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page 175 chapter VI
cratic ideals. Competition without a social objective
does not serve the common good. It is not only egoistic,
but also harmful.
Certain people entered into risks that today confront
not only the banks with serious problems, but the
whole of society. Rocketing unemployment holds the
threat of triggering a social crisis as well. 8.9 percent
of the active population in the Euro Zone are unemployed.
That means more than 14 million people. As is
so often the case, it is sadly the socially less fortunate
who suffer most severely from the consequences of
recklessness and greed. Excesses of this kind must be
prevented in the future. We must not allow boundless
profit maximisation to continue to be the sole purpose
of the economy, as the supposed driving force behind
human progress.
Not only banks and business enterprises contributed
to establishing this neoliberal ideology - the political
community likewise too often subordinated the common
good to the market. What we need to do now is
learn from our mistakes and return to ethical, societally
responsible and social values: transparency, solidarity,
responsible management of resources. Politics
must once more start to play the role to which it is entitled.
Based on new ideas for the interaction of politics
and economics, it must again enforce the social
market economy. New confidence must be created to
this end, and existing anxiety and apathy overcome.
We need a new way of thinking, and the feeling that
the people who take the helm give priority to longterm
ideas.