Listening\u00a0to the\u00a0various\u00a0party conferences you would think that the politicians THIS time have\u00a0learned\u00a0the lessons of boom and bust and are now going to revamp macro-economic policy, remake the relationship between state and citizen, write off large chunks of eurozone debt and lead us into a brave new world of social justice and prosperity.<\/p>\n
Yeah! Right!<\/p>\n
Because the truth is that any levers that the politicians have in a modern market based economy are generally pretty ineffective. \u00a0They may pontificate about grand capital projects like high speed trains, tramways, arenas, flood defences and so on, but this is pretty much a combination of political posturing and feeding the professional and financial beast which we call the ‘regeneration industry’. \u00a0I sometimes think that ‘Degeneration Industry’ would be a more accurate moniker. \u00a0As this refreshingly honest trader put it, ‘Governments don’t rule the world: Goldman Sachs do<\/a>‘.<\/p>\n Recovering the economy is not primarily a function of politics, but a function of enterprise. \u00a0About people using their skills and knowledge to provide products and services that people want, marketing and selling them effectively at a price that adds value to the customer and makes a profit. \u00a0Transactions in which all parties gain. Good business if the methods of production and distribution are environmentally sustainable and neither harm nor exploit.<\/p>\n But, improving the economy through enterprise is not the only thing that matters. \u00a0We also need to improve our communities, making them better places for as many people as possible to live full and rewarding lives in which everyone who\u00a0wants\u00a0to is supported to explore their\u00a0potential\u00a0and express it to the full. \u00a0And, these are not 2 distinct activities but 2 facets of the same process of development.<\/p>\n The challenge is not to find the right ‘macro-economic policy’ but to engage large numbers of people in living\u00a0their\u00a0lives to the full and doing what\u00a0they\u00a0can to help others looking to do the same. \u00a0It is about mass engagement, facilitation of ideas, and support.<\/p>\n You see the politicians can’t build good\u00a0communities\u00a0and sustainable economies. \u00a0We get these things as by-products of large numbers of people pursuing the projects that they\u00a0believe\u00a0in and helping each other wherever they can. \u00a0And occasionally falling out. \u00a0Great communities\u00a0and their economies spring from people living their lives to the full and making the best of their potential.<\/p>\n It’s about time we recognised that and helped to make it happen.<\/p>\n