Call to the WorldWe call to the world:
That is, to you, dear reader of this page, to investigate into the old ways of thinking about the economy, and to be open for new ways. History has fixated us in thinking in categories like left - right, conservative - progressive, capitalist - socialist. Maybe this served a purpose then, but now that economies have become so globalised, and at the same time local cultures and customs have stood up for their right to be, these old debates do not lead to new solutions anymore. Are we anywhere near solving catastrophies like poverty, climate change and armed conflict? Not really, So what to do? Let's look at this left - right polemic more precisely: Starting with the ademic rise of so-called 'neoliberal theory' (after WWII), its morphing into mere slogans to support an economic-political project (Reagan-Thatcher era of the 1970''s) serving capital accumulation for the sake of capital accumulation, to finally consolidate 'the free-market paradigm' now also completely embraced by the political left (TINA: There Is No Alternative, 1990's), we now got stuck in an obsolete and meaningless ideological opposition. Meanwhile, the profit interests of some few have quietly taken over the ruling of the economy, with no regard for ideologies, nations, nor people anywhere, except their own. Some say: "the well-being of the individual is best served by freedom and less state intervention." Others say: "in order to have equality and justice, we need redistribution and collective ownership." Truth is: whatever model of society we opt for, whatever ideology we adhere to, the well-being of the individual ánd of society as a whole, is the outcome of how we chose to use our power. A step up for democracy: how do we use our power? Yes, social-democracies have spread the power more evenly. So now comes the question: how do we use this power? As consumers, as workforce, as entrepreneurs, as activists, as academics, as educators, as influencers, as policy-makers, as leaders, as citizens empowered by our democratic rights and freedoms, how do we use our power? The well-being of the individual ánd of society as a whole is the outcome of how we chose to use our power. The search, therefore, is for the path that will enlighten us,
on how to consciously use the power we hold, and make harmony and peace the outcome. Under the next tab 'Columns and Articles', I will post a series of texts, not telling anyone what to do, but presenting the reader with new ways to look at things. |