Capitalism and the planet
The image of Donald Trump climbing into his aeroplane dominated the 13 July front page, while a story about 26,000 endangered species appeared on page 12. The world’s so-called leaders flit about the place like a badly behaved pantheon of minor Greek gods, while we the people look on – spectators to our own doom. Where the actions of Greek deities were often seen as a reflection of human frailties, these leaders are actively creating our collective social, military and economic futures and we are doing remarkably little about it.
Trump received less than 50% of the votes cast by only 60% of registered voters, yet he speaks and behaves like a king. The election of Russian presidents is generally suspect, Turkey’s hardline president has dramatically extended powers, and Syria is apparently bombing half his own country out of existence. The list of badly behaved leaders is long and growing.
Across the world governments take refuge in a convenient fiction that the aim of government is to facilitate business to achieve financial prosperity, rather than protect the natural environment from exploitation – arguing that what is good for commerce is good for the nation.
The world needs to work out that capitalism is failing, inequality increasing and the environment going down the gurgler.
Philippa Morris
Gravesend, NSW, Australia
• It is sobering to reflect on the damage being wreaked by humans on the millions of species they share the planet with. With the world’s burgeoning population set to increase to 9.8 billion by 2050, our destructive potential is only going to rise, unless we rein in our rampaging destruction. The UK could be a microcosm of the planetary catastrophe, as we wreak havoc on our natural resources.
As far as agriculture is concerned, we may be en route to a brighter future. Stewardship schemes mean that habitats for many beneficial species are being enhanced by incorporating nectar-rich native plants into cropped areas, and dangerous pesticides are being withdrawn. There is also a growing awareness among farmers of the benefits of sustainable food production.
We must enhance our dwindling finite resources to avoid the impending sixth extinction.
Brian Sims
Bedford, UK
Importance of the NHS
The commemoration of the 70th birthday of the NHS (6 July) suggests that the UK should increase its spending on healthcare to match that of other industrialised countries. Comparisons are made using percentages of GDP but the larger the economy of a country, the better educated its citizens should be to avoid self-inflicted conditions that require medical treatment.
The fact that the sick are treated without charge or discrimination is something to be proud of but the government should be considering ways in which citizens accept more personal responsibility for their well-being. This is clearly linked to the need to divert more of the roughly £2,300 ($3,000) expenditure for every person towards the promotion of good health rather than the treatment of sickness.
Graham Davey
Bristol, UK
• The NHS may or may not be the world’s best health system, although its foundation of free primary healthcare certainly gives it a global head start. It is, however, undoubtedly an example, albeit imperfect, of civilising capitalism and a bulwark against the worst excesses of privatisation and individualism. It’s importance in the decades ahead will only increase as inequality increases, the population ages and the task of civilising– if not replacing – capitalism becomes ever more difficult.
Stewart Sweeney
Adelaide, South Australia
Inevitable comparisons
There is no questioning Nigerians’ resilience and resourcefulness (6 July), but I wonder if those qualities, along with their optimism, explain why they never entertain suicidal thoughts. Perhaps Chigozie Obioma answers her own question when she writes that most of the Nigerians she spoke to were living shattered lives in a poverty-stricken nation. Their situation, relative to those around them, perhaps does not look quite so stark and therefore hopeless as it does to Americans struggling in one of the most inequitable nations on earth, where they are led to believe everyone has the chance to be successful and happy if they work hard.
As much as we would like not to, it is natural for us humans to compare ourselves to those around us, which can be very distressing and debilitating when inequality is rife.
Jim Thomson
Salzburg, Austria
Briefly
• I enjoyed Decca Aitkenhead’s piece on Anthony Scaramucci (15 June). The Mooch came across as good-humoured, very likeable and extremely bright. He is loyal, cares deeply about his country and has a pretty good understanding of how it works. And he deserves some credit for engaging with a newspaper whose readers are far from sympathetic toward his views or the company he keeps. In these times of extreme polarisation, we need more of this kind of dialogue.
Joseph Davis
Gibsons, British Columbia, Canada
Send letters to weekly.letters@theguardian.com. Please include a full postal address and a reference to the article. We may edit letters. Submission and publication of all letters is subject to our terms and conditions.
