers of religion as a requirement of citizenship to assimilate their Jews and colonial residents. Liberty was then the word of the day which caused fear among its neighbors hence small nation states forge a national unity with other nation state (Germany) to counter the might of France and its new equalitarian government. The next great moves was the Industrial revolution and humans move to rethink how he fits into a capital model that was not dependent on land hence the isms to understand the ideals (Capitalism, socialism, Marxism). It was also the time of Max Weber and the development of bureaucracy. A model that most do not give much credit to but allowed all this to take place as it is the only model to create segmented with using skills and intellect as a capital element. But all this took place over 1000s of years and not in the timeline of 30 years, the internet changed all this. The world is one for Global in reach, local in action and global in response.

Capitalism and Socialism fought to see each fighter knocked out by their own might. When the USSR went down we all cheered of boo. Now the USA is in a mess with 42% of its debt held by other countries, its money value help up not by gold or silver as the pass but good faith hence invisible which allowed for the development of a credit system which created the world largest consumer nation. With a war on the field and the credit system see the extent of its ability to grow a country without production. It went against the very principle on which Wall St stand and that is management and the not so invisible hand. The riskiest would be the hedge funds and the derivatives. Basically Derivatives are simply fancy futures which can be as silly as there will be a hurricane in Montana where people bet, hedge, and conduct arbitrage with billions of dollars that belong to other people. Coupled with lending to people with low capital base to maintain a mortgage and a inflated real estate market the market had to correct itself as it has gone too far right. Now 700B to correct it is nothing for what most should look at is the connection of all world market, multinationals, national lending/borrowing and movement of goods and services. If the greatest capitalist state does not act like a socialist it will cause a global collapse of the system affecting food and other commodities, travel, “what is considered money”, social services, housing, and an increase in poverty as there will no doubt be a transfer of wealth to those who have from those who were merely grabbing for the dream.

The real winner here is China but they will have to decide the development worth it as the intangible cost of the environment will bear down on it. China a socialist country with a capitalist mind set is streaming along to develop but its cost will be the environment. But since I really hate long tirade I would like you to consider one point where all countries are trying to sort out as we speak. Is it worth it to be listed as developed when the price is the physical environment, the interpersonal relation of people vs. machine, eating organic vs. not, paying for H2O a price higher than gas or milk, increase materialism where life has no value. It is the intangible factors that will determine if countries like Jamaica is considered develop as well as balancing the need for the market to do its work with the need for the people to find equity and balance. Basically all this is about is work hard and be productive, expand markets, PAY YOUR TAXES TO SUPPORT THE SERVICES, protect the environment (JOB ONE) and be human beings who can empathize and sympathize with each other. That is the long and short of Capitalism, Socialism and Development.( how humans relate to each other and their environment). That my definition of development without the technical support systems diving into it.