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Since about
15 years the Economy transformed
itself in a radical manner.
Gobalisation has really taken
off and is accelerating at an
impressive speed. A new
distribution of work is underway
on a global scale.
Money is no
longer guaranteed by equivalent
reserves in gold. It is directly
linked to economic performance
and the amount of credit
released by each country.
In one way or
another businesses are now under
pressure to produce permanent
short term returns. Every year
the performance must be superior
to the preceding year, sometimes
even with respect to the
previous quarter. Only an
economy based on continual
growth can meet this draconian
imperative with immoral side
effects.
The dynamics
of the growth economy generates
on a global scale a frenzy of
needs which will lead to a
political destabilization but
also psychological and social
disorder.
It is obvious
that a growth economy cannot be
a closed system. It needs to be
supplied with external resources
to accomplish its continual
growth. These resources depend
on the type of economy, but
typically it concerns energy,
raw material, food commodities,
human resources, capital, etc.
Unfortunately, on a global scale
these resources are not
unlimited.
The global
fragmentation, economic
interests and divergent politics
constitute deliberate barriers
to an objective and reliable
analysis to assess the true
condition of our planet in all
its aspects. This remains hidden
and yet it is fundamental and
essential to know the truth.
Today it
seems essential to become aware
of the true state of our global
situation and equally to take
urgent imperative measures to
reduce this crazy course of
growth frenzy in order to
stabilize the relationship
between our needs and available
resources.
One of the
challenges for mankind is to
learn to let go of “Having” to
the benefit of “Being”.
This does not
mean not to have anymore; it
means to stop the battle of
Having for Being.
All
creativity is centered on Having
and in this state of Having and
enormous creativity is deployed,
even through the best creations,
which only reinforces the
masterful needs of Having.
Only the
consciousness inspired and
directed by the noble intentions
of the hearth integrates the
state of Having and the state of
Being in an equilibrium point
that unites the opposites.
The effects
of this Ideal Economy are
considerable. Through this New
Consciousness and its Ideal, a
shared Responsibility emerges
and allows a global combined
governance of sustainable
resources and a righteous
distribution of wealth.
Has Humanity
already experienced an ideal
economy?
___________________________________________________________________________
THE ECONOMY
Global Assessment
Let’s have a
brief look at the global
economy. What is really the
global economy? There is no
precise and exhaustive
definition. One may consider it
as a collection of
interdependent financial
systems, such as the financial
management of countries, a
collection of states, the
financial management of
businesses, including global
businesses, monetary
institutions, stock exchanges,
trade agreements, etc.
One may
observe that multiple actors
constitute the fragmented fabric
of the global economy. They can
only partially influence the
global totality of systems and
often for their own benefit. It
is clear that there is no real
global vision with regard to the
global economy nor an organism
capable of assuring a coherent
governance at all levels.
Nevertheless, one can detect
recent important evolving trends
from the trajectory of the
economy.
Since about
15 years the Economy transformed
itself in a radical manner.
Gobalisation has really taken
off and is accelerating at an
impressive speed. Large
enterprises have already
relocated an important part of
their activities to areas where
labour costs are less expensive.
And already smaller businesses
follow their example. A new
distribution of work is underway
on a global scale.
Money is no
longer guaranteed by equivalent
reserves in gold. It is directly
linked to economic performance
and the amount of credit
released by each country or a
collection of countries. The
democratization of the Stock
Exchange created a general
interest. The promising gains
stimulated the masses to
participate in the stock market.
In one way or another this
created an extreme expectation
of very short term returns and a
monetary instability which
increases the vulnerability of
the financial markets.
This meant
that businesses are now under
pressure to produce permanent
short term returns. Every year
the performance must be superior
to the preceding year, sometimes
even with respect to the
previous quarter. Only an
economy based on continual
growth can meet this draconian
imperative with often immoral
side effects.
The
Governments, from their
perspective, stimulate and
profit from a growing economy if
only to finance their budget
deficits.
This economic
system implies an increase in
consumption and incites even
over-consumption. The banking
system adapted rapidly to this
new market by the development of
numerous financial products
emphasizing strongly this mania
of consumption.
This
unceasing need to grow generated
a looting and an untamed
exploitation of the Earth’s
reserves. This leads even to
hijacking the heritage of future
generations. Humans also are
subject to the pressure of
extreme performance or
unacceptable work conditions,
sometimes even inhuman.
Finally, what
does a growth economy produce?
Obviously, the report is not
very cheerful!
Not only
poverty increases dramatically
in developing countries, but
poverty also becomes an issue in
the so called developed
countries. Unfairness is part of
the dreary landscape of our
world.
On a country
level, the accumulation of
wealth becomes more and more
disproportionate, rich countries
are still rich and most poor
countries become poorer.
The colossal
fortunes accumulated and held by
a growing group of persons who
are presented to the world as
idols, appears insulting and
beyond reason.
The dynamics
of the growth economy generates
on a global scale a frenzy of
needs which will lead to a
political destabilization but
equally in a psychological and
social sense.
A fair
solution, valuing and winning
for all, will not emerge from
the status quo.
The domination of the growth
Economy and its effects
Everything
competes to increase and
accelerate the return, the
profit, the consumption under
continuous pressure and to
satisfy also the demand of the
growth economy. It is perhaps
useful to take a closer look at
the foundations of the growth
economy. Growth is essentially
at the centre of all activities.
It influences directly capital
and profit which interact
permanently and stimulate
equally production and
consumption, which are
intrinsically linked. Obviously,
the key word is consumption
which represents the major index
of growth and is therefore
always encouraged and carefully
measured.
It is obvious
that a growth economy cannot be
a closed system. It needs to be
supplied with additional
external resources to accomplish
its continual growth. These
resources depend on the type of
economy, but typically it
concerns energy, raw material,
food commodities, human
resources, capital, etc.
Unfortunately, on a global scale
these resources are not
unlimited. The so called
developed countries have already
consumed largely their “quota”
of natural resources. This
actually means that about one
and a half billion people, a
little less than 25% of the
total population, are borrowing
resources from future
generations without any prospect
to settle their debts.
The effects
on the ecology are already very
worrying (See site plan:
Ecology). But when we take into
account that about two billion
people in Asia are rapidly
copying the same growth economy,
it is more than evident that
this will lead to an inevitable
catastrophe.
The Alliance
du Coeur is well aware that this
message is not new. The Meadows
report (1972, issued by the Club
of Romewas
titled “Limits to growth” and
followed by “Dynamics of Growth
in a Finite World”, 1974. Since
then the association has
produced over 20 publications in
a series called: Reports of the
Club of Rome.
Perhaps the
models of Meadows were a little
rudimentary and not very exact.
The most pessimistic scenario
forecasted a catastrophe around
2010, but not later than 2100.
Today we know a lot more and a
collapse before 2050 becomes
more probable and the deadline
seems to come nearer every day.
Global fragmentation, economic
interests and divergent politics
are deliberate barriers to an
objective and reliable analysis
to assess the true condition of
our planet in all its aspects.
This remains hidden and yet it
is fundamental and essential to
know the truth.
Deep in their
hearts many humans know the true
state of affairs. But they are
afraid, afraid to loose, afraid
to change, afraid to lack
something, afraid for
insecurity, lack of confidence,
etc.
This growth
economy is to such an extent
embedded in all the domains of
Life that we do no longer have
the capacity to change. “Without
growth we die” has become the
catch phrase of our economy and
our life. Humanity is submitted
to an economic dictum which
dominates consciousness,
science, ecology, health
industry, as well as politics,
social life, behavior and
individual responsibility,
education and perhaps even more
profoundly our creativity and
our development. It is urgent to
become aware of this situation
and only from our consciousness
a response will emerge.
Has Humanity
already experienced an ideal
economy?
The great
Greek philosophers like Plato
and Aristotle developed a
blueprint and incidentally one
finds the same values in the Old
Testament. This economic ideal
directed mankind (the Greek, the
Judeo-Christians and Muslims)
during Millennia. According to
Plato: “the ideal of the economy
is the fairest possible way to
manage goods and people in an
ideal society”. This ideal is
characterised by a
discouragement of personal
wealth, by a fair price based on
a value of usage or a value of
exchange the exchange reinforces
also social links and is
considered a return on
equivalence. Interest bearing
loans are not allowed (this
persisted until the middle Ages
and is still in place in the
Muslim world). Money had always
an intrinsic value and the
acquisition of funds for
political power was condemned.
It is very
important to note that the Plato
economy was fundamentally based
on the concept that resources
and therefore wealth had to be
stable and more or less limited
for the stability of the
society. This concept of limited
resources persisted until the
end of the middle Ages and it
was in a way natural since the
known world was considered
limited.
After the
great explorations and the start
of colonialisation the world
discovered that the exterior of
a country could bring additional
resources and thereby wealth.
The growth economy was born!
This has gained an increasing
momentum until today. Only
globalization has launched us in
a position where there is no
longer an exterior world. We
managed to increase the city of
Plato to the entire world!
Today it
seems essential to become aware
of the true state of our global
situation and equally to take
urgent imperative measures to
reduce this crazy course of
growth frenzy in order to
stabilize the relationship
between our needs and available
resources. Obviously, this
stability is an indispensable
condition to preserve the
heritage of future generations.
However, it is not sufficient to
assure an economy that serves
All.
The growth
economy focalizes the
consciousness on idols and the
needs “to Have” of the ego. It
is an ideal almost uniquely
based on “Having”. An almost
hypnotic focus on idols and the
needs that they provoke projects
and keeps the consciousness to
the exterior of oneself,
essentially pointed to “Having”
and the insatiable frenzy of
desires from the ego. These
often quixotic desires can lead
to chronic states of envy,
frustration, jealousy,
dissatisfaction, suffering and
inferiority complexes.
An attention
centered on an ideal based on
“Being” restores the
consciousness to the interior of
oneself, essentially directed
towards the desires of the
Hearth. These desires generate
states of well-being,
confidence, serenity, harmony
and joy.
Another view
is that the growth economy turns
the consciousness away from the
original Ideal, i.e. “All for
One” and ignores the other part
of the Ideal, i.e. One for All”.
Equilibrium point between the
state of Having and the state of
Being
One of the
challenges for mankind is to
learn to let go of “Having” to
the benefit of “Being”.
This does not
mean not to have anymore; it
means to stop the battle of
Having for Being.
The state of
Having does not necessarily
recognize the source of power
interior to oneself but
transfers this power to the
exterior. We are what we have
and what we have is situated
outside us. The evidence of
Having is provided by
distinctive signs and symbols
recognised by others.
All this
conditions us to sustain an
inextinguishable desire of
external recognition and
approval. If we don’t obtain it
we are nothing! Who are you?
I am what I do. I do for having
and I am what I have.
The
complexity of the systems that
govern our world supplemented
with the absence of a global
federal vision, create a general
incomprehension which can only
lead to more fragmented actions,
where unfortunately some results
are unforeseen and often
undesirable. This introduces a
collective and correct belief
that the world is unstable and
full of risks, which generates
an almost general state of fear
and stress. This world implies
that one must absolutely “Have”
in order not to become short off
and absolutely protect not to
loose which creates even more
stress.
The focus of
the consciousness on the
“Having” reinforces the ego and
limits its action to the “Me
Myself”. The “Me Myself” does
not share the Having, but
protects it, which in turn leads
to egocentrism or even egoism.
An Ideal
uniquely based on “Having”
induces implicitly the belief
that “Having creates happiness
and the more one has the happier
one becomes; Are the
“well-to-do” really happier than
others? And those who are
exploited for less than 2
dollars per day, do they always
have access to happiness?
All
creativity is centered on Having
and in this state of Having and
enormous creativity is deployed,
even through the best creations,
which only reinforces the
masterful needs of Having. The
entire system conditions us to
avert experiencing life in its
true splendor. Its expression is
therefore reduced to shunning
and all creativity is directed
towards the inevitable. There is
no dazzler of life. Life must be
without surprise!
So who
benefits really from Having? Are
we happier? More peace? More
well-being? More love? More
life?
The more we
accelerate time and the state of
Having, the more space is
contracting and resources become
more and more limited.
Space-time is multidimensional.
The state of having focuses more
on the time dimension and
consequently limits our
perception of space and
alternative resources. This
leads us inevitably to an
impasse. To break this deadlock
it is absolutely vital to freeze
time, which means to stay in the
present. Fixing time in the
present (even temporarily) opens
our perception towards a new and
wider perspective of space.
The state of
“Being” is the opposite polarity
of the state of “Having”. The
state of Having is linked to
matter and the state of Being to
the spirit. The state of Being
provides access to the present
and connect us to unsuspected
resources.
The state of
Having restrains us to ourselves
and reduces Life. The state of
Being opens us to ourselves and
expresses Life. In a state of
Having we foster the Creation
and impoverish Life. In a state
of Being we foster the Creation
and intensify Life.
The state of
Being is the full accomplishment
of the concept of Love and
Wisdom: “All for One, One for
All”.
Only the
consciousness inspired and
directed by the noble intentions
of the hearth integrates the
state of Having and the state of
Being in an equilibrium point
that unites the opposites.
This
equilibrium point creates the
indispensable conditions to
reach the Ideal Economy
satisfying fully the righteous
needs of All through a righteous
repartition of all wealth both
material and spiritual. The
Creativity is therefore centered
and inspired by pure intentions
based on respect, fairness,
goodwill and the service coming
from Universal Wisdom for the
benefit of All.
The
consciousness of the Ego favors
the state of Having, which makes
us dependent with regard to its
effects. The consciousness of
the Hearth favors the state of
Being which offers the freedom
of a deliberate choice. If the
ego and its need to “Have”
maintain consciously or
unconsciously a collective
belief in fear of loosing or
falling short, the hearth in its
state of Being maintains an
absolute confidence in the
natural abundance of Life.
If the ego
tries to protect and keep its
having at all price, the hearth,
in turn, is always ready to
share its richness.
Can the ego
take possession of Life or Love?
No. The Hearth is the source of
Life and Love and this it can
share with All without limits.
The Ideal Economy
The Ideal
Economy is the result of a
progressive process in different
stages, described above, which
passes through an equilibrium
point between the state of
“Having” and the state of
“Being”. This equilibrium point
represents a concentration in
time to access the Present and
thereby a new Creativity based
on Universal Wisdom.
On what
principles will the Ideal
Economy be based?
In the
conception of an Ideal Economy:
-
The
Consciousness is in the
center and replaces Growth.
This Consciousness, inspired
by Universal Wisdom, emerges
from the equilibrium point
which unites Matter and
Spirit, the state of
“Having” and the state of
“Being”
-
In the
Growth Economy, Capital is
the principal indicator of
its state of affairs. In the
new economy a shared Ideal
becomes the greatest capital
of Humanity. This Ideal
represents a global
sustainable vision, which
gathers all humans and
inspires creations which
intensify life.
-
As we
have already widely
discussed in the domain of
Creativity (See site plan),
Creativity is the access
road to the Ideal and is
also the most powerful
instrument at the
disposition of Mankind. Here
the Profit is replaced by
Creativity which becomes the
primary indicator of
progress towards the
accomplishment of the Ideal.
-
Consumption is replaced by
the Righteous Need. Here,
the Righteous Need is
considered in a very wide
perspective and comprises in
one sense the consumption
synchronized with individual
needs and fairness for All
as well as the use of
sustainable energies and the
preservation of ecosystems.
-
Obviously, Production
becomes the materialization
satisfying the Righteous
Need.
The
effects of this Ideal Economy
are considerable. Through this
New Consciousness and its Ideal,
a shared Responsibility emerges
and allows a global combined
governance of sustainable
resources and a righteous
distribution of wealth. It is
absolutely vital to understand
that this is not a new version
of Communism. Recent years have
clearly demonstrated that
communism did not respond to
righteous needs of its citizens.
Its original Ideal and its
benefits were turned aside to
benefit a monopolized
hierarchical power, which was
only sustained by force and
killed all individual and
collective creativity.
On
may consider the liberal
Capitalism as the other extreme.
Here
the original Ideal was
sidetracked to the benefit of
numerous influential and
powerful networks to foster
resources and increase the
wealth of a minority of mankind.
The
Ideal Economy is well beyond a
compromise between Capitalism
and Communism.
It
is all about an Ideal righteous
for All and shared by All. Its
clear and pure values lift the
consciousness of humanity well
beyond any temptation of
sidetracking.
The Righteous
Repartition is based on the
balance and satisfaction of the
fundamental needs of Human
Beings and Life. This implies a
fair repartition of wealth and
the earth’s resources favoring
the fulfillment and intensity of
life. Even Today these resources
are available in largely
sufficient quantities tot
respond in a fair way to the
righteous needs of All. But we
must start acting responsibly.
For example, solar energy and
hydrogen cars could be a small
step towards the Ideal Economy
(See site plan for Ecology). The
Ideal Economy is not about
misery, it is all about
intensifying Life in a fair
responsible and sustainable
manner.
The unity
and balanced interaction of the
Ideal Economy stimulates a new
concept based on the Art of Life
and permeates Wisdom in all the
domains of our existence.
For ease
of reading we reproduce below
the diagram of the Growth
Economy
It is when we
will hear again the soft and
wise murmuring of our hearts
that we will be able to lift
ourselves beyond the ideas and
beliefs created by the mind of
the ego which separates us from
others. It is in this way that
we will feel and vibrate again
the same good and noble desires
of our hearths which unites All
in the Unique Hearth of mankind
to accomplish its Supreme Ideal.
The Alliance
du Coeur brings people together
via the links of the Unique
Hearth of which we all have a
life and vibrating part. It is
via the reconnection with our
hearth that we will create the
unity and achieve the level of
consciousness to accomplish the
Supreme Ideal.
“It is the
finite that suffers, the
infinite lies stretched in
smiling repose”
Emerson
Alliance
du Cœur, September 2007
According
to its website, the Club of Rome
is composed of "scientists,
economists, businessmen,
international high civil
servants, heads of state and
former heads of state from all
five continents who are
convinced that the future of
humankind is not determined once
and for all and that each human
being can contribute to the
improvement of our societies."
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