Blätter
Eurozine
Blätter
2011-12-06
Summary Blätter 12/2011
Harald Welzer
From external to self-constraint. How growth came into people's heads
Since industrialization the growth ideology did not only take over the economy, but also people's minds. The social psychologist Harald Welzer, Head of the Institute of cultural studies in Essen, reveals the consequences of this disastrous development: The growth imperative has created the globalized and flexibilized human. However, the pursuit of eternal growth will dash against the finiteness of resources and life.
Ellen Meiksins Wood
The limits of capitalism. Thinking a democratic economic logic
In the current economic and financial crisis the limits of capitalist economy come to light. Ellen M. Wood, Professor emeritus of the York University in Toronto, asks which goals anti-capitalist movements should pursue in this situation. She comes to a radical conclusion: Instead of reforming capitalism the left should think a new democratic economic logic.
Harald Schumann
The bread on the stock exchanges: Bets on hunger
Around one billion people worldwide do not have the means to feed themselves sufficiently. Since the beginning of the 21th century rising food prices have massively aggravated the hunger in the world -- while at the same time they have increased the profits of stock markets and banks. The journalist Harald Schuman reveals, how speculators boost food prices with billion bets and thereby produce unimaginable human misery.
Frank Überall
The ethics of corruption
Europe keeps talking about the mismanagement and corruption in its southern part. However, also in Germany corruption has become a substantial problem. The political scientist Frank Überall proves which subtle strategies the profiteers of corruption use to obscure/hide their networks. Only increased attention and maximal transparency can stem the problem of corruption.
Michael R. Krätke
Erfurt the second. A left-social-democratic program for a socialist party
After a long debate the German left party "die Linke" has agreed on a new basic program on their last party conference. Michael Krätke, Professor of political economy at the Lancaster University, analyses the new position paper. His conclusion: The (contents of the) social-democrats (SPD) and the left party are closer to each other than their protagonists would like to admit.
Nichi Vendola
A different Italy
17 years after starting his first term as Prjme Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi resigned. His record is disastrous: He leaves a socially deeply divided country with high unemployment. The Italian politician Nichi Vendola, Prime Minister of the Puglia region and aspirate/contender for the top candidature of a center-left-wing coalition, analyses the fatal results of Berlusconi's governmental policies and presents a model of a different and more just Italy.