The Power of WeBy Donovan K. Hudson
Many factors contributed to the underdevelopment of the pre-Civil War Southern economy: a low level of capital accumulation, the planters’ high propensity to consume luxuries, a shortage of liquid capital aggravated by the steady drain of funds out of the region, the low productivity of slave labor, the need to concentrate on a few staples, the anti- industrial, anti-urban ideology of the dominant planters, and the reduction of Southern banking, industry, and commerce to the position of auxiliaries of the plantation economy. Implied as a basis for this litany of factors, is an absolute lack of long-term economic vision. They were content to atrophy rather than take a chance upon the progress they saw in the rest of the world.
From: Antebellum White South Economy By- Fred Hernandez
On April 29,1927 the levee at Caernarvon, 13 miles south of New Orleans, succumbed to 39 tons of dynamite. The river rushed through at 250,000 cubic feet per second. New Orleans was saved, but the misery of the flooded parishes had only started. The city fathers took years to make good on their promises and the business community at the forefront of the request shrank COMPLETELY into the background on the issue of compensation, very few residents ever saw ANY compensation at all.
Extract From Another Flood That Stunned America: September 12, 2005 print edition of U.S. News & World Report
“Men at some time are masters of their fates: The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves”
From: Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
A look at Louisiana’s economic history indicates that our state has been plagued with a lack of long-term vision and is replete with examples of grasping for quick, short-term gains by the privileged at the expense of the average. While acknowledging the existence of this unfortunate past, the usual response of Louisianians has been to indulged in finger-pointing and blame of political and economic leadership. However, a deeper look at Louisiana history clearly reveals Louisianians have received what they have demanded from their socio/economic and political institutions.
Prior to Katrina was there significant public debate or outcry about the condition of our levee system? Before this current gulf oil crisis who raised concerns about the adequacy of contingencies to deal with any form of accident related to the petrochemical industry? The people of the state of Louisiana have whistled past the graveyard on such long-term concerns because we have only given lip service to high-minded ideals while we have acted to implement policies and receive results to satisfy cravings for immediate gratification of short-term, often non-community oriented, results. We are getting the government we demand and accept … the communities we are willing to work and settle for… the leadership that panders to us rather than challenges…FOR SHORT TERM RESULTS VOID OF LONG TERM CONSIDERATIONS. The faults that have plagued our history lie with the governed not just the government.
There are no labor saving devices in a healthy democracy. Until the citizens of Louisiana are willing to more adequately and substantively engage in all levels of participation of our socio/economic institutions we cannot reasonably expect those institutions to deliver results that reflect the best within us. The history of failed policy and shameful results need not continue if the citizenry of this state is willing to show the grit and make the collective sacrifices necessary to achieve real, substantive, long-term benefits. Truly, if the people lead the institutions will follow.
Louisiana is a great state, blessed with an extraordinary abundance of resources; of those resources none is more important, dynamic, or are filled with greater potential than the citizenry of this state. While the mistakes of past, short-term thinking is jeopardizing aspects of our culture and lifestyle we are not in peril beyond salvation. Now is the time for the people of the state of Louisiana to demand that their government and other socio/economic institutions show us plans that are designed toward producing substantive long-term desirable results. Now is the time for the people of the state of Louisiana to take responsibility for our history. Taking such responsibility is empowering. It acknowledges the power of the collective WE rather than acquiescing to the subservient, defeatist, mentality of the all-powerful THEY. The past need not be prologue because WE are the basis for power in our democracy.
Louisiana NOW is the time to give real thanks for the blessings of our bounty by DEMANDING we give the best of ourselves and expect nothing less than the best from all others.
Talk about it on the SBEinc.com Forum >>
|
|
 |
|
|
