B 

BELIEF. (ME. beleve, beleafe; AS. geleafa, belief, from gelefan, to believe; re: credence, credible; syn. of creed, from L. credo, from credere, to believe, trust in). A structure of prepredicative ideation upon which other apparently "rational" structures are erected. B. determines the field or perspective chosen, from which an idea or a system of ideas is developed. In the case of dialogue, even the most rational, the parties take for granted certain undemonstrated propositions, and make use of them without examination. We call such assumptions "pre-dialogal." Beliefs determine practices and customs as well as the organization of language, or the illusion of a world that is accepted as "real" but is observed from the limited parameters determined by a particular historical perspective. Any such perspective typically tends to exclude others.

As the historical "level" of the generations (*) changes, so does the system of beliefs, which also involves a change in the perspective, the "point from which" one is able or willing to observe the world (personal, social, scientific, historical, etc.). This change of perspective is what allows the emergence of new ideas. These new ideas take root in the new historical level, the emerging generations, and copresently establish new prepredicates, new propositions that then become incontestable and in turn give rise to new beliefs. As an example we can consider a behavior common in the West until only recently: the affirmation that certain knowledge or information was "scientific" was all that was required to defend a given position and to discredit an opposing one as "unscientific" (*science). Several generations remained mired in this dispute, until the b. on which their scientistic artifices were based itself became subject to debate. When it came to be understood that every scientific theory was, at bottom, a construction of approximation to reality and not reality itself, this rigidly scientistic perspective began to change. However, this change in turn opened the way for the emergence of neo-irrationalist currents of thought.

BOURGEOISIE. (French; OFr. burgeis, from bourg.). The dominant class in capitalist society, having ownership (*property, worker ownership) of the primary means of production in industry and the economy, municipal activity, the financial sphere, transport, etc. The modern b. also owns the land (landed bourgeoisie) and mineral rights. The b. accumulates wealth and, consequently, the power to exploit the wage labor of the workers and employees.

There are different levels of b.: upper, middle, and petty. The largest numerically is the level of small entrepreneurs and merchants. The upper level, multimillionaires and billionaires, is few in number but possesses enormous business-financial power, and the power of the State is frequently subordinated to its interests: it controls the domestic and foreign policy of the State, imposing its will on the whole of society. On the international level, the upper b. of the different countries controls the multi-national corporations and multi-national banks, which divide the world into zones of influence.

In its time, the b. has played a progressive historical role (the English Revolution, the French Revolution, the War for Independence of the United States, the reforms of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries).

Today, however, only the petty and to some degree the middle b. are capable of operating from democratic and progressive positions. The upper b. is now accelerating the process of computer and information technology, the development of other new technologies and, in general, globalization; see planetarization (*). It acts as an obstacle on the road to the humanization of social life, distorting any movement toward individual and collective liberty, while promulgating ideas of violence (*), elitism (*elite), and discrimination (*).

N.H. promotes measures to help society control the b. through the introduction of proportional taxation on property and wealth and through the implementation of anti-monopolistic legislation.

BUREAUCRACY. (French; bureaucratie, from bureau, and Gr. kratia, from kratein, to be strong). The level of professional functionaries who serve the State (*) and, as a consequence, are direct participants in the administration (*) of society. In principle, the State cannot function without such an apparatus. In general the corps of bureaucrats and administrators focuses not on organizing social prosperity but on defending the interests of the dominant groups, first and foremost their own, while acting as if they were attending to the social interests of all citizens.

The b. is opposed to true democracy (*), placing in its stead the power of the employees of the government apparatus (cabinet departments and ministries, other government offices, etc.) and bureaucrats (officials and administrators). In today’s world, power cannot exist without the b., since it holds the necessary information, administrative experience, and legal instruments. Bureaucrats identify civil society with the State or with the corporation for which they work.

The principal danger posed by the b. consists in the monopoly that bureaucrats hold on ideology, the media, culture, and technology, and in their aspiration to manipulate society in favor of the interests of the dominant groups, parties, or sectors.

The b. has a hierarchical structure and, with the exception of upper-level bureaucrats, belongs to the middle class. Administration is a crucial political function, and so everywhere the political bureaucracy plays a principal role, often imposing its will on governments. The b. contributes to the alienation of the State from civil society by imposing itself between them. The b. is responsible for interpreting the functions of power. In principle, it is exempt from any moral orientation and places the State, the department or ministry, and the b. above everything else, subjecting society to its formal power and its own professional will. In some cases, bureaucrats in public administration play the role of a new political class, which actually participates in the administration of the State, property, production, and social relations.

The primary instrument in the struggle against the b. is the development of direct democracy, control of power by the people, participation by citizens in all spheres and levels of administration, and the development of "glasnost" (openness and public communication of bureaucratic activities by the broadcast media).

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We invite everyone to participate with us in putting into practice the moral principle that says: "Treat others as you would like to be treated."
More information:
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