Blood Diamond is a 2006 American-German political war thriller film co-produced and directed by Edward Zwick, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou. The title refers to blood diamonds, which are diamonds mined in African war zones and sold to finance conflicts, and thereby profit warlords and diamond companies across the world.
Set during the Sierra Leone Civil War in 1996–2001, the film depicts a country torn apart by the struggle between government loyalists and insurgent forces. It also portrays many of the atrocities of that war, including the rebels’ amputation of people’s hands to discourage them from voting in upcoming elections.
The film’s ending, in which a conference is held concerning blood diamonds, refers to an historic meeting that took place in Kimberley, South Africa in 2000. [excerpted from Wikipedia]
Directed by Edward Zwick — USA — 2006 — 143 minutes
Bob Jene will examine the American Monetary Institute’s American Monetary Act, a proposed amendment to the Constitution, and compare it with Henry George’s ideas on money. Steve Zarlenga’s speech in which he shows George’s ideas on money coincide with AMI’s will also be examined and discussed. It will boil down to which is more important, Henry George’s proposed fiscal reform or Zarlenga’s monetary reform.
An evening with Bob Jene to compare the Georgist fiscal reform to the TARP bailout, “Fair Tax,” Flat Tax, Bush tax cuts and government money creation. A gist of each proposed or attempted solution to the “great recession” will be given including QE I, QE II and QE III. Attendees will rank the proposed remedies on a scale of 1 to 10 based on 8 criteria.
Political Economy Book Club discusses Uncle Tom’s Cabin, “the book that inspired the abolitionist movement.” It may have been based on the real-life slave Josiah Henson, who escaped slavery and started the community Dawn in Canada which became a destination of many slaves on the underground railroad. The event is free and everyone is welcome, but RSVP is requested to 312 450 2906 or rjmatter@gmail.com.
Stolen Statue Repossessed/Henry George School photo
Originating as a field trip for students completing our Progress & Poverty course, this stroll thru downtown Chicago examines some of the ways that average people, and the community as a whole, are deprived of their just earnings. Among other things we’ll see who benefits from the expensive infrastructure and “economic development” projects, how Thomas Jefferson wanted Chicago to fund its public schools, what happens when a well-located building burns down, and how land speculators get their taxes paid by productive workers. Hardcopy sourced notes will be provided. Expect to walk about 2 km; maybe we’ll stop for snacks (individual settlement) along the way.
A $10 donation is requested from those who are not recent or current HGS students or donors, but nobody will be excluded due to lack of funds. If you have a paypal account, you can make your donation by credit card using the link below, or better yet bring cash or a check.
This is a special presentation for students at DePaul, Loyola, and Dominican Universities. If you meet this requirement and you’re interested in solving the problem of poverty, you’ll get $20 (or a free course voucher if you prefer) by attending this program. RSVP is essential. Others may attend on space-available basis.
Would Rube Goldberg have been able to design a less straightforward system of funding government than the U S Federal income tax? In this presentation, HGS instructor Bob Jene looks at what it costs to collect this revenue. The direct cost to the government of operating the Internal Revenue Service is only a small part, as the burden put on the taxpayer, and the diversion of effort from productive uses, should also be considered.
Photo Credit: John Picken Photography (cc) via flickr.
Bring your own bicycle (or rent a “shared” one from Divvy) and join HGS Instructor Bob Jene for a leisurely roll thru the near south area, including Grant Park, Museum Campus, Central Station, Prairie Avenue, and South Michigan Avenue. Taxpayers spent hundreds of millions for infrastructure and amenities serving these areas, resulting in redevelopment but also higher costs for housing, commercial and even parking spaces. Bob will discuss these effects, who benefits and who pays, and how equity might be improved.
An injudicious tax offers a great temptation to smuggling. But the penalties of smuggling must rise in proportion to the temptation. The law, contrary to all the ordinary principles of justice, first creates the temptation, and then punishes those who yield to it…
— Adam Smith
Book V of Adam Smith’s classic is entitled “Of the Revenue of the Sovereign or Commonwealth,” includes the above as well as many thoughtful passages about what we nowadays call public finance. Our Political Economy Book Club will discuss this final part of Wealth of Nations on Wednesday, November 12. You can download or read the book on line from severalsources, borrow it from many public libraries, or purchase a copy inexpensively.
For further information or to let us know you’re coming, email PEBC coordinator Bob Matter or call 312 450 2906.
As farmland yields to “higher-value” uses, how (and how well and how inexpensively) will we eat? Bob Jene reviews data from a leading agricultural preservation organization, the American Farmland Trust (AFT). Among other things they buy development rights from landowners to insure continued farming use, and attempt to facilitate community supported agriculture which makes family farms more viable. A Georgist fiscal reform encourages more conservative and productive use of all land and reduces sprawl, thus preventing encroachment on farmland. An alliance with AFT would benefit us both.
