2009 The signs of the year -text

2009 is the year of the global awareness of the limits of the liberalisation.

As some people realized that the earth cannot support more use of resources at a such level as in the rich countries, many other people have been reinforced in their conviction that “business as usual” cannot be a way of development. The multiple crises confirmed them that capitalism, with its exacerbated aspect of liberalization, drives obviously exclusion and profits to a small part of humanity … for a limited period.

We are living a multiple crisis: both food crisis, energy crisis and financial crisis. These are linked, and they are rooted in the basement of the ideology of capitalism. Let’s hope that more people will become conscious that we have to move of master, to choose completely different guideline for human being development, and concretely, to change our way of life … now! May we hope that many people, from the street to the decision makers through the contractors will take the opportunity to induce a deep change in the economic doctrine?

 

“We can not solve a problem with the arguments that are causing this problem” Albert Einstein.

 

People in Africa suffer for several years and they have long known that this multiple crisis was becoming a reality. In the years prior to the financial crisis, the poorer countries had already been hit by food crisis brought by disengagement of national decision makers in agriculture, health and education which has been instigated by liberalization masters.

 

Nowadays, they have not only to face the lack of access to food, but also the long term consequences of climate change that is damaging the environment, the infrastructures and disturbing the long known weather forecasting, and increasing the disease threats to human and animals.

 

Perhaps the financial and climate crisis may be good for them in the way that this multiple crisis is affecting international decision makers and societies in developed countries preventing these from denying the facts and the roots of these facts yet. It became clear that an economic growth based on limited sources and which destroys the ecosystems on the earth cannot ensure the development and the well-being of the humanity.

 

We are arrived at a breaking point. If we do not want to rush into the wall, we have no choice but to radically change our ways of thinking and operating.

 

 “The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, “When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seekers after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.” Gospel according to Matthew: chapter 16, 1-4

 

C. Fouarge, AEFJN, Brussels, December 2009