Summary paper on The Article Power and The Tiny Acts of Rebellion By Chris Hedges found on truthdig.com - Essay Example

Summary paper on The Article Power and the Tiny Acts of Rebellion by Chris Hedges found on truthdig.com In one of the most germane discussions of the day, Chris Hedges’ article “Power and the Tiny Acts of Rebellion” deals with the scope of the established mechanisms of power in attaining major reform or restoring of the modern democracy. The author is unenthusiastic about the capacity of the established mechanisms of power of the day in achieving any major success in the endeavor to reform today’s democracy.

The opening section of the article itself makes the author’s argument clear where he maintains that “there is no hope left for achieving significant reform or restoring our democracy through established mechanisms of power.” (Hedges, 1) Hedges illustrates his claim by drawing an exact picture of the mechanisms of power in the contemporary world, which includes the electoral process, the judiciary, the press, the universities, the labor unions, the economy, and the public. Accordingly, the electoral process has been hijacked by corporations; the judiciary has become corrupted, the press reckless, the universities hopeless, labor unions marginal and ineffectual forces, economy tainted by swindlers and speculators.

Worst of all, the general public is captivated by electronic hallucinations and it remains passive and supine to the miserable quandary of the democracy. Thus, Chris Hedges establishes that the power structure within the democratic process in the nation is left with no tools to fight against the unrestricted corporate plunder. (Hedges, 1) In a reflective reading of the article “Power and the Tiny Acts of Rebellion” by Chris Hedges, it becomes lucid that the author deals with one of the most pertinent issues in the socio-economic and political spheres of the nation, i.e. the overruling role of the unobstructed corporate power over the power structure within the democracy.

According to the author, the liberal class represents by Barack Obama has lacked vision or courage to fight against the unobstructed corporate pillage, although it occasionally responded to the issue under the pressures by popular democratic movements. In the current scenario, where there is complete surrendering of power to corporate interests, there is no scope for a transformation of the democratic process. “The corporate coup has ossified the structures of power. It has obliterated all checks on corporate malfeasance.

It has left us stripped of the tools of mass organization that once nudged the system forward toward justice.” (Hedges, 1) Thus, Hedges is very severe and callous in his attack on the dangerous influence of the corporate interests in the democratic working of the nation. Whereas Hedges makes rude and critical remarks about Barack Obama’s strategy to serve the centers of power in the corporate world, the article also scoffs at Obama’s ability to attract corporate power has found new brands in Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck.

The author makes a sensible observation that the moral fiber of the nation is determined, today, by the stunted and deformed individuals with rapacious greed, and he cites examples from health companies to the oil and natural gas industry to private weapons contractors. “All reform movements, from the battle for universal health care to the struggle for alternative energy and sane environmental controls to financial regulation to an end to our permanent war economy, have run into this new, terrifying configuration of power.

” (Hedges, 1) The miserable plight of the current reform process is suggested by the efforts for health reform in the nation where those in power were very reluctant to have any constructive health reform debate. Significantly, the article maintains that the corporate control of every aspect of American life is illustrated by the corporate control of health care. In conclusion, Chris Hedges’ article on power and the insignificant acts of rebellion in the contemporary American society persuades to think of resistance in a new way, in order to end the overriding influence of the corporate interests on the power structure within the democratic process in the nation.

The nature of this resistance should resemble African-Americans’ bttle against slavery, German opposition under the Nazis, resistance under the nightmare of communism in the former Soviet Union, etc. Work Cited Hedges, Chris. “Power and the Tiny Acts of Rebellion.” Truthdig.com. 2010. Jan, 28. 2011. .