Globalization: A WORLD IN CRISIS

Le 10 août 2011 par IvoireBusiness - For many people, the 21st century was going to be the century of hope, freedom, prosperity and a better rapprochement between rich countries and

the poor ones. It was also thought to be the century that will see the narrowing of the gap between ‘the have’ and ‘the have not’ after the official collapse of Communism celebrated by people like Fukuyama*. The world leadership has been taken by younger presidents and premiers. But, the reality is biting deeply in the flesh of the world population so that, it seems there is no leadership around to re-assure, to secure the future and to lead effectively. Any events are taken as accidents from another planet sent to punish us.
From ‘yes, we can’, we are in a situation of ‘yes, we failed’. The US has become unsolvable under a president who, during his campaign rally, gave hope to millions of Americans desperate to get something to eat on their tables. President Obama, not only gave hope to the American minorities, but became for a moment, a symbol for the world working class. And his ascendance became a talking point in the ranks of the youth, some academics and others. The storm of the ‘Obamania’ took the world by 360 degrees. And the world thought that the first American minority president was the angel that would save the world from the economic and political abyss where we have been sent by his predecessor and his European allies through many unwanted wars across the globe. The wars of the “high class’s” interests.
The wars in question were opposed by millions of people in the world. There were demonstrations in almost each big capital city to say ‘NO’ to the deciders. But, no one listened to the ‘poor’, the ‘students’ and the ‘working classes’ who know ‘nothing’ about world politics. They were ‘pre-emptive wars’ necessary to fight if ‘we do not want Hussein to destroy Britain in 45 minutes’. Bravo. The question then was: ‘You are either with us or against us’. So, in this crucial situation, who would dare to confront the world biggest arms makers and traders (the US and Britain)? None, of course!
The motto was: ‘United, we will prevail; we will track down Bin Laden and his antenna”. What a big humanitarian mission? Only fools could refuse to be part of such a salvation mission. France refused President Bush Junior’s appeal (in Iraq). But, to put things right, France under Sarkozy, became the leader against the world ‘rogue’ states. The second half of 2010 saw Mr Sarkozy between two or three capital cities every week to convince his fellow leaders that his country was ready to repair what the old man, Mr Chirac did wrong. He championed the campaign to attack Libya and that crusade gave him the green card to destroy Ivory Coast.
But, before Libya and Ivory Coast, France, the US, Britain and their allies suddenly realized that there were dictators in Egypt and Tunisia. It seemed that they did not know that these countries they have dealt with for so long have been led for years, by the killers the world has the imperial duty to get rid of. Their sudden awakening surprised millions of people. The rebels they used to associate with Bin Laden and Sadham Hussein became their new friends with new name: ‘Fighters for democracy’. Funny, don’t you think? And, from Egypt, Tunisia, the Ivory Coast, Libya…The killings go on. The world is witnessing the biggest displacement of refugees and ethnic cleansing. But, nothing is done to stop it. The UN led by the same club of friends, passes resolutions after resolutions to support the world first atomic bomber owners who manipulate the world according to their mood and their interests.
But, these disturbances created by the super powers do not stop at the door steps of Africa or Asia. Politicians in the west accuse banks (only) for letting their fellow citizens and their nations down. They bluntly refuse to accept their part of responsibility in the economic collapse the world is faced with since 2008. They do not accept that their pre-emptive wars where they spent trillions of pounds played a very big part of what we all have to deal with: poverty. They do not want to admit that they have failed each human being living on planet earth. As the world financial system is integrated, the Central Bank of West Africa sneezes when the Bank of England get cold, just a small example. The western leadership has to accept its part of the blame that it is trying to shift on the banking system. Who are the regulators of that system? Them, the politicians who ‘know’ everything apart from what the majority of the population wants.
Led by the philosophy of ‘yes, we can’, the western leaders thought that they could find the solutions to the problems they have mostly created. Their pyromaniac behaviour has left the world in tatters. The Euro Zone is in trouble for a long time. Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Greece are receiving handouts. But, for how long this borrowing will sustain their economies and the entire world that they have condemned in a no confidence zone. Each year, France is taken by storms of riots and the politicians there, in vain, try to displace the problems of unemployment and social confrontations (age of retirement, long working years, unemployment). Britain, where the Eton friends thought that politics was a ‘modeling’ or ‘cat walking’ job at a certain level, is seized by a series of riots that are bringing out the hidden scares of the society. The coalition government does not know who to turn to. The leaders blame everyone, not themselves. It seems that all the saints of the election era have already abandoned them. London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol are all burning and the authorities who cut short their luxurious holidays, have nothing in their bags to calm the situation. Do they understand what is going on? The answer is no, no, no.
For them, ‘the crisis is not a crisis’. The people in the streets are just ‘thugs’ and ‘selfish’ lunatics who have lost the direction the ‘big society’ is taking. They have to be brought back to planet Britain. But, we believe that what we see, in the contrary is deeper, and more serious. We believe that better thoughts must be given to what is happening if better solutions have to be found. Let us not forget that the government’s policy is ‘to cut everything’. The police force is cut, the defense budget is cut, the budget for charities is cut, the health budget is cut, workers have to pay more for their retirement, UK companies are let down in favour of continental contractors, and University fees are increased 300%. From £9000.00 for a degree, students have to fork £27000.00 for the same course (three years). There are no summer jobs for the youth and parents have no means to take their children on holiday while MPs and ministers plus their families spend their holidays in continental Europe. Let us be very clear, the riots have their roots in the ‘big society’ that is leaving the majority of the society on the pavement like some unwanted, like a bunch of rubble.
And finally, what is needed is not the ‘strong’ stance Mrs. Theresa May is advising. It is not about how strong Mr Sarkozy could be. It is not about how mesmerizing Mr Obama’s logos could be. Again, it is not about being called Aristotle when you are a Greek Premier either. It is about leadership. Someone capable to find new ways that will give jobs to the youth and other long term unemployed. It is about not to throw money in some useless wars called with euphemism ‘pre-emptive or humanitarian’ wars. There is no a ‘humanitarian war’. For, innocent people got killed during wars (humanitarian, pre-emptive or holy). The solutions of the problems we face are not to be found in the military might any countries might have. The world leadership has the duty to listen to the ones below. The leaders must have the courage to distance themselves from the underworld people who control the world through them. Otherwise, the respite they expect from the ones they lead will be very far from their reach.

SYLVAIN DE BOGOU.

*FRANCIS FUKUYAMA: He celebrated the victory of capitalism over any other ideologies, especially Communism, in his ‘The End of History and the Last Man’.