[Leica] Re: Leica Users digest V19 #340

["Frank Dernie" <Frank.Dernie@btinternet.com>]

Governments are powerful in all respects except the creation of wealth. They
simply choose how to tax and spend the money. You can't have a big war
without a government OTOH!
I lived and worked in both France and the UK during the Thatcher/ Mitterand
years. Both liked to give credit to their politics for their booming
economies. In fact the whole world economy was booming at the time - it had
NOTHING to do with them. I have always been tickled by this - being lectured
on the benefits of right wing politics to the prosperity of everyone whilst
in England and ditto the benefits of Socialism in France!!!

cheers Frank

- ----------

> Alan Hull added
>
> From: Oddmund Garvik
>> It is something like that, yes. But the exercise of power is a subtle
>> often invisible affair. The real power in our time is the corporate
>> multinational power
>
> No, I cannot agree with that.  The real power is still firmly in the
> hands of governments.  They excercise that power with laws and taxes.
> They have the power of life and death. They have power a multinational
> company can only dream of.  On a mundane note, I cannot name one
> multinational company that can get money out of my pocket unless I buy
> their product. The government, though, has its hands in my pocket every
> day whether I want their product or not.  Taxes, taxes and taxes, those
> are the three main issues that should fire the imagination of the
> concerned photographer.  I live in Sweden so pay attention.
> Last year, to brighten up the winter, I gave myself a photo project to
> document the nasty effects of a society that suffered overtaxation.
> Impossible.  I didn't have the talant, or even a single idea about how
> to illustrate the theme.  I mean every photo I took looked like
> ordinary folk going about their business in clean swept streets and law
> abiding surroundings.  It wasn't fair.  They should have looked
> downtrodden and miserable and they didn't.
>
> Two days ago I was invited to a traditional May-day bonfire.  Goody
> goody I thought recalling English bonfires.  A marvelous booze and bash
> up with fireworks and things.  Took an old Canon SLR in anticipation of
> getting legless.  Nope.  For three hours we stood around a blazing
> bonfire listening to the local church choir.  Then we trooped off to
> the school hall for a cup of coffee.  So what, I hear you cry.  Well I
> realised the reason why my photographs failed.  It is not possible to
> indicate lack of fun.  Everything that is frivolous and fun attracts a
> premium tax in Sweden so nobody can afford it.  I mean its easy to
> photograph a fat slob coming out of a McDonalds cafe and blame the
> giant multinational for purveying junk food.  Try photographing
> something invisible like the lack of fun.
>
> Alan