Nobel Paul Krugman
As we recently Jose Luis Sampedro, the very idea of economic development is a degeneration. The degeneration of the illusions of reason. Beyond the disagreement among the major economic powers, and knowing that as important as practical proposals is the rehabilitation of values and principles, we should bear in mind what was said by Rahm Emmanuel, Chief of staff of Obama: a crisis should never be missed. If, as the Nobel Paul Krugman has reminded us, Reagan seized the crisis of 1987 to change everything for the benefit of the rich minority, the neoliberal involution, why not exploit this crisis to straighten the path that has led us to the disaster deeply? Restoring ethics, solidarity, justice and respect for the environment, the planet, above the greed, the incessant growth and wastage. In recent years, after the collapse of the Soviet Empire and the miserable victory of capitalism in its disastrous neo-liberal version, its worst consequences were felt with crudeness: rapid collapse of the Argentine economy, increase of the poor, greater impoverishment of already impoverished countries and astronomical growth of inequality between countries and between classes in the countries, among others.
But also there were answers. Protest in Seattle and in all the cities where they met economic elites, birth of the World Social Forum, global opposition to the single thought (the dogma of the Washington consensus), popular social movements in Argentina, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay, political awareness of a large NGOs challenge constant to the neo-liberal disorder. Social movements in South America materialized politically and have elected a majority of progressive Governments in the region, Governments that defy the deregulation, absolute freedom of capital, privatization as a panacea and the predatory action of transnational corporations. It is a good way to start changing things, because tests show that no action or pressure from below, there are no changes at the top that merit such a name. Take advantage of the crisis to change things.