Entries in the 'Economy' Category

The End Of The Economic Miracle

Dr. Michael LaitmanOpinion (Laurence J. Brahm, global activist, author, pioneer social enterprise entrepreneur, political-economist, international mediator, and lawyer based in Beijing): “China loses its competitive advantage. Many foreign manufacturers withdraw their investments from China to neighboring countries – Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, where wages and corruption are not so high. …

“The influx of foreign capital led to the integration of China into the international community. … China’s economy is capitalism on steroids, and there is a danger that it is deflating. … A small group of rich people angers the poor. … Economy becomes more fragile. …

“The new reform in China is impossible without rethinking the existing social values; the cult of money thrives in society. The Chinese model of economic growth cannot reach balance by using only financial and administrative controls. It is necessary to rethink concepts such as social success. And it may just be the biggest challenge for China.”

My Comment: Realizing what social success means is not the biggest but the only problem, and not only for China but for the whole world. This success can be achieved only by educating people. We must “go to the people.” No financial or administrative measures will help. They will only cause resentment and rebellion. But integral education will immediately explain the cause of the crisis and its correction to the general public.
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What Can Help The Economy?

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How can Kabbalah and Kabbalah books help the economy get out of the global crisis?

Answer: There is nothing that can help the economy except the restructuring of human society. Today, society cannot provide everyone with work and a good income that everyone dreams about. For this, there are not enough natural resources, energy, anything. Humanity must be restructured so that everyone has everything at the so-called level of reasonable consumption. The economy has to be changed according to this principle.

I have many students that are economists, and very serious ones, who are trying with great efforts to create the economy or reasonable consumption. It is not easy because we need to change the approach to life: to see everyone equal, to see everyone dependent; this is what nature requires from us today.

But how can we become like this? The first thing is to re-educate a person so he can see others in this way; otherwise he will be forced by immense suffering, a global nuclear war, etc.

What is happening in America now is only a small part of what we are shown. Yesterday on television, I saw mile-long lines of people standing to get water or a bowl of soup. And this is in New York!

This can happen all over the world and many times worse. At least in America, they can quickly clean the effects of the hurricane, although it will cost them $200 billion, if not more. They will find money, print it, and you will pay for it. But if it happens here, who will pay for us? This is a problem.

That is why Kabbalah advises how to prevent all this.
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From the Georgia Convention 11/05/12, Lesson 1

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Europe: Discipline And…Solidarity

Dr. Michael LaitmanOpinion (George Soros, Chairman of Soros Fund Management and Chairman of the Open Society): “Originally, the European Union was what psychologists call a ‘fantastic object,’ a desirable goal that inspires people’s imaginations. I saw it as the embodiment of an open society – an association of nation-states that gave up part of their sovereignty for the common good and formed a union dominated by no one nation or nationality.

“The euro crisis, however, has turned the EU into something radically different. Member countries are now divided into two classes – creditors and debtors – with the creditors in charge.

“The only way to reverse the trend is to recapture the spirit of solidarity that animated the European project from the start. My goal is to revive the idea of the EU as an instrument of solidarity, not only of discipline.”

My Comment: How many times have we heard the good wishes and thoughts of financiers! But the idea that solidarity was the soul of the European project from the beginning is beautiful. However, how it was expressed? Was it to deny the Portuguese fishing, the only source of their income, and to make the Lithuanians cancel their dairy industry that fed them, etc. in all countries for the benefit of a few powerful countries? Is that solidarity? That is why we have the crisis!
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7 Out Of 10 Countries In Asia Are Tied To The Yuan

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the News (from China Daily): “A ‘renminbi bloc’ has been formed in East Asia, as nations in the region abandon the US dollar and peg their currency to the Chinese yuan — a major signal of China’s successful bid to internationalize its currency, a research report has said.

“The Peterson Institute for International Economics, or PIIE, said in its latest research that China has moved closer to its long-term goal for the renminbi to become a global reserve currency. …

“And now seven out of 10 economies in the region — including South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand — track the renminbi more closely than they do the US dollar. …

“The PIIE said that renminbi could rise to the status of an international currency in 10 to 15 years if the country can reform its financial market and allow greater access for foreigners via capital account liberalization. In fact, trade is also propelling the rise of the renminbi outside East Asia. …

“The currencies of India, Chile, Israel, South Africa and Turkey all now follow the renminbi closely, in some cases, more so than the dollar.”

My Comment: China does not have time; they need to educate the population; otherwise, it will be just a stumbling block in its development. It is necessary to continue to transform socialism into integral education; this will help equalize the population’s income and unite it for good hegemony in Asia, Africa, and South America.
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Europe’s Lost Generation

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the News (from The Guardian): “A lost generation of 14 million out-of-work and disengaged young Europeans is costing member states a total of €153bn (£124bn) a year – 1.2% of the EU’s gross domestic product – the largest study of the young unemployed has concluded.

“The report, by the EU’s own research agency, Eurofound, has discovered that Europeans aged 15 to 29 who are not in employment, education or training (known as Neets) have reached record levels and are costing the EU €3bn a week in state welfare and lost production. …

“Since the global downturn in 2008, there has been a 28% increase in associated Neet costs across the EU, with Italy facing an annual bill of €32.6bn a year, France €22bn, and the UK €18bn. …

“The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said Europe was ‘failing in its social contract’ with the young and rising political disenchantment could reach levels similar to those that sparked North African uprisings during the Arab spring.”

My Comment: Of course, something will force governments to change their attitude to the crisis and instead of trying to go back in time, to understand that the future is in the integration of the world, and first of all this requires re-education, that is why the younger generation is released and this should be taken as advantage. (See “Integral Education“).
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“Civilization May Not Survive ‘Death Spiral’”

Dr. Michael LaitmanOpinion (Richard Duncan, chief economist at Blackhorse Asset Mgmt): “Richard Duncan, formerly of the World Bank and chief economist at Blackhorse Asset Mgmt., says America’s $16 trillion federal debt has escalated into a ‘death spiral,’ as he told CNBC.

“And it could result in a depression so severe that he doesn’t ‘think our civilization could survive it.’”

“Since the recession, noted economists including Laurence Kotlikoff, a former member of President Reagan’s Council of Economic Advisers, have come to similar conclusions.

“Kotlikoff estimates the true fiscal gap is $211 trillion when unfunded entitlements like Social Security and Medicare are included. …

“A team of scientists, economists, and geopolitical analysts believes they have proof that the threat is indeed real – and the danger imminent.

“One member of this team, Chris Martenson, a pathologist and former VP of a Fortune 300 company, explains their findings:

“’We found an identical pattern in our debt, total credit market, and money supply that guarantees they’re going to fail. This pattern is nearly the same as in any pyramid scheme, one that escalates exponentially fast before it collapses. Governments around the globe are chiefly responsible.

“’And what’s really disturbing about these findings is that the pattern isn’t limited to our economy. We found the same catastrophic pattern in our energy, food, and water systems as well.’

“According to Martenson: ‘These systems could all implode at the same time. Food, water, energy, money. Everything.’

“Another member of this team, Keith Fitz-Gerald, the president of The Fitz-Gerald Group, went on to explain their discoveries.

“’What this pattern represents is a dangerous countdown clock that’s quickly approaching zero. And when it does, the resulting chaos is going to crush Americans,’ Fitz-Gerald says.

“Dr. Kent Moors, an adviser to 16 world governments on energy issues as well as a member of two U.S. State Department task forces on energy also voiced concerns over what he and his colleagues uncovered.

“’Most frightening of all is how this exact same pattern keeps appearing in virtually every system critical to our society and way of life,’ Dr. Moors stated.

My Comment: Since we have found ourselves locked in a single integral network of full connectivity and interdependence, of course the overall crisis is global and penetrates all the levels of our work and life. Collapse will be simultaneous in all the areas of human activity in the world.
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What’s Next?

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the News (from BBC News): “The debate came after Greece…announced that unemployment in Greece hit a record 25.1% in July, with the level among young people reaching above 50%.

“And the nation predicted its economy will shrink by 6.5% this year, much more than previously estimated this year, worse than a previous estimate of 4.8% in March suggested to its bailout lenders.

“Greece also said its economy will shrink for a sixth year in 2013.”

My Comment: How can new jobs appear if they are not needed in the economy? This suggests only one solution: to produce as much as necessary, instead of producing unnecessary goods, which harm the environment.

The calculation of production will have to start from “the bottom”: What goods and services in what quantity are needed FOR EVERYONE. And then production and services need to be built according to this calculation. The pursuit of fulfilling one’s ego will be shifted to the right leisure: integral connection, which gives the feeling of higher contentment.
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A Relapse Without Panic

Dr. Michael LaitmanOpinion (Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund): “The head of the International Monetary Fund has urged world leaders to take immediate bold action to stimulate growth. Christine Lagarde warned that the global economy was decelerating and said both Europe and the United States were taking too long to come up with solutions to their debt problems.”

My Comment: People are beginning to become aware of fate, upper management, the lack of the ability to control events. Humanity is starting to bend down its head, “come down from the tree,” and lose pride and the sense that it is higher than what is happening.

Thus, humanity will gradually begin to feel that it is not above nature and can do whatever it wants, but that nature is above it and does everything according to its plan. Fear and uncertainty will quickly make people come around. It’s a pity, if this happens at the cost of blood and suffering. Similarity with Nature, the search for harmony with it, this is the only task of humanity. It will find itself in a new dimension through this search.
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Economists Need To Abandon The Usual Theories

Dr. Michael LaitmanOpinion (Andrew Sheng, President of the Fung Global Institute, adjunct professor at Tsinghua University, Beijing, Xiao Geng, Director of Research at the Fung Global Institute): “Given the crisis weighing down the world economy and financial markets, it is not surprising that a substantive reconsideration of the principles of modern economics is underway. …

“The British economist Fritz Schumacher understood that human institutions, as complex structures with dynamic governance, require systemic analysis. He defined meta-economics as the humanizing of economics by accounting for the imperative of a sustainable environment; thus, he included elements of moral philosophy, psychology, anthropology, and sociology that transcend the boundaries of profit maximization and individual rationality.

“Similarly, Eric Beinhocker, at the newly established Institute for New Economic Thinking, argues for ‘a new way of seeing and understanding the economic world.’ Such an approach requires incorporating psychology, anthropology, sociology, history, physics, biology, mathematics, computer science, and other disciplines that study complex adaptive systems.

“We believe that the framework of ‘micro-macro-meso-meta-economics’ – what we call ‘systemnomics’ – is a more complete way to analyze human economies, understood as complex living systems evolving within dynamically changing complex natural systems.”

My Comment: This is a move in the right direction. Really, it is not simple for economists to change their approach of “maximum profit at any cost” to some unaccountable values, such as connection, care, and love. They will have to develop a system of complete interconnectedness of humanity engaged in meeting its reasonable needs, from the point of view of the rational economy, the maximum output with the minimum cost and destruction of society and the environment.
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“Europe Could Be Plunged Into War If The Euro Collapses”

Dr. Michael LaitmanOpinion (Vince Cable, UK Secretary of State for Business): “Europe could be plunged into war if the euro collapses, Vince Cable warned… .

“’We tend to forget, until we were reminded last week of that Nobel Prize, the European project was constructed in order to rescue Europe from extreme nationalism and conflict. There is no automatic guarantee that won’t return.’ The Business Secretary described the euro as ‘very valuable’ and said the UK would ‘be heard very loudly if it does unravel.’

“He added: ‘My sense is that the Germans in particular realise how much is at stake. A series of sensible measures have been taken in recent months.

“‘I think deep down there is enough common sense and a sense of survival to prevent this getting out of control. If it does, I’m afraid the consequences for us will be awful.’”

My Comment: The problem is not in the euro and not even in Europe, but in the general program of human evolutionary development. Humanity must move to the next state, similarity to Nature, meaning unity and reasonable consumption. Unity, because in this we level our egoism and become like all parts of nature, interconnected with it. Reasonable consumption, because in this we are in equilibrium with the still, vegetative, and animate nature.

Through this change in ourselves, we go out of our egoism and begin to feel the next level of nature, the sphere of bestowal, besides the sphere of receiving in which we exist for the time being. So, the euro plays just a small role, pushing us towards the change.
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