scholarly journals Capitalism and inequality

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 695-722
Author(s):  
Boike Rehbein
Keyword(s):  
Social Inequality ◽  
Small Group ◽  
Market Economy ◽  
Organized Crime ◽  
Public Debt ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Natural Laws ◽  
Modern Times ◽  
Common Lands

Abstract According to the prevailing opinion, capitalism is a market economy governed by immutable laws and inequality is the result of competition between free and equal individuals on that market. This paper argues that capitalism, as developed in Western Europe in modern times, has more in common with organized crime than with a system of natural laws. It is rooted in the sale of church and common lands, the privatization of finance (especially public debt) and colonialism. However, its purpose is not the accumulation of wealth. It is merely a particular way of sustaining domination by a small group of people over the rest of the population. Domination in capitalism differs from earlier forms of domination in two ways: it is reproduced via the accumulation of wealth and it is not visible as such. Neither the purpose (domination) nor the functioning (systematic appropriation) is visible on the surface. Even Marx was led to believe that the economy is governed by laws which can be studied scientifically. The paper will argue against this belief by tracing the structures of domination to the reproduction of social inequality in capitalist societies.

Religion and Religiosity in the US

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Detlef Pollack ◽  
Gergely Rosta
Keyword(s):  
Social Inequality ◽  
Empirical Analysis ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Religion And Politics ◽  
Economic Conditions ◽  
Religious Practices ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Empirical Analysis

Although the countries of Western Europe are very similar to the US in terms of their social, political, and economic conditions, they differ greatly when it comes to religion. Chapter 10 discusses how these differences can be explained. The empirical analysis shows that, besides the considerable differences in the level of religiosity between the US and Western Europe, there are also surprising similarities in the weakening church ties and religious practices. The findings demonstrate that it is in many respects not Europe but America that is the exception. This relates among other things to the level of social inequality, which is unusually high for a modern society, the strong tendencies towards functional dedifferentiation, such as between religion and politics, and the traditionalism of the culturally accepted system of values.

scholarly journals Scientia est potentia

2009 ◽  
pp. 43-60
Author(s):  
Ülo Kaevats
Keyword(s):  
Modern Science ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Natural Laws ◽  
Modern Times ◽  
Natural Objects ◽  
Deductive Method ◽  
New Type ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Understanding Of Science ◽  
Object Of Study

Oma algses mitmetähenduslikkuses on see F. Baconi aforism kõige tihendatum tõdemus, mis tõmbab olemusliku eraldusjoone ühelt poolt antiikse ja keskaegse ning teisalt uusaegse arusaama vahele teadusest ja teadusteadmisest. Artiklis püüab autor anda võimaluste piires tervikpildi uusaja teaduse industriaalselt (tehnoloogiliselt) orienteeritud teadmistüübi tekkimisest. Uusaja teaduse kujunemiseks vajaliku pöörde maailmavaateliste eeldustena tuleb käsitleda: (1) põhimõtteliselt uut subjekti ja objekti käsitust; (2) täiesti uut väärtusruumi, uut teaduse ideoloogiat (ilmalikkus, kriitiline vaim, tõesus ja praktiline kasulikkus); (3) tunnetuslaadi muutust — kontemplatsioonilt interventsioonile, kvaliteedi kirjeldamiselt kvantiteedi uurimisele; (4) looduse käsitlemist Kosmose asemel seaduspäraselt korrastatud objektide “väljana”. Uue tunnetusstiili — empiirilise ja teoreetilise tunnetuse kokkuviimine, hüpoteetilis-deduktiivse metodoloogia kujundamine Galilei poolt, abstraktse ja sünteetilis-tekstilise loomuga spekulatsiooni asendumine uurimisobjekti ehituse, korrapära ja põhjuslikkuse objektiivse analüüsiga, universaalsete loodusseaduste doktriini kujunemine jms—kujunemine konstitueeris uut tüüpi teadmise. Teadmise kui nähtava maailma piltkoopia asemele luuakse teadmine kui loodusobjektide seaduspära analüütiline rekonstruktsioon. See on vormiltmatemaatiline, päritolult eksperimentaalne ning loodusobjektide kontrollimisele ja ümbertegemisele suunatud nn valdamisteadmine.This F. Bacon's aphorism in its original ambiguity is the most condensed belief that draws a distinctive essential line between ancient and medieval understanding of science and scientific knowledge on one hand and modern understanding on the other. The author aims at providing, as far as possible, an integral overview of emerging of the industrially (technologically) orientated type of knowledge of modern times. Ideological/philosophical preconditions of the change necessary for emerging of modern science are: (1) a fundamentally new approach to the subject and object; (2) a completely new system of values, a new ideology of science (secularity, critical spirit, trueness and utilitarianism); (3) a change in manner of cognizance - from contemplation to intervention, from describing quality to studying quantity; (4) treating nature as a naturally organised "field" of objects instead of the Cosmos. Emerging of a new style of cognizance - bringing together of empirical and theoretical cognition, the devise of the hypothetical-deductive method by Galilei, replacement of speculations abstract and synthetic-textual in nature with objective study of the structure, regularity and causality of the object of study, establishment of the doctrine of universal natural laws etc - constituted a new type of knowledge. Knowledge as a copy of the visible world is replaced by knowledge as an analytical reconstruction of the regularity of natural objects. It is so-called dispositive knowledge, morphologically mathematical, originally experimental and aimed at control and alteration of natural objects.

Analytical Technology Tools Against Corruption and Internal Frauds

2021 ◽  
pp. 269-288
Author(s):  
Rafael Velasquez Saavedra Silva ◽  
Matheus Felipe Saavedra da Silva
Keyword(s):  
Social Inequality ◽  
Organized Crime ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
Advanced Technology ◽  
Criminal Investigation ◽  
Digital Evidence ◽  
Technological Innovations ◽  
Individual Rights ◽  
Analytical Technology ◽  
New Procedures

In Brazil, organized crime, unfortunately, finds a fertile field that allows its growth and development due to several different aspects. Also, the vast and continental dimension of the Brazilian territory, the evident social inequality, and in many cases, the lack of synergy and collaboration among municipal, provincial, and federal levels are problems. It is important to mention that, in recent times, via its main institutions—executive, legislative, and judiciary—Brazil has been organizing itself and trying to tackle corruption on different fronts, with the use of advanced technology, new procedures of criminal investigation, an increased collaboration between different players and internal cooperation, the celerity in the process of penal persecution, and the revision of laws related to the theme. This chapter aims at displaying technological innovations that have helped law enforcement to act with rigor, speed, and assertiveness in the production of evidence from digital evidence, while respecting the Brazilian Constitution, individual rights, and guarantees of every citizen.

Organized Crime

2008 ◽  
pp. 610-619
Author(s):  
Frank G. Madsen
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Human Trafficking ◽  
Money Laundering ◽  
Organized Crime ◽  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Illicit Drug ◽  
Universal Declaration ◽  
Transnational Organized Crime ◽  
Modern Times

This article discusses a virtually unknown but growing role of the UN, which is its contribution to combating transnational organized crime. This includes illicit drug and human trafficking. UN efforts in this area are based on the Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The article stresses that reinterpretations of older conventions are important in modern times, where national authorities may be at a disadvantage in fighting illicit activity. The article determines that destroying terrorism and money laundering is similar to stopping the trafficking of illicit drugs and humans, since these should be intrinsic and not additional UN activities.

Some Observations on the Role of Ducats in the Balkans in Late Medieval and Modern Times

Rural History ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
ALEKSANDAR N. BRZIĆ
Keyword(s):  
Rural Population ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Late Medieval ◽  
Historical Approach ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
Modern Times ◽  
History Of ◽  
First Time ◽  
Evolutionary Aspects

Ducats were issued for the first time in the second half of the thirteenth century. Although practically invisible in Western Europe nowadays, they are still hoarded and used by the rural population of the Balkans. The wealth stored in them is considerable; its level does not show signs of structural decline yet, even in the age of the almighty euro. The history of the use of ducats in the Balkans can be divided into three distinctive periods. Using a descriptive economic-historical approach, the characteristics of these periods, their main evolutionary aspects and particularities are being observed and explained. An overview of countries issuing ducats in the Balkans is given and some economic comparisons used to illustrate the significance of ducats as an economic phenomenon. Finally, the very important question of the use of ducats in jewelry in the Balkans is considered.

scholarly journals In Spite of Dungeon, Fire, and Sword: Peadar Ó Gealacáin and the survival of the Gaelic Irish Literary Tradition

Oceánide ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 52-60
Author(s):  
Ciarán Dawson
Keyword(s):  
Small Group ◽  
19Th Century ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Literary Tradition ◽  
Ethnic Cleansing ◽  
Irish Language ◽  
Literary Movement ◽  
The 19Th Century ◽  
Subsequent Failure

As we advance through the 19th century in Ireland, the Irish Gaelic Literary tradition, one of the oldest in Western Europe, found itself in danger of extinction. The failure of the Irish language to find foothold in the towns and cities, and the subsequent failure of the language’s literary movement to transition itself into the printed mode, left the literature and poetry locked within the oral and manuscript traditions. With the ethnic cleansing of Ireland by Westminster well under way, first through forced emigration and then through famine, a small group of scribes set themselves the mammoth task of preserving this national treasure by travelling the country and writing down the songs, poems, and prose which were the result of centuries of literary effort on the part of the native Irish. By the end of the period the population had fallen from almost 9.000.000 at its height to less than 4.000.000: with no monoglot Irish speakers left. However due to the efforts of this small group of individuals we retain most of our literary wealth. This work tells the story of one of them, Peadar Ó Gealacáin.

scholarly journals The economics aspect of money laundering

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-144
Author(s):  
Nataša Stevandić
Keyword(s):  
Financial Markets ◽  
Economic System ◽  
Money Laundering ◽  
Organized Crime ◽  
Criminal Activity ◽  
International Community ◽  
Modern Times ◽  
Economic Instability ◽  
Public Revenue ◽  
Organized Crime Groups

The forms of threat to a country's economic system are very diverse. In modern times, perfidious systems of activity of organized crime groups are coming to light, especially in the field of organized crime. One such criminal activity is certainly money laundering, which is increasingly becoming a serious international problem. Money laundering is basically the legalization of capital acquired through criminal activity. As a criminal activity, it directly negatively affects the economics, political, legal, cultural and other significant values of a society. The most visible consequences of money laundering (most of which are economics in nature) are: undermining the integrity of financial markets, eroding control over economics policy, economic instability, loss of public revenue, deformation of savings and consumption, jeopardizing reform programs, loss of state reputation, etc. Money laundering is a complex and serious challenge for states and the entire international community. Considering that national strategies are not sufficient to combat this problem, a successful transnational approach and strategy are required.

scholarly journals THE JEWISH SALAD BOWL WITHIN THE AMERICAN MELTING POT: A LITERARY CONTEMPLATION

2019 ◽  
pp. 41-48
Author(s):  
Elonora Hodaj
Keyword(s):  
Western Europe ◽  
Religious Affiliation ◽  
Armed Conflicts ◽  
Contemporary Society ◽  
New Wave ◽  
Human Relations ◽  
Host Countries ◽  
Melting Pot ◽  
Modern Times ◽  
The Individual

Human history has always been characterized by repeated cycles of crisis and transitional periods bringing about transformation in various aspects of people’s coexistence and interaction with each other be it on the individual, ethnic, national, or even the international level. Currently, we have become eyewitnesses of what can be called the modern times crusades and exodus. The present free movement of people imposed by the globalization trend in contemporary society and particularly the new wave of migration with its relevant migrant crisis set in motion by numerous armed conflicts in the Middle East, will undoubtedly establish new relations among them, among ethnicities, among groups of different religious affiliation and even between migrants and host countries. In the course of these historical transitional periods, the concerned entities have always tried to define and explain such human relations and interactions that can vary from assimilation to multiculturalism. The two prevailing metaphors used to give a definition to the new forms of language, customs and cultural coexistence are those related to the notions of melting pot and salad bowl, which will be contemplated over with literary reference to Grace Paley’s “The Loudest Voice” and Cynthia Ozick’s “Envy; or Yiddish in America”. In both these writings, the need to transcend alienation, as well as the preoccupation to express belongingness in some naturalistic American premises, will hint at a relevant, analogous strive for identification to that of the migrants roaming the streets of Western Europe in search of a peaceful place to dwell and cohabitate with the host country and the implied culture.

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