Putin, the Western Obsession with Markets, and Compassion

President Putin was right when he said, yesterday, that any attempt to impose sanctions on Russia would hurt the West as much as his own country: he knows that sanctions would impact markets everywhere and that, because the developed world has made making money the most important focus of government, there is little it is able, practically, to do about the Crimean takeover without hurting itself badly. The Ukranian crisis has brought much that was hidden to light, and the light is not flattering. Our obsession with market success has allowed London to become the global centre for foreign investment in property and stocks and shares, huge sums of money pouring into British banks for onward spending because of its generous tax regime for such residents, and because questions are not asked about the source of the wealth, which derives largely from Russia: even Putin has his money here. It is believed that many of these monies are corruptly, criminally, acquired, and London and other cities are benefiting. The most effective sanction against Russia for her actions in Crimea would be to undertake an intensive money-laundering investigation into, and a block on, the Russian funds coming into London, but the British government does not dare to do this for fear of embarrassing revelations about her ethical approach to the issue, the flight of oligarchical funds to other countries, and the bursting of the illusory property bubble in the Capital. Similarly, other nations are reluctant to take decisive action against Putin’s Russia because of the danger that it would split the global market, with concomitant repercussions for trade, employment, and economies. Idealism seems forgotten as the West prepares to offer money and words but little else to Ukraine, and it will be interesting to see what happens if Putin decides to offer “humanitarian support” through tanks and troops to other Russian-speaking neighbours in weeks to come. Meanwhile, Western priorities deserve scrutiny as cities which are benefitting from the influx of Russian, Chinese and other money themselves are split between the very rich and the very poor, the powerful and the forgotten. It is sad that compassion is the casualty of a war based on market needs and economic gain. Every Ukranian is part of me and of you, and so is every child in London who goes hungry to bed each night. There are more important things in life than being rich.

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 The nature of Compassion, the quality of the Second Ray,  is discussed in detail in my forthcoming course on the 7 Cosmic Rays.

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