As concluding remarks, I would like to implore our political and business leaders to make the survival of our species and the planet possible. The reason why we are approaching self-inflicted annihilation is largely a result of the political and economic institutions we have created – neo-liberalism being the essence of this arrangement. But the existing system is not cast in stone by a divine force, nor is it a law of nature. It is a totally volitional exercise, equally amenable to alteration. Such alteration, if not radical dismantling of the system is the need of the hour. That is the only way we make sure that our species crosses the 9 billion mark. That is the only way we give a chance for the 9 billionth baby to have a decent life ahead. The following thoughts induce a degree of optimism amid the looming doom:
“A quite different set of alternatives, rooted in the new movements rather than in the past, has recently emerged and drawn excitement. It has been loosely labeled the “social economy.” There is a common antipathy against competition and the drive for profits, and a counter-focus on solidarity and production/exchange for use. And, like many others in the anti-globalization protests, it is skeptical of traditional left politics — that is, of political parties, of concerns with capturing state power, and of addressing how corporate property relations might be socialized and democratized. While it is generally a committed participant in the anti-globalization movement, its energy has increasingly been directed to the immediate development of an alternative economy — a social economy — at the community level.” (Gindin, 2002)
References
- Alexander, D. (2006). Globalization of Disaster: Trends, Problems and Dilemmas. Journal of International Affairs, 59(2), 1+.
- Gindin, S. (2002, July-August). Challenging Globalization. Canadian Dimension, 36(4), 18+.
- LaBerge, R. (2007, November). NAOMI KLEIN’S BROADSIDE AGAINST NEOLIBERALISM: The Easiest Time to Spread Corporatism Is after a Disaster. CCPA Monitor, 14(6), 20+.