We all suffer when harmful industries define progress
What is progress? It depends who you ask
What you perceive as progress depends on your perspective. To the logger, progress is cleared land, but to the conservationist it is trees standing tall. The logger is not wrong to want a job that suits their skills and enables them to provide for their family. And the conservationist is not wrong to want to conserve the environment for future generations.
This tug-of-war between self-interest and the public interest is ever present, and maintaining balance is key to everyone not falling over. We know this because we’ve tried the extremes of both.
Communism’s popularity surged during the 19th and 20th centuries as people rallied against the injustices and inequalities of capitalist systems.
Communists rode waves of public discontent with elites who benefited while many were left behind, impoverished and forgotten. They promised to serve the public interest by redistributing wealth and giving power back to the people.
Needless to say communism did not live up to its promise. Wealth was transferred from an elite capitalist few to a revolutionary communist few who simply formed a new elite. The masses continued to suffer, and for many that suffering became even greater.
