Changing Society

Chris Dunfield

Stacey Knapp

English 1A

05 May 2013

Changing Society

If I could change some things about society, I would break up the monopolization of business in the United States and put checks on these multinational-corporations that have the power to override international laws on environment, trade, etc. Major corporate companies like Kraft, Nestle, Coca-Cola, Viacom, Warner Brothers---the list goes on-- are committing act of massive violence against the environment, and thus indirectly to the community (usually of impoverished regions), yet people are sadly unaware of what's going on outside their boarders. Furthermore, I would invest in local infrastructure and business, not outsourcing, which only results in a kind of race to the bottom in which companies compete to offer the lowest labor prices. One could actively help by buying things that are created through methods of fair-trade and not supporting conglomerate corporate companies. I would lessen the power and increase the transparency of federal governments, the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, World Trade Organizations and affiliated financial groups. I would decrease funding of military and reduce the severe practices of austerity taking place. These practices of austerity, or cutting of social services, result in loss of the educational ability of American society, as well as others. Additionally it degrades the richness of our culture, as well as the ability of the lower class to move out of poverty, something very much needed in the creation of a utopia, or even a fair community.

These actions are very important because to actively create social reform, change must come from all levels of society. Holding corporations responsible for what they do, and limiting both their power and how big they can get would help move our economy towards a more fair one. We must make steps to limit the power of the federal government and corporate powers would potentially give power back to the community and increase the ability to have a part in the creation of culture, mainly through media exposure. It would put less stress on the environment with the decrease of transportation of goods, and put people in undeveloped nations on a more level platform. The current capitalist system relies on exploitation of workers, outsourcing, and informal neo-colonial policies, which is unsustainable and unjust. Reducing cuts to social services and military spending would increase the ability of the educational system of multiple societies, resulting in a more aware socially, economically, and politically conscious population; once these actions have been taken I am confident a more civil and just society could be created.

Word Count: 429