The economic monster

Never before, so much changed on earth than between 1900 and 2000. And that is all because of the enormous technological growth we experienced in just one century. Did we live in harmony with nature during thousands of years, until about 1900, simply because we hardly had techniques, now on many places nature is destroyed.

The meaning of economy too changed dramatically in the just finished century. From just a mean, it now has become the end; economic growth as the end. But by definition, economy of course just is a mean, the mean we use to provide ourselves with the means of existence.

The economic force also became more and more concentrated, and these economic giants too all are related with each other, via financial institutions. Just think of the stock-exchange index; if this sole figure slumps, then the whole house of cards collapses, throwing millions of people out of work, without unemployment-benefit because these funds then also are bankrupt.

And it is an anonymous force, because even the 1000 most powerful managers on earth are hands and feet tied to economic thinking; there is no room for idealism there, because before you notice, you are swept out of business. These managers have only one task, making profit and letting the company grow.

Many people in the third world are afraid of this monster, I think. They see that for example McDonalds has bought all the best spots on all the main city cross-roads on earth. And there of course is much more behind it. They need the money, but also are afraid to lose their own identity. And some of them then even hate the West, because it is óúr monster.

And many well-going people in the West too, are not happy with it, so with the all dominating role of economic thinking. According to economic thinking, vaccination of cattle every year is more expensive than destroying all cows and pigs ones every ten years. And that is why we massacre millions of animals while only a few are ill. As if life does not count at all!
And hospitals and other welfare-institutions too, are ruled now as if it is only business, with the purpose to make money. And our self, we feel more and more reduced to just a functionary, who has to account economically for every step.

So I think, the dis-satisfaction living in third-world countries, is the same dis-satisfaction living in many well-going people in the West. And then of course we should not fight each other!

According to me, we must try to take back control ourselves, control of economy. Make economy the mean again, the mean it actually is. Economic thinking surely is useful. But life itself of course is more than a factory.

About how we can get back control ourselves, you can find other thoughts on this website.

Jan Helderman
26-5-2

Fabiker.

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