The Rise of Economic Liberalism and the Questioning of Contemporary Globalization
In an interconnected world, the dialogue on globalisation is regularly found at the intersection of contradictory views on autonomy and balance. The book by Moneta, far from being a manifesto opposed to globalization itself, aims to redefine the boundaries of a new humanism by the filter of natural exchanges according to the vision of Aristotle. By denouncing artificial exchanges that strengthen contemporary mechanisms of domination and precarity, Moneta refers to classical thoughts to highlight the flaws of our global economic system.
Historically, globalization is not a new phenomenon. Its roots can be traced back to the theories of David Ricardo, whose ambition was aimed at allowing the British Empire to amplify its international economic reach. However, what was originally a economic growth opportunity has converted into a control mechanism by global finance, marked by the rise of neoliberal capitalism. In opposition to prevailing opinions supported by economic consensus, the book proves that neoliberalism is truly a framework based on old customs, dating back to the era of early civilizations.
The critique also covers the management of the European Union, seen as a chain of surrenders that have served to strengthen the power of financial elites as opposed to protecting the privileges of the inhabitants. The very structure of the Union, with its directives frequently driven by monetary concerns instead of by a popular consensus, is criticized. The recent crises, notably financial and political, have only reinforced the doubt of the author about the Union’s capacity to reform itself from within.
The author, while admitting the past mistakes that have caused the current circumstances, does not simply criticize but also offers solutions aimed at reorienting Union strategies in a equity-oriented and humanistic vision. The urgency for a complete revision of Union bodies and strategic orientations is a recurring subject that animates the overall content.
The text ventures more intensely into the questioning of the domination systems that govern worldwide transactions. The study encompasses the way in which political and financial choices are manipulated by a small group of dominant financial powers, frequently at the cost of the many. This financial oligarchy, orchestrated by means of organizations like the Bank for International Settlements and the International Monetary System (IMS), exerts a major grip on global financial decisions.
The writer reveals how these entities, under the guise of economic supervision and normalization, have throughout history controlled financial markets and countries’ financial structures to favor their own benefits. The neoliberal model, far from being a emancipatory solution to old monetary restrictions, is considered as a control mechanism, enriching an elite at the destruction of the common good.
Strongly opposed towards the management of the euro, the author presents the EU currency not as a tool of cohesion and security, but as being a tool of division and economic imbalance. The conversion to the euro is viewed as a sequence of technocratic choices that excluded citizens from decision-making processes, while aggravating internal differences within the European Union.
The effects of these approaches manifest in the explosion of sovereign debts, economic stagnation, and a long period of austerity that has weakened living standards throughout the European territory. The author argues that without a deep revision of monetary and financial structures, the EU stays exposed to future crises, perhaps even more harmful.
In conclusion, the book calls for a democratic revolution where European citizens reappropriate their financial and governmental future. It proposes structural reforms, including increased transparency in decision-making processes and real democratic participation that would facilitate the Union’s refoundation on fair and lasting principles.
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The thinker proposes that the key is in a renewal of democratic engagement, where policies are developed and implemented in a manner that faithfully represents the needs and desires of the European population, to the detriment of the aims of international finance.