A better world is possible - Global Commons Institute

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Copyright Bruce Nixon 2010. All rights reserved. This electronic copy is provided free for personal, non-commercial use only. www.brucenixon.com trade.” It generates huge quantities of CO2. Military interventions supposedly to install “democracy”, lack credibility. The West supported oppressive regimes, led by dictators and murderers like Pinochet and Saddam Hussein, because they were favourable to Western economic and political interests. We overturned Mohamad Mossadegh’s enlightened democratically elected government in Iran because of our oil interests. The goal of Western foreign policy has been to secure its political and economic interests: oil supplies, other vital resources and markets for big business. Someone said: “Would Bush and Blair have gone to war against Iraq, if its main export was bananas?” We are all up to our necks in this system. We are there by proxy. Business and government do the dirty work, on our behalf, that gets us cheap products, oil and food. We choose to ignore it. The past thirteen years were wasted. It is a classic case of how, when leaders are “system blind”, they completely fail us. Instead of building a more sustainable, future orientated and balanced economy, they squandered 10% of our wealth on war. We ended up with an economy too dependent on financial services, retail and munitions. Lagging behind other developed nations, UK failed to make long- term investments to tackle climate change, provide a sustainable transport system and a secure, sustainable supply of electricity, heating and energy. Generally deferring to business interests, Government was far too slow in taking farsighted decisions. It did not recognise the need for a new paradigm. Nor did it provide sufficient strategic vision with actions to back it up. Government must be pressured into doing so. At last disastrous theories are being challenged – but not sufficiently. It will still be “business as usual” unless masses of people take a stand and make sure there is a fundamental change in the system and not a superficial “fix”. I shall show in Part 2 that there are alternative ways of dealing with this crisis, that do not involve massive government borrowing, and ways of preventing such a crisis in future. Remember, institutions do not change radically from within. It is outrageous that the G8 or G20, representing only the wealthiest, largest, and most powerful economies in the world, think they can meet, in a dire emergency, and decide the future of peoples living in 195 countries without involving them. They require outside pressure. It has to be people pressure! People of the world must insist so-called “world leaders” and “business leaders” do what’s right. I put these terms in quotes because, too often, they don’ lead. These misnomers have disempowering effects. Doing what is “politically possible” is an excuse for doing too little. People are outraged; their eyes open to the folly of the past thirty years. Global institutions have imposed an unsustainable economic system on the world. Business and government are there to serve. Leaders should be Servant Leaders, instead of self- serving. Our government not only stood by; it fully participated and played a major part of it. Will we allow this to continue? We all need to be the world leaders. Collectively, we are better qualified and wiser. Governments must be pressured into doing the right thing. Millions protested against the Iraq war in approximately 800 cities around the world including 3 million in Rome. A million took to the streets of London, UK's biggest ever demonstration. Yet Blair, without due diligence, a proper risk assessment or post- 26
Copyright Bruce Nixon 2010. All rights reserved. This electronic copy is provided free for personal, non-commercial use only. www.brucenixon.com conflict strategy, went ahead with an illegal war, without a UN resolution. That was a defining moment for the British people. We cannot let this be repeated. The UN Climate Summit In December 2009, leaders from 192 countries gathered for the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen to decide the fate of our planet. On the 5 th December, in London and elsewhere, millions marched and put pressure on governments to transform things for the better. The result was disappointing but it was a step forward: there were some outcomes and hopefully much was learned. The signs are that the Lib Dem Conservative Coalition may not have learned the need for radical systems thinking, not ideology. There will be much more for us to do before COP16 in November 2010 and throughout the coming years. It is up to us again. 27
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A better world is possible - Global Commons Institute

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