Andy,
I think from a disabled person's perspective (and in every-day life I do
tend to be pragmatic) money certainly does not make you "equal" (and that
was not my intended argument) but it does provide you with comforts which
non-disabled employed people often take for granted. And of course this can
be said of more groups among the poor in society.
So I'll be pragmatic and argue for disabled people's right to the same
financial benefits that others get. After all I am not advocating that we
should all wait until society changes and "we'll get pie in the sky". I
don't think disabled people need to be morally superior to our neighbours.
As for capitalism it certainly does produce discrimination but I have a
problem with seeing the other side as a solution. Fundamentally Marx didn't
believe in the notions of rights and I have still not seen any socialist
state or community in which disabled people haven't lived under terrible
oppression.
Furthermore, I have this fancy for democracy and realising that all
democratic states are market economies, I tend to be a bit "uncertain" in my
political views. On the whole I think a sceptic view is better than an
unquestioning dogmatic belief.
I do not understand what you mean with a "moral level"? To me "morale" is a
set of principles or rules; and any such set can be and probably are more
useful to dominant groups. But maybe you mean "moral level" as opposed to
"material level"? Then I would again have to answer that I don't believe in
waiting for utopia to happen, but rather to work for changes now. But then,
I come from the Bible belt in Sweden and have worked long and hard not to
fall into the waiting-for-the-reward-hereafter-trap, and this might have
coloured my perspective some.
I sometimes wish I could believe in religion, which would surely lend a
sense of security to life; but I cannot. And I sometimes wish I could
believe in socialist heaven which would lend a sense of "faith, hope and
love"; but alas, I cannot do that either.
Fundamentally I disagree with a lot of your beliefs. But being the sceptic
is not the same as not thinking about things. Economics for sure is at the
base for oppression.
This is turning into a discussion (interesting but) on the true solution to
disability, poverty, etc. etc. and quite political. If we do not get someone
else to respond to our discussion maybe we should continue on side of list?
Susanne
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