Social justice, world day of shame

A Constitution for the Earth

15 February 2020

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23 February 2020

Published by Dario Dongo on 20 February 2020

Social justice in words

'Bridging the gap of inequalities to achieve social justice'is the theme chosen by the UN to celebrate the day of shame in 2020. (1) From the Glass Palace it is said that 'social justice is a principle underlying peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and between nations. We uphold the principles of social justice when we promote gender equality oi rights of indigenous peoples and migrants. We promote social justice when we remove the barriers that people face as a result of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture or disability. ' Clap Clap.

ILO (International Labor Organization) adopted on 10.6.08 the Declaration on social justice for a fair globalization. (2) 'The Declaration focuses on ensuring equitable outcomes for all, through employment, social protection, social dialogue and fundamental principles and rights at work. ' Clap Clap.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The SDGs - Sustainable Development Goals in the UN Agenda 2030 - converge in turn on the priority need to reduce inequalities:

- eradication of extreme poverty (# SDG1)

- stop at fame in the world (# SDG2),

- universal law water and basic sanitation (# SDG6),

Health cover universal (# SDG3),

education (# SDG4),

decent work and economic growth (# SDG8),

- equality gender (# SDG5. See note 3),

- reduction of inequalities, within and between countries (# SDG10. See note 4),

child protection (# SDG16)

Some scenario data

From the promises of paper to reality, some data of scenario to think about:

- 1 in 2 humans lives today on less than 2 dollars (1,8 euros) a day,

- 60% of workers the planet does not have any kind of employment contract,

- 18% of workers have a permanent contract (down),

- 600 million new jobs are expected to be created by 2030, just to keep up with the growing population of working age (ILO data).

The 'liquid' economy, the gig economy, unregulated work at the will of those who exploit it is the cause of disruptive social insecurity. And the situation continues to worsen, in the so-called advanced economies as in the Low-Medium Income Countries (Low-Middle Income Countries, LMIC).

The dimensions of inequality

The latest UNDP report (United Nation Development Program) on the evolution of society reveals, perhaps better than others, the different dimensions of the inequality that afflicts populations starting from early childhood. Globally - as well as in Europe and Italy - they are registered child malnutrition e educational poverty, in a company divided into castes with increasingly invincible borders.

'Inequality it's not just about how much someone earns relative to their neighbor. It is about the unequal distribution of wealth and power, the social and political practices that lead people to the streets today, and the triggers that will lead them in the future, unless something changes.'(Achim Steiner, Director of UNDP, United Nation Development Program.

Facts not words

Conscience of the planetary social crisis is now widespread but no one assumes the responsibility of stimulating change. Fundamental human rights remain a dead letter, lacking the necessary implementation to save the planet and its inhabitants. And it is therefore that the need for one is reaffirmed Constitution for the Earth as an 'ethical compass' to guide the social and environmental policies of the governments of the planet.

'Legal equality formally sanctioned by the capitalist system, it is an indispensable historical foundation for any struggle that aims at its extension also to the excluded, to those to whom classical liberalism does not recognize the status of homme, as such bearer of inalienable rights.(6)

The #WorldEconomicFailure which has met every year in Davos for half a century is the emblem of the failure of the representatives of the in the declared objective of allowing the 'invisible hand of the market' to play a favorable role in the economic development of the planet. And it is unrealistic to believe that a private club in which they participate (with membership dues between 60 thousand and 600 thousand Swiss francs) those one thousand Corporation responsible for the current social crisis can even just mitigate the crisis caused by them.

Politics it must renew itself and free itself from the leadership of those centers of power that afflict the populations. Regaining control of the economy through tax regimes suitable for the effective redistribution of wealth. Apply effective taxes on capital and their income, on position incomes which are still unjustifiably privileged over work income. Investing in the dignity of the individual and in work, in social policies in favor of the disadvantaged, in environmental protection.

We must stop to leave room forthe sentimental Lords who take pleasure in treating workers as humble customers, are indignant whenever the mob asks for rights and not sympathy'. (7). Do not put back to great dodger Jeff Bezos the choice of how to 'donate' US $ 10 billion to the 'planet'. Rather, to entrust to individual States - where adequate taxes are due - the decision on where and how best to invest public resources for the common good.

# Égalité!

Dario Dongo