The streets of downtown São Paulo and the meaning of democracy – Jair de Sousa

by Jair de Souza

On the cold and rainy morning of August 11, once again in the not-so-short course of my life, I took to the streets to take part in a political act of struggle in search of a more just Brazil: the letter read by the state OF LAW, always, in front of the corridors of the University of the South Pacific Law School, in São Francisco Square, in São Paulo.

I was clear that I was going to a democracy activism. Yes, from democracy, that magic word that seems to mean a lot and at the same time means nothing. But what was I supposed to understand to make me face the bad weather on this dark and cloudy morning?

However, as I walk the route that will take me from the subway station, in Praça da Sé, to the venue (Largo São Francisco), the essence of what should symbolize the democracy I have been fighting for is clearer and clearer.

Continue after the ad

As has been the case for at least five years now, the streets of our cities are becoming more and more crowded every day with people living in conditions far below any traceable poverty level. However, on such a cold day and as the rain continued, the scenes of suffering and sadness that I had been able to witness before now became even more cruel and painful.

Those hundreds, or, who knows, thousands of people lying in the open, wrapped in their tattered blankets, no longer had to endure the bitter cold that pierced their bones. And now they receive, as a reward unfortunately, the cold rainwater that wetted the scanty fabrics that had protected them. Indeed, it would be necessary that there be no more humanity left so that we do not share the pain.

And let us not be deceived, if the pains seemed enormous and unbearable to me who was just watching the viewer, imagine how it must have been with those who were feeling them in their own body. It is true that in a few minutes I will be with others shouting for democracy. It is also true that not everyone who was going to attend saw the problem in the same way.

For some, fortunately (I think) the minority, democracy is necessary, because in its absence there is no longer any predictability of the market. Without this predictability, business cannot flow as required. In other words, the scenes of grief described above should not necessarily be considered improbable, as long as the predictability of capital gains is not affected.

For this concept of democracy, the rules that protect the operations of capital from the vagaries of unforeseen government actions are the most sacred thing. Hunger, misery, and the plight of some (although there are a great many of them) are not properly democracy issues. Perhaps, at best, they could be part of the charitable interests of the wealthier classes.

For me, I must admit, it all reinforced the vision I had been cultivating for so long: democracy is meaningless unless it is to improve the standard of living of the population as a whole and prevent inequality from dominating at the mercy of the fire..for the rich. In other words, democracy cannot be reduced to a matter of formality. In order to truly exist, it must ensure that everyone meets a minimum acceptable level of satisfaction of basic needs. Therefore, my understanding of democracy fails to acknowledge the pervasiveness of the meritocracy in a society composed of hungry masses and a few owners of almost everything.

It is more evident that polisonarism is a disgrace to almost everyone in Brazil today. However, the measures which treat and solve the problems suffered by the bankers, the major agricultural producers or the chief industrial businessmen do not appear to be the same as those which are required by the rest of the population to ease their living conditions.

If the bankers and all rentier earners, on the one hand, want to maintain the spending cap to ensure predictability that they will continue to receive their dividends and profits, we aim to end the notorious spending cap law to put an end to the tragedy of the homeless, who do not even have a place to live. In other words, for us the topic related to the issue of the ceiling is this!

Coming to my place of focus, I could see that the great majority of those present were people from the popular countryside who, most likely, would agree with the idea of ​​democracy I was nurturing. I was very happy to see so many old fighters there. I was greatly relieved to have been able to embrace the glorious Captain Vladimir, of a Corinthian democracy, and many others from many other struggles.

I can’t believe in a democracy with so much inequality, with so many hungry people, with so many people giving in to the damned. And I would like to stress, I believe that the commitment of each one of us to once again eradicate this shame that brought us back in the 2016 coup and Bolsonarismo has nothing to do with the practice of philanthropy. The fight to end hunger and end absolute misery is fundamental to us to affirm our humanity. It is not acceptable to feel that we are real human beings without taking care of the basic guarantee of life for those most in need.

I accept and call for the widest possible front to be devoted to ensuring the survival of the threatened democracy. But I don’t think that’s enough. The struggle for our democracy to go beyond mere formalities is the duty of all those who sincerely wish to put an end to the injustice that has plagued our country and our people.

This article does not represent the opinion of Brasil 247 and is the responsibility of the columnist.

Continue after the ad

Knowledge gives you freedom. I want to be a member. Follow us cable.