Oct 19 2009
Going Local – Part 2
In Going Local, I explained the reason why we may “Go Local” whether we want to or not due to factors that are out of control. Now I would like to give a reason why one may want to “Go Local”.
One of the advantages of having many contacts on Facebook that are Distributists are that they post links to many interesting articles. Many of them I cannot get to due to a busy schedule.
However, this morning a link to The Ruin of the Small Storekeeper by Hilaire Belloc over on ChesterBelloc Mandate was posted. In there, Belloc points out the moral and material sets of causes that work against the small storekeeper (i.e. the small business man).
The moral causes, in my opinion mostly can be categorized into one of the socio-economic plagues that are infecting society. That plague is Materialism. Many see the small storekeeper as inconvenient due to the fact that they cannot get all of their “so called needs” in one place and are “wasting time” by going to various different places. I can see why one would believe this.
However, if one takes an inventory of their “needs” they would see many of them are “wants” not “needs”. In addition, by going to places where one can “get everything in one place”, one tends to “get things” that they do not need since they are “conveniently there.” This convenience explains the rise of the “megastores” and the “mall” or “mega shopping center”.
The second set, material” of clauses, in my opinion are more insidious since they actively against the “Small Storekeeper”. They are the competitive advantages of the second socio-economic plague that infects society. That plague is Global Capitalism (or big business). Whether it be the “economies of scale”, “control of production”, and/or “preferential treatment” by banks and/or regulators, the Global Capitalist definitely has the advantage and uses it to either bring the “Small Storekeeper” under his control (i.e. franchise) or destroy them all together. In either case, the “Small Storekeeper” is either reduced to a “wage slave” at the beckon call of his “master” the Global Capitalist or a slave of the State via welfare or employment.
Now, one can say that there are many “small stores” in the mall or along “Main Street”. However, if one takes a close look, they are mostly either franchisees of global companies, sell products of the global companies, or sell goods that the global company has no desire to sell. In all cases but the last, they are nothing more than the extension of the global company. This is especially true of the stores in the mall.
Many will say that Global Capitalism is good. I say it is just the opposite. Except in the rare case, Global Capitalism is oppressive of those who want to compete in the same line of business, reduces people to wage slaves, and promotes the plague of Materialism.
We must look at our buying habits and determine if we really need the products and, if we do, try to find truly local “Small Shopkeepers” to buy those products. Only then will we be able to crush the plagues that are infecting society.
