Page 22
The INDEPENDENT, May 19, 2011
Letters
From page 3
valuable minerals from the
earth. As societies advance,
the intelligent mobilization of
money combined with the
building of a respected struc-
ture of business law tend to be
hallmarks of the daily round of
economic exchange. Thus, the
process of “primitive economic
accumulation” ideally gives way
to technical efficiency on the
part of those in charge of the
means of production.
There is a complication here,
however, which goes to the
very root of contemporary con-
troversies regarding the ex-
ploitation of economic “Periph-
eries” by (allegedly) advanced
economic “cores/metropoles”.
The advanced economies and
their production processes con-
tinue to require the crops and
minerals brought forth by “prim-
itive accumulations.” This is a
circumstance that implies that
certain regions of the earth
must, from the point of view of
capitalist material self-interest,
remain rooted in a rudimentary
condition of production. Essen-
tially, this is the argument made
by Uruguayan author Eduardo
Galeano in his book “Open
Veins of Latin America”. Con-
demned by the global economy
to being producers of raw ma-
terials, Third World countries
possess plenty of rich com-
modities while being burdened
by a multitude of poor people.
This dysfunctional (for the
Third World) economic para-
digm has, if anything, wors-
ened in the age of computers,
cell phones and other digital
devices. The marvellous “in-
nards” of these devices contain
materials that are mined by
some of the most horrifically
dangerous methods imagina-
ble. Not only that, it is a fact
that many high-tech corpora-
tions do not bother checking to
see if their raw materials derive
from “legal” mining operations.
The Congo Republic is the site
of many such illicit operations.
Paradoxically, therefore, the
existence of economic efficien-
cy and modernity in certain
countries draw strength from
the continued existence of eco-
nomic backwardness else-
where. This dynamic is to be
witnessed even within the con-
text of Europe. A “poor periph-
ery” of countries like Greece,
Spain, Portugal, Italy and Ire-
land serves as a reservoir of la-
bor, raw materials, and invest-
ment opportunities for Europe’s
“wealthier” nations. For the
United States an equivalent sit-
uation exists between it and the
countries of Latin America.
So what is the solution to
problems engendered by this
unfavorable global economic
dynamic?
There is, really, only one so-
lution. Somehow or other, ad-
vances in economic efficiency
and productivity must be com-
pletely detached from “inputs”
of raw commodities. Until this is
done – I have no idea how –
raw commodities-producing
countries will continue to be
“beggars on benches of gold”,
to employ Galeano’s phrase.
Then, once “raw commodi-
ties” no longer must be “in-
putted” in production, the fruits
of economic efficiency in the
First World can be shared by
the entire planet.
Frank W. Goheen
Camas, Washington
LEGAL NOTICE
LEGAL NOTICE
LEGAL NOTICE
LEGAL NOTICE
LEGAL NOTICE
Public Notice
Bids Due 2:00 pm PST, June
7th, 2011
GC), P&C Construction, 2133
NW York St , Portland, Oregon
97210 by the time and date list-
ed above. Faxed bids will be ac-
cepted. Questions regarding the
proposal shall be in writing and
directed to Kevin McCall at P&C
Construction by fax (503-667-
2565) or e-mail (kmccall@built-
bypandc.com). Late bids will not
be accepted.
The scope of work for this bid
package includes, but is not limit-
ed to, Structured Cabling for the
Voice and Data, Sound and The-
atrical Intercom System at the
new Vernonia K-12 School in Ver-
nonia Oregon. It is anticipated
that work on site will commence
in September 2011 and must
reach Final Completion no later
than April 12th, 2012.
Beginning on May 24th, 2011,
bid documents may be examined
at the offices of P&C or obtained
electronically by contacting
Rosanna Williamson at P&C
Construction (503.665-0165 or
Please see page 23
Action Ads
P&C Construction
New Vernonia K-12 School
REQUEST FOR BID
Bid Package Three (BP-3):
Structured Cabling and Sound
System
Bids for the “VERNONIA
SCHOOL DISTRICT – STRUC-
TURED CABLING AND SOUND
SYSTEM:
BID
PACKAGE
THREE (BP-3)” will be received
by the Construction Man-
ager/General Contractor (CM/