File #2396: "2018_Book_TheUnfreeMarketAndTheLaw.pdf"
Text
1|Preface|6
1|Contents|9
1|Chapter 1: General Background|15
2|1.1 Introduction|15
2|1.2 The Mystical World of Capitalism as Shaped by the Doctrines of Economic Liberalism and Economic Neo-liberalism|16
2|1.3 The Greed Is Good-Credo|19
2|References|20
1|Chapter 2: On Some Obvious Capitalist Mechanisms and How They Evolved Under the Doctrines of Economic Liberalism and Economic Neo-liberalism|22
2|2.1 The Quasi Monopoly of the Private Bank Sector as Regards the Creation of Money|22
3|2.1.1 The Origin of the Western Banking System|22
3|2.1.2 The (Medieval) Interest-Debate|25
3|2.1.3 The Evolution Towards a Credit Economy Dominated by Private Bankers|26
3|2.1.4 Inherent Flaws of the Medieval Banking System and the Search for Remedying Them|28
3|2.1.5 Further Evolution of the Western Banking System|28
3|2.1.6 The Outlook of the Modern-Day Banking System and the (Excessive) Credit Economy It Has Created|30
3|2.1.7 The Cherry on the Neo-liberal Pie: The Role of Credit Rating Agencies|33
3|2.1.8 Preliminary Conclusion|34
2|2.2 The Modern-Day Capital Company and the Financial Markets to Which It Has Become Subject|34
3|2.2.1 The Emergence of the Capital Company Model|34
3|2.2.2 The Emergence of Financial Markets|36
2|2.3 Some Final Thoughts on the Capitalist Financing Mechanisms|38
2|2.4 The Subordination of Labour to (The Interests of) Capital|39
3|2.4.1 The Idea of Labour as a Mere Cost Factor as the Basis of the Iron Law of the Wages|39
3|2.4.2 Some Further Manifestations of the Iron Law of the Wages|42
3|2.4.3 The Iron Law of the Wages in the Modern-Day Globalised Economy|44
3|2.4.4 Conclusion|46
2|2.5 The Questionable Hero Status of the CEO’s of (Large) Capital Companies|47
2|2.6 The State as Nemesis of the Free Market|50
3|2.6.1 The Viewpoint of Economic (Neo-)liberalism on the Role of the State in General|50
3|2.6.2 The Aim of Economic Neo-liberalism of Dismantling (Welfare) States|51
4|2.6.2.1 On Some of the Theoretical Neo-liberal Arguments for Dismantling the Welfare State Model|51
4|2.6.2.2 Methods of Dismantling the Welfare State Model|53
3|2.6.3 Conclusion|57
2|References|58
1|Chapter 3: On Certain Less Obvious (Neo-)liberal Principles Shaping Capitalism|61
2|3.1 The Illusion of Equality|61
3|3.1.1 Why Men Are Not Equal, but Should Be Treated More Equally|61
3|3.1.2 Illustrations of Societal Models Thriving on Inequality|63
3|3.1.3 The Ongoing Struggle for More Equality|65
3|3.1.4 Inequalities Prevailing Within the Neo-liberalised Socio-Economic Order|66
2|3.2 The Doctrine of the Free Expression of Will as the Product of a Mistaken Perception of Equality|68
3|3.2.1 Introduction|68
3|3.2.2 The True Meaning of the Free Expression of Will-Doctrine|69
3|3.2.3 The Free Expression of Will-Doctrine as a Breeding Ground for All Kinds of Injustices|70
3|3.2.4 The Free Expression of Will-Doctrine as a Recipe for Exploitation|72
3|3.2.5 Deregulation and (Neo-)liberalisation as Tools of Reinstalling the Free Expression of Will-Doctrine to Its Fullest Extent|74
3|3.2.6 Conclusion|75
2|3.3 The War of All Against All|76
3|3.3.1 On the (Neo-)liberal Competition Principle|76
3|3.3.2 Competition Between Countries|76
4|3.3.2.1 Introduction|76
4|3.3.2.2 Competition on the Level of Fiscal Policy|77
4|3.3.2.3 Competition on the Level of Labour and Social Policy|78
4|3.3.2.4 Impact on the Policy of the European Union|81
3|3.3.3 Competition Between Enterprises|81
3|3.3.4 Competition Between Individuals|87
4|3.3.4.1 The Classical Competition Model Within Enterprises|87
4|3.3.4.2 The Contamination of Other Work Environments|88
4|3.3.4.3 Some Further Consequences of the Model of Workfloor Competition|90
2|3.4 The Illusion of Freedom|92
3|3.4.1 On the Ideological Promise of Freedom|92
3|3.4.2 The Many Chains of Capitalism for the Working Classes|94
3|3.4.3 Some Last Examples of Capitalist Exploitation Techniques|96
3|3.4.4 The Duty to Consume|97
3|3.4.5 The Rise of Consumer Credit|100
3|3.4.6 Conclusion: Freedom As One of the Many Unfulfilled Myths of Capitalist Economies|101
2|3.5 Making the Neo-liberal Wet Dream of Dismantling the Welfare State Model Come True in Practice, Especially by Applying the Neo-liberal Techniques of Deregulation and Neo-liberalization|102
3|3.5.1 The Neo-liberal Agenda of Dismantling States Briefly Revisited|102
3|3.5.2 The Implementation of the Neo-liberal Agenda in Some Territories|103
4|3.5.2.1 General|103
4|3.5.2.2 The Attacks on the Welfare State Model by Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher|104
4|3.5.2.3 The Global Application of the Doctrines of Economic Neo-liberalism|108
3|3.5.3 Some Further Consequences of the Dismantling of the Welfare State Model|109
3|3.5.4 The Global Contamination of the Human Mind by the Virus of Economic Neo-liberalism|110
3|3.5.5 Conclusion|112
2|3.6 Further Illustration I: The (Neo-)liberalisation of the European Financial Sector|113
2|3.7 Further Illustration II: The (Neo-)liberalisation of the European Electricity Markets|115
2|3.8 Towards a Society Even More Deprived of Solidarity|117
3|3.8.1 Solidarity as the Soon To Be Completely Forgotten Third Principle of the Liberal Societies that Broke Through in the Course of the Nineteenth Century|117
3|3.8.2 The Absence of Solidarity in the Main Legal Instruments Shaping Nineteenth Century Liberal Societies: The Example of the French Code Civil of 1804|118
3|3.8.3 Inquiry of Some of the Further Reasons Why Economic Neo-liberalism Keeps on Opposing Solidarity|120
3|3.8.4 Why the Complete Lack of Solidarity of the Doctrines of Economic (neo-)liberalism Could, from a Rationalistic Point of View, Also Be Deemed Bewildering|124
4|3.8.4.1 On the Fundamental Incompatibility of the Doctrines of Economic Neo-liberalism with the Christian Roots of Western Civilisation|124
4|3.8.4.2 Why Solidarity Could Also Be Considered “Rational”|127
3|3.8.5 Towards a Global Socio-Economic System Ever More Deprived of Solidarity: Lessons from Andersen’s Fairy Tale “The Little Match Girl”|128
2|3.9 Embracing Elitist Thinking|130
3|3.9.1 The Classical Elitist Approach of Economic Liberalism|130
3|3.9.2 Elitist Thinking Within Economic Neo-liberalism|132
3|3.9.3 The Impact of Elitist Thinking on Public Policy Making|133
2|3.10 The Network Economy|134
2|3.11 Preliminary Conclusion: The “Supremacy” of the “Free” Market|136
2|References|139
1|Chapter 4: Some Further Themes on the Outlook of the Capitalist World|145
2|4.1 Capitalism as the Driving Force of Both Economic Growth and Socio-Economic Injustice|145
3|4.1.1 Economic Growth Versus the Distribution of Welfare|145
3|4.1.2 Capitalism as a System Inherently Creating an Unjust Division of Wealth and Property|146
4|4.1.2.1 General|146
4|4.1.2.2 The Capitalist (Private) Money Creation Model as a System of Distributing Wealth in an Unjust Manner|147
4|4.1.2.3 The Capital Company Model as a Further System of Unjust Division of the Added Value from Economic Activities|148
3|4.1.3 The Impact of Capitalism on Power|149
3|4.1.4 The Ongoing Dismantlement of the Mechanisms of Correcting Unbridled Capitalism|151
2|4.2 Even Further Shaping a World of Massive Exploitation of the Working Human Being|152
3|4.2.1 Starting Premise|152
3|4.2.2 The Capitalist Objective of Keeping Wages at a Minimum Put in Practice Through Neo-liberal Policy Making|153
3|4.2.3 The Low Societal Position of the Working Classes|154
2|4.3 The Sacrifice of All Values to the Golden Calf of Money Pursuit|156
2|4.4 Globalisation as a Factor Magnifying the Impact of Capitalism|158
2|4.5 The Downward Economic Spiral of Many Western Countries|161
2|4.6 The Bankruptcy of Government Financing and the Fiscal Punishment of the Large Masses|163
3|4.6.1 The Traditional Methods of Financing Countries|163
3|4.6.2 The Growing Public Debt of (Some) Western Countries|165
3|4.6.3 An Increasing Subjection of Endebted Countries to the Mercy of the Financial Markets|168
3|4.6.4 Some Final Reflections on the Complete Immorality of the Neo-liberal System of Government Financing|171
4|4.6.4.1 On the Correlation Between Taxing the Lower and Middle Classes and Thus Providing the Rich Classes with a Further Enrichment System|171
4|4.6.4.2 Some Further Data on the Corporatocratic Methods of Influencing Tax Policy|176
3|4.6.5 Is There Still a Way Out?|178
2|4.7 The Increasing Polarisation Between the Rich and the Poor|179
3|4.7.1 Wealth Inequality on a Global Scale|179
4|4.7.1.1 General|179
4|4.7.1.2 Findings of 2014|182
4|4.7.1.3 Findings of 2015|184
4|4.7.1.4 Findings of 2016|186
4|4.7.1.5 Findings of 2017|187
3|4.7.2 Some Further Data on Wealth Inequality in the UK in Particular|191
2|4.8 Revisiting Some of the Capitalistic Mechanisms and How Their Interaction Causes the Increasing Gaps Between the Rich and the Poor|193
2|4.9 Some Figures of the Increasing Impoverishment|197
3|4.9.1 Poverty in the World in General|197
3|4.9.2 The Increasing Need of Food Banks in the UK and in the USA|198
3|4.9.3 Increasing Poverty in Belgium|201
2|4.10 The Anti-solidarity Capitalist Socio-Economic Order|202
3|4.10.1 Reconsidering Once More Why Economic (Neo-)liberalism Is Hostile Towards Solidarity|202
3|4.10.2 Some Further Remarks on the Tax Aversion of the Rich and the Powerful|203
3|4.10.3 The Dismantlement of the Welfare State Model and the Thereof Resulting Breach of Generations|205
3|4.10.4 Business as Usual for the Banking Sector|207
2|4.11 Some Further Thoughts on the Impact of Economic Neo-liberalism on the Academic World|209
2|4.12 The Ruin of the Planet’s Eco-System|212
2|4.13 The Dazed Human Being|214
2|References|219
1|Chapter 5: Looking for Inspiration to Escape the Chains of the Free Market|225
2|5.1 General Plea for a (More) Altruistic Approach of the Socio-Economic Order|225
2|5.2 On the Question Whether or Not a New World Socio-Economic Order with a Humane Face May Still Be Considered Conceivable|228
3|5.2.1 Introduction|228
3|5.2.2 The Sad Fate of Communism|229
3|5.2.3 Ideological and Other Factors Contributing to the Decline of the Welfare State Model in the Western World|230
3|5.2.4 The General Decline of Left-Wing Thinking|231
3|5.2.5 A Grimm Prognosis of the Future|233
2|5.3 Socio-Economic Thoughts Stemming from the Religious Domain|235
3|5.3.1 The Doubtful Success of the Modern-Day Religion of Economic Neo-liberalism|235
3|5.3.2 On the Difficulties of Acknowledging How the World’s Leading, Traditional Religions Could Still Form a Source of Inspiration for a New Socio-Economic Order|236
3|5.3.3 Justification for Still Attempting to Find an Inspiration for a More Just Socio-Economic Order in the Traditional World Religions|238
2|5.4 On Some of the Socio-Economic Messages of Hinduism: Selfless Labour and Fulfilling One’s Dharma|239
3|5.4.1 The Complexity of Hinduism|239
3|5.4.2 Rama and Krishna|241
3|5.4.3 Vamana|243
3|5.4.4 Lessons of Hinduism on a Socio-Economic Level|244
2|5.5 On One of the Socio-Economic Messages of Buddhism: The Control of One’s Desires|245
2|5.6 On Some of the Socio-Economic Messages of Christianity: Loving One’s Neighbour and Charity|247
2|5.7 On One of the Socio-Economic Messages of Judaism: Humility|250
3|5.7.1 A Very Brief Overview of the History of the Jewish People|250
3|5.7.2 Humility As One of the Central Themes of Judaism|252
2|5.8 Religious Systems as an Inspiration for Socio-Economic Reform|254
2|5.9 Some Further Moral Philosophical and Economic Inspirational Sources|256
3|5.9.1 Introduction|256
3|5.9.2 Plato and Aristotle|256
3|5.9.3 Some Further Christian Thinkers from History|258
3|5.9.4 The Schools of Rationalism|260
4|5.9.4.1 Adam Smith|260
4|5.9.4.2 The French Social School of Rationalism|260
3|5.9.5 Karl Marx|263
3|5.9.6 And, Post-Marx?|264
2|5.10 From the Illusion of Equality to a Reality of Equal Opportunities|265
3|5.10.1 On Two Opposing Forces Determining the Outlook of the Socio-Economic Order Throughout History|265
3|5.10.2 The Extreme Immorality of the Doctrines of Economic Neo-liberalism Further Illustrated with the Example of Nepotism, and What To Do About It|266
2|5.11 Towards a System of Altruistic Money Creation?|268
3|5.11.1 The Problematic Nature of the Prevailing Money Creation Systems Once More Revisited|268
4|5.11.1.1 Introduction|268
4|5.11.1.2 The Problematic Nature of Private Bank Credits to Individuals or Households|269
4|5.11.1.3 The Problematic Nature of Private Bank Credits to States|271
3|5.11.2 An Invite to Further Reflect on a New International Monetary Order|273
2|5.12 The Need for a New Perspective on Fiscal Matters|275
3|5.12.1 Monetary Allocations Replacing Taxation|275
3|5.12.2 Reflecting on a New Four Pillar Based Tax System|276
2|5.13 Aiming for a True Solidary World|278
2|5.14 A Modern-Day Approach to the Principle of Economic Self-sufficiency|280
2|5.15 Reorganising the Labour Markets in Accordance with a More Correct Vision on Man|282
3|5.15.1 Problem|282
3|5.15.2 Towards a Career Path Taking into Account Man’s Phases of Life|283
2|References|286
1|Chapter 6: Final Conclusions|291
2|6.1 Bearing in Mind the Past|291
2|6.2 Looking at the Future|295
2|References|296
1|Contents|9
1|Chapter 1: General Background|15
2|1.1 Introduction|15
2|1.2 The Mystical World of Capitalism as Shaped by the Doctrines of Economic Liberalism and Economic Neo-liberalism|16
2|1.3 The Greed Is Good-Credo|19
2|References|20
1|Chapter 2: On Some Obvious Capitalist Mechanisms and How They Evolved Under the Doctrines of Economic Liberalism and Economic Neo-liberalism|22
2|2.1 The Quasi Monopoly of the Private Bank Sector as Regards the Creation of Money|22
3|2.1.1 The Origin of the Western Banking System|22
3|2.1.2 The (Medieval) Interest-Debate|25
3|2.1.3 The Evolution Towards a Credit Economy Dominated by Private Bankers|26
3|2.1.4 Inherent Flaws of the Medieval Banking System and the Search for Remedying Them|28
3|2.1.5 Further Evolution of the Western Banking System|28
3|2.1.6 The Outlook of the Modern-Day Banking System and the (Excessive) Credit Economy It Has Created|30
3|2.1.7 The Cherry on the Neo-liberal Pie: The Role of Credit Rating Agencies|33
3|2.1.8 Preliminary Conclusion|34
2|2.2 The Modern-Day Capital Company and the Financial Markets to Which It Has Become Subject|34
3|2.2.1 The Emergence of the Capital Company Model|34
3|2.2.2 The Emergence of Financial Markets|36
2|2.3 Some Final Thoughts on the Capitalist Financing Mechanisms|38
2|2.4 The Subordination of Labour to (The Interests of) Capital|39
3|2.4.1 The Idea of Labour as a Mere Cost Factor as the Basis of the Iron Law of the Wages|39
3|2.4.2 Some Further Manifestations of the Iron Law of the Wages|42
3|2.4.3 The Iron Law of the Wages in the Modern-Day Globalised Economy|44
3|2.4.4 Conclusion|46
2|2.5 The Questionable Hero Status of the CEO’s of (Large) Capital Companies|47
2|2.6 The State as Nemesis of the Free Market|50
3|2.6.1 The Viewpoint of Economic (Neo-)liberalism on the Role of the State in General|50
3|2.6.2 The Aim of Economic Neo-liberalism of Dismantling (Welfare) States|51
4|2.6.2.1 On Some of the Theoretical Neo-liberal Arguments for Dismantling the Welfare State Model|51
4|2.6.2.2 Methods of Dismantling the Welfare State Model|53
3|2.6.3 Conclusion|57
2|References|58
1|Chapter 3: On Certain Less Obvious (Neo-)liberal Principles Shaping Capitalism|61
2|3.1 The Illusion of Equality|61
3|3.1.1 Why Men Are Not Equal, but Should Be Treated More Equally|61
3|3.1.2 Illustrations of Societal Models Thriving on Inequality|63
3|3.1.3 The Ongoing Struggle for More Equality|65
3|3.1.4 Inequalities Prevailing Within the Neo-liberalised Socio-Economic Order|66
2|3.2 The Doctrine of the Free Expression of Will as the Product of a Mistaken Perception of Equality|68
3|3.2.1 Introduction|68
3|3.2.2 The True Meaning of the Free Expression of Will-Doctrine|69
3|3.2.3 The Free Expression of Will-Doctrine as a Breeding Ground for All Kinds of Injustices|70
3|3.2.4 The Free Expression of Will-Doctrine as a Recipe for Exploitation|72
3|3.2.5 Deregulation and (Neo-)liberalisation as Tools of Reinstalling the Free Expression of Will-Doctrine to Its Fullest Extent|74
3|3.2.6 Conclusion|75
2|3.3 The War of All Against All|76
3|3.3.1 On the (Neo-)liberal Competition Principle|76
3|3.3.2 Competition Between Countries|76
4|3.3.2.1 Introduction|76
4|3.3.2.2 Competition on the Level of Fiscal Policy|77
4|3.3.2.3 Competition on the Level of Labour and Social Policy|78
4|3.3.2.4 Impact on the Policy of the European Union|81
3|3.3.3 Competition Between Enterprises|81
3|3.3.4 Competition Between Individuals|87
4|3.3.4.1 The Classical Competition Model Within Enterprises|87
4|3.3.4.2 The Contamination of Other Work Environments|88
4|3.3.4.3 Some Further Consequences of the Model of Workfloor Competition|90
2|3.4 The Illusion of Freedom|92
3|3.4.1 On the Ideological Promise of Freedom|92
3|3.4.2 The Many Chains of Capitalism for the Working Classes|94
3|3.4.3 Some Last Examples of Capitalist Exploitation Techniques|96
3|3.4.4 The Duty to Consume|97
3|3.4.5 The Rise of Consumer Credit|100
3|3.4.6 Conclusion: Freedom As One of the Many Unfulfilled Myths of Capitalist Economies|101
2|3.5 Making the Neo-liberal Wet Dream of Dismantling the Welfare State Model Come True in Practice, Especially by Applying the Neo-liberal Techniques of Deregulation and Neo-liberalization|102
3|3.5.1 The Neo-liberal Agenda of Dismantling States Briefly Revisited|102
3|3.5.2 The Implementation of the Neo-liberal Agenda in Some Territories|103
4|3.5.2.1 General|103
4|3.5.2.2 The Attacks on the Welfare State Model by Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher|104
4|3.5.2.3 The Global Application of the Doctrines of Economic Neo-liberalism|108
3|3.5.3 Some Further Consequences of the Dismantling of the Welfare State Model|109
3|3.5.4 The Global Contamination of the Human Mind by the Virus of Economic Neo-liberalism|110
3|3.5.5 Conclusion|112
2|3.6 Further Illustration I: The (Neo-)liberalisation of the European Financial Sector|113
2|3.7 Further Illustration II: The (Neo-)liberalisation of the European Electricity Markets|115
2|3.8 Towards a Society Even More Deprived of Solidarity|117
3|3.8.1 Solidarity as the Soon To Be Completely Forgotten Third Principle of the Liberal Societies that Broke Through in the Course of the Nineteenth Century|117
3|3.8.2 The Absence of Solidarity in the Main Legal Instruments Shaping Nineteenth Century Liberal Societies: The Example of the French Code Civil of 1804|118
3|3.8.3 Inquiry of Some of the Further Reasons Why Economic Neo-liberalism Keeps on Opposing Solidarity|120
3|3.8.4 Why the Complete Lack of Solidarity of the Doctrines of Economic (neo-)liberalism Could, from a Rationalistic Point of View, Also Be Deemed Bewildering|124
4|3.8.4.1 On the Fundamental Incompatibility of the Doctrines of Economic Neo-liberalism with the Christian Roots of Western Civilisation|124
4|3.8.4.2 Why Solidarity Could Also Be Considered “Rational”|127
3|3.8.5 Towards a Global Socio-Economic System Ever More Deprived of Solidarity: Lessons from Andersen’s Fairy Tale “The Little Match Girl”|128
2|3.9 Embracing Elitist Thinking|130
3|3.9.1 The Classical Elitist Approach of Economic Liberalism|130
3|3.9.2 Elitist Thinking Within Economic Neo-liberalism|132
3|3.9.3 The Impact of Elitist Thinking on Public Policy Making|133
2|3.10 The Network Economy|134
2|3.11 Preliminary Conclusion: The “Supremacy” of the “Free” Market|136
2|References|139
1|Chapter 4: Some Further Themes on the Outlook of the Capitalist World|145
2|4.1 Capitalism as the Driving Force of Both Economic Growth and Socio-Economic Injustice|145
3|4.1.1 Economic Growth Versus the Distribution of Welfare|145
3|4.1.2 Capitalism as a System Inherently Creating an Unjust Division of Wealth and Property|146
4|4.1.2.1 General|146
4|4.1.2.2 The Capitalist (Private) Money Creation Model as a System of Distributing Wealth in an Unjust Manner|147
4|4.1.2.3 The Capital Company Model as a Further System of Unjust Division of the Added Value from Economic Activities|148
3|4.1.3 The Impact of Capitalism on Power|149
3|4.1.4 The Ongoing Dismantlement of the Mechanisms of Correcting Unbridled Capitalism|151
2|4.2 Even Further Shaping a World of Massive Exploitation of the Working Human Being|152
3|4.2.1 Starting Premise|152
3|4.2.2 The Capitalist Objective of Keeping Wages at a Minimum Put in Practice Through Neo-liberal Policy Making|153
3|4.2.3 The Low Societal Position of the Working Classes|154
2|4.3 The Sacrifice of All Values to the Golden Calf of Money Pursuit|156
2|4.4 Globalisation as a Factor Magnifying the Impact of Capitalism|158
2|4.5 The Downward Economic Spiral of Many Western Countries|161
2|4.6 The Bankruptcy of Government Financing and the Fiscal Punishment of the Large Masses|163
3|4.6.1 The Traditional Methods of Financing Countries|163
3|4.6.2 The Growing Public Debt of (Some) Western Countries|165
3|4.6.3 An Increasing Subjection of Endebted Countries to the Mercy of the Financial Markets|168
3|4.6.4 Some Final Reflections on the Complete Immorality of the Neo-liberal System of Government Financing|171
4|4.6.4.1 On the Correlation Between Taxing the Lower and Middle Classes and Thus Providing the Rich Classes with a Further Enrichment System|171
4|4.6.4.2 Some Further Data on the Corporatocratic Methods of Influencing Tax Policy|176
3|4.6.5 Is There Still a Way Out?|178
2|4.7 The Increasing Polarisation Between the Rich and the Poor|179
3|4.7.1 Wealth Inequality on a Global Scale|179
4|4.7.1.1 General|179
4|4.7.1.2 Findings of 2014|182
4|4.7.1.3 Findings of 2015|184
4|4.7.1.4 Findings of 2016|186
4|4.7.1.5 Findings of 2017|187
3|4.7.2 Some Further Data on Wealth Inequality in the UK in Particular|191
2|4.8 Revisiting Some of the Capitalistic Mechanisms and How Their Interaction Causes the Increasing Gaps Between the Rich and the Poor|193
2|4.9 Some Figures of the Increasing Impoverishment|197
3|4.9.1 Poverty in the World in General|197
3|4.9.2 The Increasing Need of Food Banks in the UK and in the USA|198
3|4.9.3 Increasing Poverty in Belgium|201
2|4.10 The Anti-solidarity Capitalist Socio-Economic Order|202
3|4.10.1 Reconsidering Once More Why Economic (Neo-)liberalism Is Hostile Towards Solidarity|202
3|4.10.2 Some Further Remarks on the Tax Aversion of the Rich and the Powerful|203
3|4.10.3 The Dismantlement of the Welfare State Model and the Thereof Resulting Breach of Generations|205
3|4.10.4 Business as Usual for the Banking Sector|207
2|4.11 Some Further Thoughts on the Impact of Economic Neo-liberalism on the Academic World|209
2|4.12 The Ruin of the Planet’s Eco-System|212
2|4.13 The Dazed Human Being|214
2|References|219
1|Chapter 5: Looking for Inspiration to Escape the Chains of the Free Market|225
2|5.1 General Plea for a (More) Altruistic Approach of the Socio-Economic Order|225
2|5.2 On the Question Whether or Not a New World Socio-Economic Order with a Humane Face May Still Be Considered Conceivable|228
3|5.2.1 Introduction|228
3|5.2.2 The Sad Fate of Communism|229
3|5.2.3 Ideological and Other Factors Contributing to the Decline of the Welfare State Model in the Western World|230
3|5.2.4 The General Decline of Left-Wing Thinking|231
3|5.2.5 A Grimm Prognosis of the Future|233
2|5.3 Socio-Economic Thoughts Stemming from the Religious Domain|235
3|5.3.1 The Doubtful Success of the Modern-Day Religion of Economic Neo-liberalism|235
3|5.3.2 On the Difficulties of Acknowledging How the World’s Leading, Traditional Religions Could Still Form a Source of Inspiration for a New Socio-Economic Order|236
3|5.3.3 Justification for Still Attempting to Find an Inspiration for a More Just Socio-Economic Order in the Traditional World Religions|238
2|5.4 On Some of the Socio-Economic Messages of Hinduism: Selfless Labour and Fulfilling One’s Dharma|239
3|5.4.1 The Complexity of Hinduism|239
3|5.4.2 Rama and Krishna|241
3|5.4.3 Vamana|243
3|5.4.4 Lessons of Hinduism on a Socio-Economic Level|244
2|5.5 On One of the Socio-Economic Messages of Buddhism: The Control of One’s Desires|245
2|5.6 On Some of the Socio-Economic Messages of Christianity: Loving One’s Neighbour and Charity|247
2|5.7 On One of the Socio-Economic Messages of Judaism: Humility|250
3|5.7.1 A Very Brief Overview of the History of the Jewish People|250
3|5.7.2 Humility As One of the Central Themes of Judaism|252
2|5.8 Religious Systems as an Inspiration for Socio-Economic Reform|254
2|5.9 Some Further Moral Philosophical and Economic Inspirational Sources|256
3|5.9.1 Introduction|256
3|5.9.2 Plato and Aristotle|256
3|5.9.3 Some Further Christian Thinkers from History|258
3|5.9.4 The Schools of Rationalism|260
4|5.9.4.1 Adam Smith|260
4|5.9.4.2 The French Social School of Rationalism|260
3|5.9.5 Karl Marx|263
3|5.9.6 And, Post-Marx?|264
2|5.10 From the Illusion of Equality to a Reality of Equal Opportunities|265
3|5.10.1 On Two Opposing Forces Determining the Outlook of the Socio-Economic Order Throughout History|265
3|5.10.2 The Extreme Immorality of the Doctrines of Economic Neo-liberalism Further Illustrated with the Example of Nepotism, and What To Do About It|266
2|5.11 Towards a System of Altruistic Money Creation?|268
3|5.11.1 The Problematic Nature of the Prevailing Money Creation Systems Once More Revisited|268
4|5.11.1.1 Introduction|268
4|5.11.1.2 The Problematic Nature of Private Bank Credits to Individuals or Households|269
4|5.11.1.3 The Problematic Nature of Private Bank Credits to States|271
3|5.11.2 An Invite to Further Reflect on a New International Monetary Order|273
2|5.12 The Need for a New Perspective on Fiscal Matters|275
3|5.12.1 Monetary Allocations Replacing Taxation|275
3|5.12.2 Reflecting on a New Four Pillar Based Tax System|276
2|5.13 Aiming for a True Solidary World|278
2|5.14 A Modern-Day Approach to the Principle of Economic Self-sufficiency|280
2|5.15 Reorganising the Labour Markets in Accordance with a More Correct Vision on Man|282
3|5.15.1 Problem|282
3|5.15.2 Towards a Career Path Taking into Account Man’s Phases of Life|283
2|References|286
1|Chapter 6: Final Conclusions|291
2|6.1 Bearing in Mind the Past|291
2|6.2 Looking at the Future|295
2|References|296