The following comment was written in response to the blog article Dig for victory (Hefty investment in transport, water and communications will help us out of the economic crisis), written by Jeffrey Sachs and published on The Guardian's Comment is Free blog, on Sunday 22 March 2009.
I do not consider it correct, even for one minute, to suggest that the cause of this crisis has been the inevitable clash between the need for sustainability and a perfectly functioning system.
Just like the awful management of British industry in the 20th century, the answer to every conceivable problem to do with the present financial crisis is framed in terms of needing to throw large wads of cash at the problems. However, this time it's worse, because this time it involves serious amounts cash that has to be borrowed, and then paid back.
Over-borrowing and under-saving has caused this crisis. We created this crisis in the laboratories of material greed and recklessness, we forged this crisis in the factories of lies and deceit, and we burnished our folly with chimerical value and idolatry. We, by action or omission, created the crisis, as we chose speculation over investment, as we valued conjecture and opinion over knowledge and experience, and we spent far too much time nurturing stupidity and hubris.
Therefore, I ask these things: Where are the novel and innovative ideas? The socially transforming programmes? The democratisation of the response to the crisis? The open, democratic and public discourse?
Where is the will to change? Where is the galvanising force that says if we don't all pull together and bite the bullet, then we are all in the shit forever?
We don't need any more fools with their 2 cents of nothing. Enough of this nonsense, there is a time and a place for everything, but this isn't the time and it certainly isn't the `place!
This is a serious bloody crisis, a once in a lifetime disaster, and not a damn TV drama.
Print | posted on Sunday, March 22, 2009 7:25 PM