Dark Hours

Globalisation (read the freedom for vast swathes of private money to tear around - and tear up - the globe for the fastest buck) is destroying its most ardent supporters. Legions of politicians, born after WW2 - a time when everybody discovered that they could not exist without the sacrifices of the common people - raised mostly in privilege, their eyes mostly on their own prizes, are being frightened to death by the genii they let out the bottle.

There is a big argument to be had about what caused growth in the BRIC. One fact often escapes those who, with shining eyes, point to the 'benefits' of globalisation for humanity in the BRIC countries. They are countries that carefully manage capital. In the case of the biggest, China, the state runs the banks, has to approve the use of private capital in any overseas investments and carefully protects strategic industries from foreign capital. Whatever else the BRIC governments think it does not include belief in the 'free' market. It is of course the gathering weakness of western capitalism that has prevented it being able to smash its way through the BRIC barriers, led by its gunships and armies, as it still does in the Middle East and Central Asia.

So the monster is turning to devour its offspring here in the west.

What's the answer?

Politics. But not politics designed to find new ways to worship the rich. Politics designed to manage and then control the forces that potentially wreck our lives. In a formula, we need a new brand of politics which massively constricts the freedom and control of capital by massively expanding the freedom and control of the common people - of the makers and doers - of those that continue to face all the sacrifices.

There are (big) signs that new politics is more than possible. More on this point to come.