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Europe
Europe 2010 - 2020
The question of European governance is becoming paramount in view of the unsettling and deeply preturbing news about deficits in not only Greece, but in many other EU member states, including Bulgaria, Italy, Spain, Portugal as well as in Germany, France and UK.
The European Commission has dedicated 2010 to combating poverty and social exclusion, but unfortunately culture is missing from the EU strategy paper for 2020 while the problem of unemployment is reduced to an acceptance of the given economic situation, if at least 75% of the working population finds employment. A closer look at the parameters mentioned as being obstacles to social inclusion can all be subsumed under 'poverty of experience', insofar as those who fail and do not try again confront very often fictitious, equally real limitations inside of themselves as much as in society. That is why a European debate on how to link economy and culture should take place and not only for the sake of furthering innovation and creativity as new factors of productivity, but as a need to rethink qualification strategies while transforming firms and institutions into learning organisations putting a high emphasis on cultural experiences.
The gap between the spin-doctors and European reality
This deplorable situation in Europe 2010 reminds what economic historian Prof. Louis Baeck said already in 2006, namely that Europe has "a very mediocre record of economic growth and 13 million unemployed". The very high unemployment along with the poor economic record calls for more “efficient economic and monetary policies with visible social results". Yet this is not happening in his opinion, because there is to quote Goethe "a widening gap between Dichtung and Wahrheit” in Europe. To this has attested as well Bob Palmer when speaking most recently at the 25 years celebration of European Capitals of Culture in Brussels March 24 - 25, 2010. In other words, the gap between “the rhetoric of the EU-professionals and the real situation has never been so wide”.
Experiences with globalization and the need for a European accounting system
Louis Baeck has advocated such economic historical analysis which follows in the tradition of Polanyi, Schumpeter, Myrdal. While it is true that the budget has the final say in history (Schumpeter), a new cultural approach to the economic question must be attempted. Louis Baeck does not embrace either European Centrism nor a heavily leaning on the Atlantic tradition. The latter is based on a strict separation of economy and culture as advocated by the United States. In 2006 he published an article about the 'various stages of globalization' on the international platform organised by Jean Tardiff at www.planetagora.org. The intention behind this article is as he explains as follows:
“This to illustrate that globalization is not that 'universal' but rather a cover for different experiences. The Americans come out with a new macro-economy on a global not a national scale like conventional macroeconomics. Especially the Europeans stay with the 'national' accounting. The Central Bank of Frankfurt are the monetarists of 2 decades ago. And the islamophobia, the unwill to reform and the pessimism in our continent make that we are the red lantern of the (trajectories).” (letter by Louis Baeck 12.4.2006)
In 2010 the Greek debt crisis highlights what this clinging to a national accounting system and an outdated monetaristic outlook entails especially for the Euro-zone. Europe can only get out of that crisis by translating its experiences with globalization into such economic governance which is based on a European wide accounting system. The latter should heed cultural differences especially when it comes to a most crucial term Louis Baeck coined to analyse the reason for the downfall of the Soviet Union, namely the 'morality of payment'. Such morality translated into a real commitment to pay back one's debts is crucial for retaining the confidence of the market forces.
In noticing that a sadness and pessimism dominates in Europe, he adds that the economic situation gives him the feeling that “something is burnt out in Europe and we play still schoolmasters for others, see the comedy towards Teheran.” (letter by Louis Baeck, 24.5.2006).
Can this be replaced in near future by a 'smile going through Europe', as envisioned by dancer choreographer Heike Henning in Leipzig? If yes, then optimism would have to be based on real success stories linking European citizens to EU institutions. Crucial for that to happen is that citizens and not the political elite takes possession of these institutions. For that to happen the European agenda must be made accountable to a bottom-up process when it comes to setting the agenda while the European Parliament must assure that a top-down information flow allows all citizens to participate actively in the system of Parliamentary democracy.
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