India’s oldest Socialist Weekly!
Editor: Dr. G.G. Parikh | Associate Editor: Neeraj Jain | Managing Editor: Guddi
While Argentina has passed a wealth tax to confront the current crisis, people in other countries are clamoring for similar measures, although most politicians have so far opposed such efforts.
Because the ‘Greatest Country in the World’ is so damn savagely capitalist, imperialist-militarist, unequal, plutocratic, and racist.
During the pandemic that has taken everything from millions, top 1% households continue to gain wealth – in the USA alone, billionaires have collectively gained over $1 trillion. Also: “Landmark Study Shows $427 Billion Lost Each Year to Tax Dodging by Corporations and the Rich”.
Such pandemics can only be prevented, ultimately, by a completely different relationship between human beings and nature than exists at the present time. It means putting a sustainable planet at the heart of everything we do.
Had the US government addressed the pandemic in a scientific, efficient manner, as some countries demonstrated was possible, the huge number of deaths and the economic fallout could have been avoided.
Two-thirds of all spending on health research is publicly funded, but the profits are privatised. Also: “By Rejecting WTO Drug Patent Waivers Amid Pandemic, Richest Nations Put Big Pharma Profits Before Health of Billions”.
The Covid-19 pandemic has shown how vulnerable the world is to a truly global catastrophe. But another, bigger, catastrophe has been building for many decades, and humanity is still lagging far behind in efforts to address it.
The pandemic infection rate shows no sign of even slowing. In the North, employment levels are still down and real incomes are set to fall, especially for the lower paid. For the billions in the South, the spectre of poverty, illness and exploitation will be realised.
The Alma-Ata declaration affirmed health as a human right, and sanctioned government provision of universally accessible health care. Yet, during the corona pandemic, even the wealthiest countries are faced with a shortage of both human and material health resources. Why?
Despite the pressure from the United States and its allies, the people of Venezuela remain committed to the democratic project set in motion by Hugo Chávez. It is their participation in every aspect of the fight against the pandemic that has kept it in check.
Janata Weekly is India’s oldest independent socialist weekly.
Ever since its founding in 1946, Janata has voiced its principled dissent against all conduct and practice that is detrimental to the cherished values of nationalism, democracy, secularism and socialism, while upholding the integrity and the ethical norms of healthy journalism. For more than seventy years now, week after week, it has continued to analyse the changes taking place in the country and the world from a socialist standpoint, and thus promote the spread of socialist ideology in the country.
Address: D-15, Ganesh Prasad, Naushir Bharucha Marg, Mumbai- 400007.
Help us increase our readership.
If you are enjoying reading Janata Weekly,
DO FORWARD THE WEEKLY MAIL to your mailing list and
invite people to subscribe for FREE!