Lets start with two words we have - Democracy and Economy.

Democracy:
- from Demos, the people.
- from Kratos, the rule.

That was how the word "democracy" came to be - basically it means that the people rule.

Now lets look at the word "Economy".

-from Oikos - the house.
- from Nomos - the managing.

I will now digress from etimology for a second...

These past days Portugal's government fell and is now under the jurisdiction of the International Monetary Fund. How did the government fall? No one really knows... There was no revolution, there were no riots, there was no vote... Libia got a lot of attention - the portuguese government fell for no reason in the meantime , no one cares though. It just fell. Openned the doors for us to be ruled by the IMF, though.

The New York Times pointed the finger at IMF's move describing it as a lie. In their words the IMF pressured a nation's elected government to fall even though in no way was Portugal in a position that they would need to hand over their rule to them. Still the pressure was made and our government fell - our President refuses to talk about it literally... (no really - literaly in the very true sense of the word) ... he tells people to check his facebook account for news. A President that only talks to those that have a facebook account... sounds ridiculous doesn't it?

For the first time a western nation fell from the pressure of market ratings into the very control of the very same institution that issued those market ratings.

I understand that it is easier to look at countries whose sovereignty is falling to armies. But that is outdated. Private corporations will rule you and they wont need any army - they will use your own army and your own rules and your own governments, they bought them a long time ago.

I am not a nationalist or an activist - I care for myself and those that depend on me and try my best to provide a good future for them. That is all I care for and all I want to accomplish. As for the flag? That cloth that waves in the wind (no matter where you are there's a cloth waving in the wind regardless of the colours in it)... it means nothing to me and means nothing to anyone's future.


...


Now past my rant and back to etimology...

Nomos... the management.
Kratos... the rule.

I name these times we're living in as Nomocracy - the managing of power. The people have no hand in it anymore.

The management rules.

Portugal is the oldest border in the world - for 8 centuries our border has stood firm. Ironic how we fell now.

My sympathies for what has befallen your country. Mine is well on the way.I am reminded of a science fiction novel I read a long time ago where the countries of the world were all ruled by corporations who spent all their time trying to take each other over by wars. I think this is what the future holds for us all. They will have free reign to stage all the wars they want when there is no government in the way. The people lost their power long ago. Here in america it started when they allowed the federal reserve to exist. The banksters are primarily responsible, but I think that there is more going on than just the banksters. I don't think that we will really know what until we see how deep the rabbit hole goes.

Originally posted by lonegurkha
I am reminded of a science fiction novel I read a long time ago where the countries of the world were all ruled by corporations who spent all their time trying to take each other over by wars.

The entire TEKKEN game series is built on this story.

We live there today. The basics of life are food, water and shelter.

The world's water is owned by 2 companies.

Land is owned by a couple of global banking corporations.

Food production is entirely corporate.

Everything beneath those three legs on the stool is driven off nation's fighting for their basic needs. You will do anything to stay alive before you think about luxuries.

The article on NWT mentioned our 74 revolution so I feel a need to explain the Portuguese people a bit and how this new strategy brings me hope.

"Hope" is an eternal temptation after all.

In 74 there was a revolution in Portugal against a fascist regime. The difference was that in this revolution the country's army was not against the people, it was as it is and will always be the sons and daughters of the people protesting. They stuffed carnations in their guns' barrels and in their tanks' barrels and marched on the streets (sounds lame but it was the seventies give them a break lol).

My hope is that just as back then when things get tough - tough to the point that everyone regardless of how distracted they are they can't but acknowledge it - again... Portugal will basically say "No." as one. As they did before. We don't riot, we don't burn cars or buildings. But we will say no in a very definite way, it will be like this - "No we wont do what you're telling us to do.".

I heard something on the news about Portugal going to the EU for a bailout, but WTF happened Are you saying there are no more politicians and the IMF is now running the county? Here in Australia we have had one prime minister kicked out under a very dark and shady scene, but for your whole system of government to be disbanded at the stroke of a pen sounds crazy. Where are the riots and blood? This stinks really bad.

Originally posted by kwakakev
I heard something on the news about Portugal going to the EU for a bailout, but WTF happened Are you saying there are no more politicians and the IMF is now running the county? Here in Australia we have had one prime minister kicked out under a very dark and shady scene, but for your whole system of government to be disbanded at the stroke of a pen sounds crazy. Where are the riots and blood? This stinks really bad.

For a closer approach to the Portuguese situation - Portugal has not requested a bailout ever. We have from the start been rejecting it. Europe was trying to convince our government that we needed it - in 2010 our economy grew. In 2011's first trimester our economy grew.

The only thing that has made it happen was the fact that our government was kicked out by outside influences (forget left and right). Regardless of the people's votes! - there were no calls for it, no referendums, no protests. THEY decided to overthrow a government - an elected government.

. I have not seen any news articles that mention that the government has been kicked out, do you have any links?

I understand that Portugal is a small country and as such do not expect it to be big news internationally - my intention on this post was to focus on why it fell and who took over. But if you really don't believe that Portugal's government fell... just google - it fell back in March.

EDIT: Yes I must confess - I live in Portugal