Volatile Paraguay

The conflict is one that involves basic human rights, and therefore includes fairness. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs shows us that we must have our most basic needs in order to survive and flourish. By taking away a cities right to have public water, we are denying the people of their most basic needs. If one person can not afford to pay a large corporation for their family to use water, what are they to do? True, they will be paying a water bill even without a private company controlling water, but with a privately controlled corporation they are looking to turn a profit. This profit is at the expense of the people. It is completely unethical to charge someone for something that is essential to the human body.

Through what we have found about Asuncion, I feel that volatile emotions are directed toward both people, and social structure. The people have bad feelings toward the private companies trying to make money off of them, as well as the social structure for considering giving up the right to run the water and sewage facilities. Since the deal to stop the privatization of water, people have less volatile emotions toward the social structure.

In any conflict, it is easy to get people mobilized by stirring up emotions. This situation is no different. In order to fight for their rights, the people of Asuncion spread the word about how bad these private companies were, and what negative ramifications the water privatization laws would have. This creates awareness, and awareness leads people to action.

-R