The previous web-log
conveyed the global growth potential for a moneyed leisure arena
which connects the past and the future via the never ceasing
aspirational trend. One which could be orientated to various cultural
origins, and importantly, ideally create an ever expanding worldwide
participatory value chain, from sports champions to new apprentices,
from heritage equipment providers to bio-mechanical scientific
research. In essence a worldwide expansion of specific activities
which emerge from the positively self-perpetuating trend of
capitalism: investment – education – productivity – income –
expenditure – re-investment – ad infinitum.
Questioning Capitalism
-
It is an imperfect yet
continuing socio-economic model which through 2008-10 was rightly
philosophically questioned by many in the west.
Not necessarily by
those with proto-socialist ideals but with a view to general societal
fairness and the financing structure required to deliver such a hope.
During the financial collapse and immediate fall-out it was absurd
that such devastation could happen, indeed be allowed to happen, and
whilst public reaction was simplistic in the 99% campaign, quite
rightly people made themselves heard.
Obviously, what came to
pass resulted from what may be termed as 'hyper-financing', the
'rubber-band' extension of credit based upon ever more nebulous
methods to circumnavigate measures of acceptable credit-risk, with
internally little true appreciation of the finance sector's evolution
and well below par application of self-regulation. Outcomes ranged
from dereliction of office and duty by many banking chiefs, not just
a castigated Goodwin, to outright 'top of the market' multi-million
and multi-billion dollar fraud and theft by the likes of Stanford and
Madoff.
For Britain and the
USA, early October sees the fifth anniversary of what were termed the
'banking bail-out' schemes: the Special Liquidity Scheme, Bank
Re-Capitalisation Fund and Interbank Loan Under-Writing in the UK,
and the Troubled Asset Relief Programme in the USA.
The consequences of the
2007-8 financial collapse massively impacted western and global
governments, the very foundations of the western financial sector,
the vitality of B2B and B2C commerce for corporates, SMEs and small
firms, and in turn creating financial hardship in the lives of many
millions of people.
Questioning the
Everyday -
As the cornerstone of
what should be a civilised and progressive society was seen to
crumble, with negative consequences for the usually quiet 'believing'
majority, those who had previously doubted the construct of the
system inevitably gained a greater profile, the still relatively
recent availability of social media providing a platform for
potentially mass audiences.
The many Doubting
Thomas, who believe themselves to seek out the 'truth' – albeit
akin to the “length of string” question - range from those with
alternative academic ideologies crystallised via formal education,
through to those with or without higher education exposed to, or
sought out, alternative 'self-learning' paths. Often paths which
society would term radical and scientists unproven, but nonetheless explored and in which a myriad of esoteric
topics are often inter-woven, so as to provide a very different world
context and so outlook to that of the accepted norm.
The fact that such alternative perspectives are ridiculed by the general public, and unfortunately often belittles such perspectives as 'crack-pot', understandably only serves to strengthen the alternative position, both the general belief that the sheep-like population – the 'sheeple' – are naïve to the invisible reality and to in turn strengthen personal vindication.
However, the ostensible
fact is that this such fringe interests in the mysterious spread over
a single country, continent and globally makes for a massive and
enticing consumer-base, and so the sub-culture long ago became a
commercialised industry involving paper-based publishing,
e-publishing, TV series, films, events and conferences.
So an uncritical
objective perspective suggests that there is a financial incentive to
propagate such an alternative belief eco-system, feeding
to the 'mystery truth seekers' that which they are inclined to want to
hear.
The Human Factor -
Throughout the history
of world trade and financing there have been external and internal
shocks to given transactional markets, whether natural or man-made,
such as the affects of international or civil wars, the failings of
harvests, the discovery of additional previously finite resources, or
indeed dishonourable market manipulation through either invisible
accumulation or disinformation.
As for the man-made
aspect, history again shows that those that seek power will try and
find ways to attain that power, and life itself demonstrates that
nothing happens without a reason.
Given that human
existence is at its most basic typically affected by greed and fear,
such behaviour provides the tools and catalysts for control by those
seeking power over others. Whether amongst young siblings, the
invisibly subtle manipulator within a group of friends, a controlling
partner in a marriage, one company director vis a vis another in a
commercial partnership, or indeed in the rhetoric used by group
leaders, from a sports team captain, to the headmaster of a school,
to trade union shop stewards to army/naval/air force officers and to
politicians; the language used assisted by voice cadence.
For the great majority
of all backgrounds, the world is first and foremost societal, then
socio-economic, then purely economic. Very very few people operate
purely upon non-emotive purely economic reasoning.
[NB those that do will
have very probably experienced very negative circumstances, from
abject poverty without external assistance to heavy handed social
manipulation – perhaps both - so demanding a personal-centric
survivalist attitude]
Society's Origins -
Throughout human
existence has been the battle of survival, and whilst collectivism is
usually more advantageous than singularity, as in nature it
inevitably involves a battle for supremacy, so as to deploy what is
considered best strategic and tactical practice to gain best
advantage to the associated group, and usually regards the spoils,
best advantage to the tribal leader. With collectivism obviously came
communication and over time the strength of physical prowess became
superseded by mental and social prowess. Older tribal splits and
newer tribal convergences (as illustrated by the history of religion
and sovereignty) resultant from the ability to orchestrate and so
lead the underlings of the tribe.
His then a fundamental
aspect of the evolution of mankind and its activities, and
As societies grew in
population and its activities became more diverse, in order to
improve 'social inputs and outputs' ranging from obtaining food to
collective belief systems, so the division of labour emerged, firstly
from a natural order to befit an individual's capabilities, then
latterly trained/educated to befit a specific role in society and
industry. As societies stabilised so those specific roles became
engrained into almost de facto expectations of the next generation.
With the early
development of North Africa, Asia Minor and elsewhere, various social
groups – and so classes - emerged, based upon importance to group
cohesiveness, and initially spanning religious leaders, soldiers,
merchants, general labour and unfortunately outcasts – as still
seen in Indian Hinduism today - the minority latter created to ratify
general cohesiveness amongst the group and general acceptance of
their better position compared to the outcast.
Where regionally a
social system keeps peace and order so it is maintained and
developed, but in doing so decade after decade, century after
century, ingrains the status quo so leading to inter-class frictions,
unless they can be subtly overcome via improvements of physical and
material comfort for the masses associated to a systematic
self-improvement process such as education, or a renewed group
cohesiveness created usually from identification of a threatening
external enemy.
The terms 'Social
Engineering' and 'Political Science' emerged in the 19th
century to seek to capture the historic learning of what had been an
ongoing concern for a myriad of governing groups across the ages.
An Inadvertent Cloak of
Mystery -
Throughout history the
less fortunate individual or group have been envious and angered by
the more fortunate. The rewards of capitalism for the fortunate,
whether via entrepreneurship, a handed-down family business or that
of a group's insular social connections, can be immense.
And whilst such
millionaires and billionaires are in reality the minority, the fact
that on a per capita basis their 'social share' of wealth far
outweighs that of the average and poorer than average person
obviously creating social friction, especially for those whose lives
are constant toil for self-existence or for no or little betterment
working within the job market.
However, when those
less fortunate begin to believe that the social construct as
experienced by themselves is unfair – by virtue of 'allotted'
wealth and so access to a host of opportunities - and indeed has been
intentionally created by the the powerful and influential to maintain
this unfairness through a complete falsity of society to the
disadvantage of the unwitting masses, then understandably any
apparent supporting evidence or empathetic rhetoric crystallises the
presumption.
Unlike days or yore
where the powerful and rich were highly visible with prominent
castles and vestments and directly influential by personal edict at
the local level, today as a result of industrialisation, development
of capital markets, globalisation and gated communities and rural
depopulation, those that have wealth and possible influence tend to
inevitably live in a far more removed social and geographical
enclave.
In all but a few
instances of the apparent 'everyman', best exemplified by the public
persona of Warren Buffet, the emergence of what are now massively
influential roles such as money fund manager, multi-national CEO,
national politician, senator etc inevitably means that the
responsibilities involved mentally and physically remove these
individuals from a typical existence in normal society; indeed they
are effectively moulded to be very different to the norm in
capability, outlook and understanding. Not a breed above, but
necessarily a breed apart.
Unlike the very direct
lines of communication to a community from a feudal lord, or indeed
the Victorian industrialist, today's far more macro orientated and
globally related leadership roles means typically far greater
personal removal from the everyday, be it a singular factory,
singular service centre and their local communities. This more the
domain of independent, often family run SMEs. Instead for the
high-flyers far greater interaction with others within their
professional sphere, professionally and socially – indeed it no
doubt becomes a kind of bounded pen in itself - plus the fact that
in a world of increasing decreased privacy, his/her decisions and
actions must necessarily undertaken through heavily secured, so
largely 'invisible' conduits of communication to maintain
confidentiality and thus efforts toward competitive advantage.
This understandably
makes it all very mysterious to the average person on the street, who
sees an ever more separated elite.
Created Mysteries -
It appears the case
that for many societies so as to maintain an everyday order, some
type of managed outlet for those with inquisitive, questioning minds
is provided. Something that partially or answers, or at least appears
to answer, what may be behind the mysterious curtain of life.
The answer to those
questions originally derived from spiritual origins, the formation of
ancient tribal belief systems and spiritual leaders, as is the case
with the African village Shaman (and drug induced visions), or the
other worldly trance-induced connections generated by Persia's
Whirling Dervishes.
As societies became
better informed and far larger so it seems the case that new
mysteries were created to then seemingly answer the unanswerable
questions, to maintain a sense of wonder and awe amongst the masses
and create perceptionally powerful constructs. So organised, in fact
re-organised religions were born, one god out of many as Roman
systems gave way to Christian systems, yet moulding the iconography
and rituals so as to maintain old to new belief constructs.
Such workings were held
in private behind closed doors, doors which led to inner sanctums
that were supposedly closer to god, it meant that the depth of the
mysteriousness was increased. Thus the orchestrators – typically
the senior clerics (as with the Vatican) - gained an even greater
wonder and respect from their peoples.
Upon this basis 'secret
societies' were created, often bathed in adventurous mythical origins
and with the supposed intent of imparting knowledge to the chosen
few, or those who are worthy enough.
So it came to pass with
Freemasonry, with its initiations and apparently ever more
enlightening 'degrees', over time with international reach and
recognising the accumulation of multi-faith members would assist, the
organisation self-proclaimed as seeking to create better 'upstanding'
men and 'brotherhood' with symbols, learning and personal challenges
used to do so.
[NB As to whether this
does so is of course specific to the individual, whilst some are able
to improve themselves, others are not, whilst other 'older souls' are
born far more evolved. Hence the base material of individual is as
important as the process, and indeed the process may backfire when
trying to evolve an unrecognised already spiritually superior being.
Some are born more ethereal, others moulded in their early years; as
the Jesuit saying determines...”give me a boy until seven and I
will give you the man].
But, as with the
typically all male club, whether Pall Mall haunt or local golf club,
the fact that it has a reputation for cherry-picking its single sex
members generated greater interest amongst some external men and many
women, so adding cache and membership interest. A play of supply and
demand factors.
[NB as a self-thinking,
non-conformist thinker, investment-auto-motives believes that the
majority of clubs formed are done so around a specific interest, but
are in effect social construct systems by which senior members can
utilise junior members. In the past it was typical that a members of
the golf club committee would utilises the professional building
skills of a new member, expecting a heavy discount given his club
influence].
Now away from life
observations back to the subject in hand.
Conspiracy Theorists -
As stated
earlier..”nothing happens without a reason”...an incentive toward
a particular outcome. So all actions could therefore be regarded as
conspiratorial. A baby cries to be suckled, a young woman flirts for
male attention, and a man exaggerates his wine knowledge to build his
persona amongst his peers.
All then actions have
'origins and destinations', and given that this world has been build
from actions and outcomes it is only natural that curious people
question the status quo.
This then suggests that
the 'human race' – the term itself indicative of competition – is
indeed an entity within which are competing interests.
Hence, the very
existence of secret organisations such as the Freemasons is
questioned by those who are worldly curious; basic questions about
function unanswered or disbelieved, even with improved public
relations.
If the membership
includes swathes of public officials then portions of a wary public
will inevitably query the structure, inter-relationships and general
influence, whilst the ritualism itself may be seen as a form of
brainwashing, and if so brotherly associations viewed as possibly
promoting hidden agendas and providing mutual favours.
Such people may also
say...“if the system is so successful in creating better people,
why not simply mould the whole of everyday society around the same
precepts?”
Such questions then
underpin what may be seen as a more credible line of inquisitiveness
within a very broad spectrum of what is often called 'Conspiracy
Theorists': those people who believe that major social, political and
economic events or cover-ups have been and are strategically stage
managed.
Well known 'fringe
theory' topics include:
- 'false flag' events
(undertaken as pretence of enemy threat)
(eg the collapse of
the twin towers and 9/11)
- the assassinations of
JFK, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X
- staged assassination
attempts to gain public favour
- the 'accidental
deaths' of Marilyn Monroe, Diana Spencer
- staged moon landings
- the
military-industrialist complex remit to create wars
(imperialism)
- the existence of
extra terrestrial life forms (Area 51 etc)
- 'lost lands'
(Atlantis etc)
- the occult (sorcery,
witchcraft, zombies etc)
- suppression of
technologies suppression (eg electric car)
- the use of common
food as mass behaviour modifier
- the use of cognitive
control methods
- suppression of
western populace (technologically and socially)
(including 'Big
Brother' digital comms and 'BB' TV series)
- alien reptilian-like
beings (Anunaki) that rule over the planet
- the alien's ability
to 'shape-shift' into humanoid forms
- a New World Order
[NB Excluded from this
list is that of the jewish zionist global conspiracy. Whether this
actually exists or not, suffice to say that investment-auto-motives
stands very distant].
To return to the topic
in hand...
As ever Wikipedia gives
a good and relatively concise overview of the subject, effectively
highlighting that a conspiracy theory is founded upon to an
inter-connected set of arguments related to apparent facts which
combine to demonstrate a thesis.
It highlights that the
term has in modern times gained a derogatory interpretation in recent
decades, the reactionary idea that people who spout them must be
paranoid, which conspiracy theorists may view as wholly intended to
discredit any conspiratorial viewpoint.
Wikipedia likewise
states that (no doubt thanks to a whole profit-seeking publishing
arena and multiple DIY broadcasting channels) that the general
public's belief of conspiratorial events has grown, spanning a
cross-section of ethnicities, nationalities, educational levels, both
genders etc.
The New World Order
Conspiracy Theory-
Thanks largely to broad
access communication, the telephone, radio, television and of course
computer, ideas whether for good, for bad or indifferent, were able
to be spread more and more easily, indeed quicker and quicker.
For the profit-seeking
'conspiracy industry' the late 20th and early 21st
centuries have proven a 'god-send', since as with neighbourhood
petty gossip, the more alarming and intriguing the issue discussed,
the quicker it is spread by way of wagging tongues, and now tapping
fingers.
The prime NWO concept
is that a group termed the 'Illuminati' - established in 1776 (the
year of American independence) and represented by the 'Owl of
Minerva' (wisdom) - consists of powerful shadowy figures who seek to
plant their representatives inside major governments, corporations,
academia and other spheres in order to control world affairs.
It is believed that
organisations such as United Nations, International Monetary Fund and
World Bank are in effect NWO sanctioned and administered, and that
'closed-door' meetings such as the Bilderberg Group, the Tri-Lateral
Commission, the Council on Foreign Relations and DAVOS exists in
order to discuss how these invisible powers may advance their secret
agenda for world domination and public slavery.
The Bilderberg Group -
The latter event
maintains high security levels akin to that of the G8/G20, given the
attendance of high profile political figures and international
royalty, which because also of the attendance of corporate leaders
seems to indicate to demonstrators and other like-minded people that
it represents a meeting by which the world is plotted and shaped.
Again, Wikipedia
provides a good description of Bilderberg, but in summary, was
originated in 1954 to improve relations between business and
political leaders in the US and Europe to promote 'Atlanticism' and
counter what was then seen as the communist threat from the east. It
took its name from the hotel in which the inaugural meeting took
place in The Netherlands. Meeting in 1955 the seed of an idea to form
a Common Market and possible European Union was aired to avoid future
continental conflict, culminating in the Treaty of Rome. Furthermore
discussions about a single European currency were had years before
the Euro was created, and talk of renewed relations between the USA
and China before Nixon's monumental visit.
Critics purport that
its remit today goes beyond this initial remit, with 'at worst' the
super-elite intent on world domination either via rampant capitalism
or via a centrally planned global economy, with theoretically the use
of the former to introduce the latter, possibly through an
orchestrated collapse of global capitalism. Or 'at best' an
undemocratic and opaque cabal of the rich and powerful
who are sworn to
secrecy via 'Chatham House Rules'
[NB
The
rule allows people to speak as individuals and to express views that
may not be those of their organisations, and so provides freer
general discussion].
The
meeting format is reported as a morning session whereby the
attendees, usually 120 or so are divided into groups of 20 persons,
to discuss identified issues from alternative perspectives, their
conclusions then presented to the overall group for further
discussion.
It is highlighted by
critics that throughout the 1950s and 1960s the group was chaired by
Dutch Royal Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld (born in Germany)
who is reputed to have been an SS officer prior to WW2, switching
sides as an RAF Wing Commander during hostilities. It is written that
decades later he was the recipient of $1.1m sum involved in the
Lockheed Bribery Scandal of 1976. Less publicised is his presidency
of the World Wildlife Fund and assistance in infiltrating illegal
poaching groups in Africa, though this action also mired in scandal.
So a mixed reputation.
It is also known that
Bilderberg has been sponsored by the Rothchilds and Rockerfellers,
which deflates the Bilderberg's supposed anti-jew stance, and
Sweden's Wallenberg dynasty.
A prime accusation is
the manufacture of national and regional crisis and wars, which
provides the opportunity for profiteering from war related supplies
(weapons, commodities) and the purchase of much deflated local assets
awaiting a post-war valuation climb. NATO to undermine the military
facilities of individual countries. Another being the expansion of
widened trading blocks to reduce the importance of individual
countries. And the centralised control of education so as to
brainwash students from an early age.
As understood, this
conspiratorial “end-point” in which the masses are left nigh on
equally poor ironically parallels the conveyed Marxist conclusion, in
which a naturally failed system of capitalism inevitably leads to
global communism. Whichever path, the theory essentially posits the
idea of the super powerful enslaving the masses, whether under
capitalist or communist ideologies. Ultimately giving a 'one world
government' and 'one world currency', to be achieved through
media-led mind control.
But what external
observers see as conspiratorially constructed events, seem in reality
to be only logical debates about possible international scenarios
given the circumstances of the day and associated PESTEL trends.
Similar to the hypothetical discussions of students studying
international relations, but of course more meaningful given the
impact on domestic and international industry, national and
international economies and so the everyday lives of the populace.
Many of the politicians
attending are representatives of a democratically elected government
or party elected opposition, so as far as the political angle is
concerned there is what may be termed a democratic representation and
influence. Others such as business leaders whilst with no need for
democratic public election to their positions given their private
entities, have been ostensibly elected within the corporate world as
the best of those candidates available; to lead a corporation, help
mould its own commercial sector with probable inter-connection within
given usual alliances and acquisitions, and into other connected
commercial sectors given the level of commercial inter-connectedness
arising from globalisation and the digital age.
Conspiracy Believers -
[NB Firstly, no person
what ever their belief should be mocked by others who maintain a
popularist, mainstream viewpoint.
Never forget that
centuries ago leading enlightened thinkers were castigated for
stating that the world was not flat, the few countering belief that
long distance travel would inevitably lead one to the cliff-like edge
of the world. Infact there have never been such important people as
those who refused to accept the status qou, and any questionable
associated power structure, be it tribal leader, the church or
government.
In recent times China's
'Tank Man', or the 'Unknown Protestor' not only shook the then
leaders of the PRC, but ratified to the world the power of the
individual and righteousness]
Whilst undoubtedly
conveying what they believe to be 'fact based' viewpoints, many of
those who believe and propagate conspiracy theories, from
characterful relatively high profile media pundits (ie David Icke
and Alex James) to youtube up-loaders to banner-waving demonstrators,
are drawn to the movement because of the subjects mystique and
because they deeply believe that what they state is valid.
This wholly
understandable, since in an ever more complex, intelligent and
inter-connected world rationally requires ever better control systems
to aid the myriad of functions and interactions which take place. At
its heart a seeming simplified orchestration to avoid the possibility
of anarchic disruption to the norm, civil and international violence,
associated panic and socio-economic collapse. This then the way the
world has developed, underpinned by different schools, from apparent
democracy to apparent totalitarianism to apparent autocracy.
Moreover, the necessary
high security levels at events such as Bilderberg meetings, involving
police marked vehicles and uniformed police officers, uniformed
officers in unmarked cars and plain clothes officers and private
security firms, all-together convey a sense of enormous private vs
public separation, thus any individual, theorist or not, would be
curious. But the fact is that such people are protected given the
disruption and upheaval of requiring and finding a direct replacement
if one and especially many are injured or assassinated.
[NB and recognise that
the cordon that keeps the public out, also has the effect of penning
the participants within; so who are the real sheep? The very lives of
the participants, given roles and responsibilities, are far more
constrained that that of the everyday freer average man or woman].
Moreover, like the
supposed secretly informed Illuminati, it appears that many of the
theorists involved either enjoy the limelight and social kudos of
appearing informed of such secret ongoings, and gain satisfaction
from the attention gained from others by either espousing their
beliefs or at least intellectually discussing the subject matter.
Or, alternately –
like many clubs - gain social comfort by being drawn into such an
intelligent group and social-sharing that goes on, perhaps a few
drawn in and indoctrinated for their own want of any social company,
or drawn-in by a friend or partner. Most of all, many appear to enjoy
the thrill of the subject itself and the created 'circus' that exists
around it.
But, in the end, most
critically we all do what we do to, give our lives purpose and
maintain our beliefs to maintain our sense of self and identity:
whether a football club supporter, or Bilderberg 'club' castigator
Taunting the Conspiracy
Seekers -
The most recent
Bilderberg event, held on 9th June 2013, was located in
the seemingly unlikely location of 'The Grove' (Hotel) in Watford,
North of London, in the UK. Not the far reaches of the countryside or
at the top of a mountain as with Camp David or DAVOS, but in an
up-market leisure retreat within a very very suburban surrounds.
It seems to
investment-auto-motives that this very choice of location was what
the event organisers considered a humorous play upon
conspiritorialism itself, in effect feeding the wonderment and
intrigue.
This so because of
another “conspiratorial group”, the Bohemian Club who operate the
Bohemian Grove, large grounds in Monte Rio, California where rich and
powerful guests are invited for a holiday like get-away in mid-July
each year, and participate in a 'Grove Play'.
Thus it could be the
case that some Bilderberg guests move on from Watford's Grove to
Bohemian Grove, adding ever more 'evidence' to the seeker's cause.
Furthermore, there was
a sculpture added to a pool which troubled self-reporters named the
'trans-human' because of its animalistic effect, crawling out of the
pool.
This again seems
nothing more than the organisers feeding the very imaginations of
conspiracy seekers; petty and childish if so, but very possible all
the same.
[NB this possible
observation of immaturity echoes reporter John Ronson's witnessing of
the Bohemian Grove antics, who also highlighted its homosexual
overtones].
New Economic Order -
This construct is
perhaps a far better and more suitable substitute phrase for the
scaremongering use of NWO. (Better still would be something akin to
“Progressive Geo-Economic Change”, but such a term hardly rolls
off the tongue).
In essence, all new
order concepts relate to the altering of global economics and the
rise of regions which up until the late 20th century were
deemed comparatively socially, economically and technically stagnant.
The fact is that
globalisation per se has been a reality ever since earliest mankind
walked out of Africa and into Persia, ever since the invention of the
raft to traverse long rivers and find new lands, ever since
domestication of the horse and creation of the wheel and cart to
travel further quicker, ever since the sea-going boat and ship to
discover new continents, and beyond globalisation with the invention
of the lunar space rocket.
Then through
tribalistic war and conquer, then via royalistic and/or governmental
war and/or diplomacy, the most powerful concepts prevailed – the
'killer applications' as Prof Niall Ferguson would say regards past
western advancement.
Whilst in the past it
was weaponry that conquered, today the mutual advantage is that of
applied finance, and with it most recently the rise of the BRICs,
CIVETS and MINT regions, and what may be called the 'New Economic
Order'. This demonstrated to impressive effect by China's subtle but
immense influence eventually to parallel and surpass that of the
'Anglo' Euro-American effect.
The concept is now well
proven that an expanding web-like 'wealth effect' can be generated
across broadly similarly 'free and fair' constructed societies –
though not necessarily political or religious systems - with
synergistic trade, commerce and industrial bases.
This new economic order
has allowed many many millions of people in what were economically
problematic or stagnant regions to improve their wealth, health and
contentment / happiness.
In the same manner as
has become the norm, those newly emergent people as individual
'economic contributors', though inevitably employed by a smaller
number of educated and responsible men and women. These
socio-economic 'managers' will either maintain the mantle of a
familial industrial dynasty that has already played its part in
stabilising what have been over-populated poor regions, or presumably
as likely, new entrepreneurs from all walks of life who put-in
enormous efforts to build from scratch new companies and possibly new
empires.
In effect relatively
newly built socio-economic structures – of whatever workable form
(investment-auto-motives remains apolitical) - which allows for and
encourages education, enlightenment, productivity, wealth creation
and social dispersion, within a meritocracy by which those who
contribute more, as judged by an equitable process, only fairly gain
more.
Inevitably Changed
Times -
The masses previously
thought that “obviously” all people's fortunes centred around the
historical debate between the notions of capitalism, socialism and
communism, between the notions of (western) democracy, regional
plutocracy/aristocracy or indeed country-specific autocracy.
But today people are
far more pragmatic and prosaic, from Baltimore, to Brussels Baghdad to Beijing. Having observed failings of political systems such as CCCP
communism, the unsustainable costs of French socialism, to a more
recent teetering of belief in Anglo-American democracy, people care
far less about the promises of political philosophy and more about
tangible improvements in their standards of well-being.
Moreover, look deeply
and the seemingly simple archetypes may be seen as oxymoronic
historical contradictions.
“Don’t believe in
'isms', just believe in yourself” were the ironic words of
self-sufficiency words uttered by the deity-like John (Winston)
Lennon. His very name had overtones of counter-culture
hippy-communialism, yet who's actions were anything but with
rock-star elevation, a psychedelic Rolls-Royce and New York
apartment. The fact was hippy-painted uber-materialism. Conversely,
the aristocratically born, educationally privileged Winston Churchill
was actually far more workmanlike in manner; reflected in his
bricklayer's overalls which morphed into his similar all- in-one
'utility suit'. Of course both occupied different spheres, and both
the moulded public mentalities of two very different British
generations, yet in themselves they were not true representations of
their political personas, for ill regards Lennon and for good in
Churchill's.
To End -
It should be recognised
since the earliest formations of societies and the creation of
civilised times that inter-cultural trade has been a vital aspect of
the modern world as known, then and now.
It has also undoubtedly
acted as a routeway to afford inter-cultural influence and serve
international expansionist agendas. This best illustrated by 15th
century's Portuguese empire building through Africa, India and South
America, also by the manner of the Dutch-East India Company on behalf
of the Netherlands during the 17th century – seen as the first
multi-national company – and Britain's East India Company in the
17th century, formed as a similar joint stock company in
the early 18th century.
The difference today is
that unlike the canon wielding Portuguese, or flint-lock pistol waving Dutch or Gun-Boat diplomatic British, most major countries have far
more mass-destructive weaponry, from nuclear arms to no doubt
bio-chemical laboratories, for all the treaties signed, or have a
'bigger brother' ally who does.
As illustrated by various statistics, world trade has obviously slowed over the last five years relative to the decade previous, given the immense rise of the BRICs creating a supply and production system to feed what was a hyper-consuming west, up until 2007. Indeed those BRICs have sought to re-orientate their network to supply themselves as a necessary substitute course of action.
But as seen with AP Moller Maersk's 'big-bet' on the mega-container ship and China's interest in commercially developing London's old docklands into a transport, trading and commercial hub, what we now see as a trough in world-trade should be latterly seen as a natural shift, allowing even greater internationalisation.
Furthermore, as now seen by the growth of defence industry 'off-sets' - where a contract is awarded to those western companies willing to support local non-defence sector iniititivies - even old fashioned bribary has been positively re-orientated. (Of course such projects could be simply 'milked' at arms length yet less likely to be investigated because of their social good).
As illustrated by various statistics, world trade has obviously slowed over the last five years relative to the decade previous, given the immense rise of the BRICs creating a supply and production system to feed what was a hyper-consuming west, up until 2007. Indeed those BRICs have sought to re-orientate their network to supply themselves as a necessary substitute course of action.
But as seen with AP Moller Maersk's 'big-bet' on the mega-container ship and China's interest in commercially developing London's old docklands into a transport, trading and commercial hub, what we now see as a trough in world-trade should be latterly seen as a natural shift, allowing even greater internationalisation.
Furthermore, as now seen by the growth of defence industry 'off-sets' - where a contract is awarded to those western companies willing to support local non-defence sector iniititivies - even old fashioned bribary has been positively re-orientated. (Of course such projects could be simply 'milked' at arms length yet less likely to be investigated because of their social good).
To this extent, the
past does not reflect today nor tomorrow, in which the modern battle-grounds
are about satiating a voraciously consumptive global population
through political sensitivity, corporate foresight,
entrepreneurialism, innovation and robust global financial markets
and structures, all in a profitable and yet sustainable manner so as
to improve and integrate mankind.
Let us hope that the
men and women who attend such events as Bilderberg, DAVOS etc serve
their higher selves, not the supposed 'higher beings', to do so.
