[Leica] down in the dumps

[Robert Appleby and Sue Darlow <laintal@tin.it>]

In my limited experience of the third world, one of the major factors in
perpetuating the oppression of down-trodden social groups is their
internalisation of the social values which oppress them. In practice, many
people believe that they cannot live a better life than the awful one they
presently live. In this context, anything which broadens people's vision of
themselves can be very empowering.
This is one of the reasons why, for example, the Government of India has
always paid lip-service to primary education but in reality has done
nothing to implement it (with some notable exceptions). Indeed, the GoI is
a prime example of a state waging an ongoing war against its own people.
The reasons and mechanisms are obviously many and various and complexly
inter-connected.
As for birth control, my understanding is that the best birth control
device is literacy.
Rob.

Robert Appleby and Sue Darlow
Via Bellentani 36
41100 Modena
Italy
Tel/fax [39] 059 303436