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Opinion by The Americas Foundation's President

Do we want Plutocracy or Democracy?

Governor George W. Bush and the media are celebrating his presidential campaign fund raising “prowess” of over $56 million in a few months. They are further telling us that he is the best presidential candidate because of his fund raising ability, and thereby discouraging other contenders because supposedly they will “blow them off” the map with clever sound bites media campaign.

It may be that the $56 million he has raised so far may come from less than 56,000 persons, at a $1,000 per person. Money does not necessarily equal or assures quality nor knowledge, nor the best government administrators. Mr. Bush has ample opportunity to demonstrate that he is the best candidate in other ways.

Elections and electing our public servants always must be the exercise of the will and voice of all the people, informed electorate. We must always stay vigilant of this fact.

I do not believe that we want a plutocracy: a government by, of and for the wealthy, the controlling class of the rich. Among other things a plutocracy will stifle creativity, ingenuity, progress and economic growth.

Just about any of the major breakthroughs in history, the industrial revolution, the recent high-tech revolution have been made no by the wealthy, elite, powerful rich people, but on the contrary by individuals of little or no wealth. Case in point is the computer age: Apple computer’s Steve Jobs, Microsoft’s Bill Gates and many others in Internet. They started in tiny garages, financially starved. If we allow a plutocracy, we will kill or at the very least block or thwart the human creative, innovative spirit.

As a United States citizen, Colombian born, we need only to look at Latin America and the Caribbean countries with governments that have historically and continue to be plutocracies. Ineffective plutocracies that have not allowed working alternatives nor given incentives to develop the human engines of change and progress. We need to help change those conditions and thereby contribute to steer the people of the region into the global competition of the 21st century.

About 70 % of the people of Latin America are reportedly poor, that mean under productive, underachieving. Colombia and the other Latin American governments should start bringing their vast human resources reservoir to dynamic productivity, starting now, as we enter into the 21st century.

The Americas Foundation has developed a strategic plan addressing this great challenge, and invites anyone and everyone to join in, to contribute and actively participate in its successful implementation for the benefit of all the people of the Americas. Among other components, the plan involves low-tech and high-tech training programs to get people into good paying jobs, developing the service and capital industry sectors, bringing the people into the market economy with disposable income, establishing strategic alliances at all levels, etc. The plan has time lines and assures measurable, visible results.