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Dam Project in Brazil

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truths-seeker

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Not sure if this is specifically an Environmentalism topic. This has been popping up on facebook lately:

5b8cb96695b18e5482181f49069e0758

How do you even begin on an issue like this?

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You begin by finding out what the history and relationship were between the tribe and the Brazillian government. Nobody can conclude that this is or isn't the right course of action without evaluating that history. I don't know the first thing about this case, but I will say that it reminds me of the Chippewa Flowage, which was created to generate hydroelectric power and control flooding. Tribal lands that were owned by Lac Courte Oreille native Americans were flooded during the creation of this lake system. From what I gather of the Chippewa Flowage event, it was a violation of the treaties signed by the Ojibwa, the US and the state of Wisconsin, and it was a violation of the rights of the natives. In its current state, the Chippewa Flowage is one of the most beautiful places in the upper Midwest, but its history is a bit sad.

Edited by FeatherFall
clarity
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Yeah, it is just frustrating, I spend so much time 'debating' with friends about capitalism, then they throw this in my face. :wacko:

This is the type of thing people jump on as an example of the evils of capitalism. How can I explain in a simple straight-forward way how they are wrong, how this is not a representation of capitalism?

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Under capitalism, property rights are protected. If these Brazilian tribesmen indeed have property rights over the soon-to-be flooded valley, then we have a violation of property rights and, hence, we don't have capitalism. To drive home your point, you can familiarize yourself with the Kelo decision, which was widely denounced by capitalists. In the Kelo case, private land was taken by the city to be given to a different private party.

Edit: Keep in mind, these types of projects are justified by the "common good" (whatever that means). Brazilian slums need cheap power, so tribesmen be damned. Under capitalism, instead of consideration for this ineffable "common good," we have consideration for individual rights. That means under heartless capitalists, Brazilian slum-dwellers pay the true cost for their power and don't violate the rights of local tribesmen.

Edit2: Sorry to refer you to a US court decision. I noticed you're from Canada. I'm sure if you did a little digging you could find a memorable Canadian example of what we in the South call "eminent domain." Wikipedia says you guys call it, "expropriation."

Edited by FeatherFall
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I'm not only from Brazil, but from the brazilian state where this hydroelectric plant shall be build in the amazon region. Some interesting points about this project:

1. Although I can't deny the benefits of such enterprise in a country struggling with a low investment in the energy field, this whole project is a mess. The government clear purpose is to use it for electoral means, as such some incongruences emerged like (I) they talked just to a few locals about it, (II) the plant is very poorly designed and (III) it won't be profitable. All brazilian big companies refused to work on this hydroelectric plant because of that! Who so conducts this project, called Belo Monte hydroelectric? Low-rate private companies and government-owned companies, funded with government money! Not exactly the most capitalist endeavor I ever seen...

2. Even if your friends say that the brazilian government is taking a "capitalist" approach, remember them that the actual head of the government is the Worker's Party! Its public mission, as stated in ever single piece of theirs publicity material, is to transform the Brazil in a communist society. "Fortunately", they became very corrupt in the past 15 years to conduct our society to this hell. To further explain this point, remember that the Belo Monte project started during president Lula (an ex-union leader) administration and now is conducted by president Dilma (an ex-communist terrorist). They are the very "capitalist" forces fighting for this project! And they always claim that the power plant is for our public good (sorry, but I don't know what "public good" means).

3. Finally, the indians. This whole mess is commonly described as if we are in the middle of some James Cameron movie with tall, blue aliens with a USB stick in theirs hair. First, not a single indian shall be harmed by the project. Remember when I said that the plant is poorly designed? One of the reasons for this claim is that they reduced its size so much that it won't produce too much power and it won't touch the indians lands. Second, I'm yet to know a more privileged class in Brazil than the Indians. They can kill me right now that nothing shall happens to them, as there's a law that protects them against... Law! An indian can't be arrested by a "white law", so the law claims. They receive a huge amount of benefits also, like privileged access to college, medical assistance, land, etc. Just because they are born in an indian tribe! The Indian National Foundation, brazilian agency for indian matters, claim that this approach is necessary as an "excuse request" for all the "indian suffering" during portuguese colonization... But its a fairy-tale. Most indians enjoyed the portuguese colonization and even helped them. Why? Well, the portuguese people took them from pre-history to modern age. They took them from killing each other in a tropical forest to... Aristoteles, Da Vinci and Shakespeare. Only a few (dumbs) indians remained in this horrible pre-historic condition while the majority became the ascendants of the brazilian people. This indian crying in the picture is a directly descendent from the dumb indians who now prefer to claim that he still live like a dumb indian (but in reality, uses an iPad to connect to the Internet while he is driving a BMW) as he can request all the benefits granted by the Indian National Foundation.

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Wow, thanks for the info guys! That's bloody amazing Brunno, the reality behind these issues is always so much more complicated than these "sign now" petitions let on.

It is funny you mentioned Avatar, when that came out it was another 'example' my friends would use of the evils of capitalism. Not even joking.

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