It Could Happen Here
The riots which recently erupted on the streets of London sent shock waves around the world, but England is not the only country currently suffering from unrest. Students in Chile have been rioting in protest about unfair educational opportunities, whilst on the streets of Israel people are protesting about the increasing cost of food.
In India people have taken to the streets to protest about corruption and about the abuse of human rights. In Spain there have been violent protests about the austerity measures that the government has imposed, and in Germany too there have been demonstrations. Rioting broke out in Greece and France earlier this year, and more recently there have been demonstrations in Australia.
Across China there are some two hundred thousand protests every year, which due to reporting restrictions are very seldom reported. In Russia there have also been protests, along with rioting in France, and Greece.
Earlier this year riots erupted in Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Bahrain, and Syria in what has come to be known as the ‘Arab Spring’. Many riots and demonstrations have also been ongoing in various parts of Africa. This unrest has been fueled in part by corruption and by repressive political regimes, but it has been further exacerbated by rising food prices and harsh economic conditions. This trend looks set to continue.
I was recently asked by an associate if similar unrest could occur here in the Philippines, and sadly the answer that I felt obliged to give was ‘Yes’. I am not suggesting that such a situation is imminent, but given the right set of circumstances our own country might ultimately experience rioting far more severe than those which occurred in London. Although the riots in London were severe, they were non the less localized and of limited duration.
Here in the Philippines corruption is already rampant, and food prices too continue to rise. The Philippines was once able to grow enough rice to feed its own people, but in recent years it has become the largest net importer of rice in South East Asia. With climatic changes giving rise to increasing temperatures as a consequence of global warming, crop yields are also decreasing.
Perhaps the most significant factor however is the unprecedented rate of increase in our population. It has been estimated that by the year 2050 the population of our country will double or even triple. Where will we get food to feed all of our people? With countries such as China and India developing rapidly, their consumption of food is also increasing, and food shortage promises to become a serious problem.
The Philippines has one of the highest, if not the highest birth rate in the world, and the stance taken by the Catholic Church serves only to compound this problem.
As our population continues to increase, Filipinos will find it harder to feed their families. Many will be forced to survive on a minimal diet, and in some cases go without food altogether.
By maintaining their current stance on birth control, the Catholic Church has inadvertently condemned not just thousands, but hundreds of thousands to die of slow starvation. By so doing it has in all probability sown the seeds of it’s own destruction, since many will hold it responsible for the untold suffering that will be caused by this pending crisis.
Food shortage is without doubt the largest single factor most likely to give rise to social unrest, as those who have nothing direct their anger against the affluent and against those who have made their fortunes through corruption. At this point social order will break down and the rule of law will be no more. Instead it will be mob rule and survival of the fittest.
I fear that if we are not able to bring our exploding population under control, social chaos will be the inevitable consequence. It may already be too late.This is a time bomb waiting to happen, and I fear that chaos will prove to be the inevitable consequence of our failure to act.
As human beings God has given us brains and the ability to think for ourselves. We had better start using His gifts if we wish to survive. /TE
The riots which recently erupted on the streets of London sent shock waves around the world, but England is not the only country currently suffering from unrest. Students in Chile have been rioting in protest about unfair educational opportunities, whilst on the streets of Israel people are protesting about the increasing cost of food.
In India people have taken to the streets to protest about corruption and about the abuse of human rights. In Spain there have been violent protests about the austerity measures that the government has imposed, and in Germany too there have been demonstrations. Rioting broke out in Greece and France earlier this year, and more recently there have been demonstrations in Australia.
Across China there are some two hundred thousand protests every year, which due to reporting restrictions are very seldom reported. In Russia there have also been protests, along with rioting in France, and Greece.
Earlier this year riots erupted in Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Bahrain, and Syria in what has come to be known as the ‘Arab Spring’. Many riots and demonstrations have also been ongoing in various parts of Africa. This unrest has been fueled in part by corruption and by repressive political regimes, but it has been further exacerbated by rising food prices and harsh economic conditions. This trend looks set to continue.
I was recently asked by an associate if similar unrest could occur here in the Philippines, and sadly the answer that I felt obliged to give was ‘Yes’. I am not suggesting that such a situation is imminent, but given the right set of circumstances our own country might ultimately experience rioting far more severe than those which occurred in London. Although the riots in London were severe, they were non the less localized and of limited duration.
Here in the Philippines corruption is already rampant, and food prices too continue to rise. The Philippines was once able to grow enough rice to feed its own people, but in recent years it has become the largest net importer of rice in South East Asia. With climatic changes giving rise to increasing temperatures as a consequence of global warming, crop yields are also decreasing.
Perhaps the most significant factor however is the unprecedented rate of increase in our population. It has been estimated that by the year 2050 the population of our country will double or even triple. Where will we get food to feed all of our people? With countries such as China and India developing rapidly, their consumption of food is also increasing, and food shortage promises to become a serious problem.
The Philippines has one of the highest, if not the highest birth rate in the world, and the stance taken by the Catholic Church serves only to compound this problem.
As our population continues to increase, Filipinos will find it harder to feed their families. Many will be forced to survive on a minimal diet, and in some cases go without food altogether.
By maintaining their current stance on birth control, the Catholic Church has inadvertently condemned not just thousands, but hundreds of thousands to die of slow starvation. By so doing it has in all probability sown the seeds of it’s own destruction, since many will hold it responsible for the untold suffering that will be caused by this pending crisis.
Food shortage is without doubt the largest single factor most likely to give rise to social unrest, as those who have nothing direct their anger against the affluent and against those who have made their fortunes through corruption. At this point social order will break down and the rule of law will be no more. Instead it will be mob rule and survival of the fittest.
I fear that if we are not able to bring our exploding population under control, social chaos will be the inevitable consequence. It may already be too late.This is a time bomb waiting to happen, and I fear that chaos will prove to be the inevitable consequence of our failure to act.
As human beings God has given us brains and the ability to think for ourselves. We had better start using His gifts if we wish to survive. /TE
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