Rob (and others),
I agree. But there is more to the issue.
Perhaps more people are killed not by AGENCY (by particular people
like Pinochet or others) but by the STRUCTURE itself (the structure
of relations of class exploitation). _Who_ is to blame? Pinochet's
action would be very 'small' as compared to the killings by the
structure. The so-called globalization, including structural
adjustment, capitalist exploitation and accumulation leading to low
wages and unemployment -- all these kill daily far too many than are
killed by the Pinochets. Why do the Pinochets do what they do?
Of course, we can identify particular 'bearers' of structures in
particular instances. But are the bearers really to blame? What's
the point in saying the head of the state in the US or the UK or the
World Bank Chief or the Chief of a transnational company are
responsible for killings. There is a point but does it take far?
Putting the entire blame on individuals like Pinochet for what they
do is really missing a lot. I must have read about a hundred
articles on Pinochet from the Guardian in the last few months but no
one seems to raise the issue of the structure underlying the
Pinochet-type action.
Raju
Raju J Das
Department of Geography
University of Dundee
Dundee DD1 4HN
United Kingdom
Phone 01382 348073 work
01382 738872 home
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