| by Vickramabahu
Karunaratne
( October 21,
2012, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) We hear that if the university dons get
a higher salary and other benefits, doctors too will launch their struggle. The
latter should be looked after by the state; otherwise we will be in for
trouble.
It’s an
interesting question. Why is medical care subsidized by welfare states under
socialism? The answer is obvious – as medical care requires highly trained
practitioners and state-of-the-art technology to provide the absolutely best
care. Such trained practitioners and technology are in limited supply despite
the increase in the number of doctors who pass out of our medical faculties.
Subsidizing is
unsustainable
It is a problem
all over the world. Hence doctors with advanced knowledge are in great demand
and thus incredibly expensive for an average person who would want to obtain
his/her services without financial assistance, be it from welfare, insurance
schemes or socialist handouts. However, one could argue that perpetually
subsidizing medical care will never address the underlying cause of its
scarcity, and in turn, the incredible cost. It is also claimed that subsidizing
is unsustainable, economically. For example, it requires rationing and
difficult “moral” decisions to be made regarding who receives what treatment.
Such scenarios belittle both human dignity and the full potential of human
existence.
Of course no one
other than an extreme pragmatist tied to the market economy could seriously
suggest that people deserve to be denied medical care for the simple fact that
they cannot afford it. Yet, the sad reality is that many people do not receive
the best treatment available, subsidized or not, because neither they nor the state can afford it.
The answer to
this problem is quite simple – perhaps so simple, especially when divorced from
political ideology. So called socialist handouts are tools. Like any tool, they
are only as good as the people using them. While the intention of socialist
medicine, welfare, education and so on seem noble, in reality, in the present
capitalist society ruled by the Mahinda Chinthanaya they are primarily used by
self-serving, crooked politicians as bribes handed out in exchange for the
voting public’s servile dependency on a particular political agenda. Many kinds
of voting blocs have been created using so called socialist handouts in this
fashion. Pragmatic solutions based on proper care and kindness are never
seriously pursued because pragmatic, permanent solutions – while alleviating
entirely any particular social problem – would undermine the real purpose of
the handouts, namely, building a dependent, servile voting bloc. In the end we
find drug companies and equipment sellers taking control of the system and
creating a totally corrupt system.
Threat of
foreign subversion
In this
situation it will be interesting to see what has been done in Venezuela. Hugo
Chavez had agreed to invest in education and development of technology that
includes medical sciences as well. For instance, if Venezuela elects to pursue
more permanent, technological solutions to problems currently subsidized, then
it would not by necessity, “open their markets” to foreign multinationals and
crippling “neo-liberalism.” In many Western countries one can already observe
truly free markets or economic anarchy where giant corporations are free to do
anything they wish. Hugo has avoided that situation for Venezuela. This has
created many powerful enemies for his regime. For Venezuela, the threat of
foreign subversion is still very real.
There is a very
real global network of subversion maintained by the corporate-financier
interests of Wall Street and London, forming the foundation of modern super
imperialism. If President Hugo Chavez wants to put down the hammer and begin
using more articulate tools, he should communicate these intentions to his
support base and mobilize the Venezuelan people, and make them aware of the
dangers and payoffs of pursuing the next step. Finally, as a growing front of
nations begin to rise up against Western global hegemony and the “Washington
Consensus,” it is important to understand that people around the world are
fighting the global power of the capital.
 We hear that if the university dons get a higher sal...){kind=link}