Free markets, violence and world progress<\/p>\n
By Arief Budiman<\/p>\n
SALATIGA (JP): When I visited the Australian National
\nUniversity last year, I had the opportunity to attend a seminar
\npresented by Dr. Heinz Arndt. Professor Arndt is one of the most
\ninfluential economists who helped shape the New Order economic
\npolicy.<\/p>\n
It was for his invaluable contributions that he received a
\nmedal of honor from President Soeharto recently. Though Arndt is
\nnow retired, he is still very active.<\/p>\n
In the seminar, Arndt talked about the global economic
\ncondition, based on a paper he previously presented in Japan.<\/p>\n
According to Arndt, the world is progressing toward a more
\nhopeful future. He noted that free markets are flourishing
\neverywhere following the downfall of socialist states. This gives
\nrise to more efficient lifestyles. There has been an increase in
\nthe world economic growth rate. More countries are adopting
\ndemocratic systems. He expressed his happiness at this trend.<\/p>\n
He also noted that there were still many problems. Violence
\nand terrorism, for instance, are still around, and there are wars
\nand famine in several parts of the world. However, he said, these
\nthings will eventually disappear.<\/p>\n
Arndt's presentation was followed by a heated discussion. Most
\nof the participants were trying to deflate his optimism by
\narguing that there are many negative trends occurring alongside
\nhis rosy pictures. The rise of subnationalism based mainly on
\nethnicity that has threatened many nations and, the rising gap
\nbetween rich nations and poor nations, despite an increasing rate
\nof economic growth, were two of the trends brought up.<\/p>\n
I also had the opportunity to talk and I raised two points.<\/p>\n
First, I raised the topic of violence and terrorism. I said
\nthat I could not condone violence but as a social scientist I
\ncould not deny the positive contribution of violence and
\nterrorism. Nobody likes violence, except those who suffer
\npsychological problems. Violent acts, in many cases, are carried
\nout by desperate people who have no other choices.<\/p>\n
From history we can see that in many cases nonviolent
\npolitical struggles can succeed when there is also a violent
\npolitical group. At the same time that Mahatma Gandhi was holding
\nhis nonviolent political rallies, there was another political
\ngroup using violent methods in an attempt to achieve its
\npolitical goal.<\/p>\n
The British in India realized that it was better to deal with
\nGandhi, a lawyer who graduated from a British law school, than
\nwith the other party. Thus, Gandhi was able to gradually lead
\nIndia to independence, while the other group was destroyed. It is
\neasy to see now that if this violent group had not existed,
\nGandhi's group could not have been as successful as it was.<\/p>\n
The same could be said about Martin Luther King's peaceful
\nmovement in the United States. A more violent group, the Black
\nPanthers, was fighting for the same cause. King's group would
\nhave been considered an extreme and radical party if the Black
\nPanthers had not existed.<\/p>\n
The second point I raised concerned the triumph of capitalism
\nand its free market ideology. I said something valuable was
\nstarting to disappear. Socialism, despite its many shortcomings,
\nwas fighting for human solidarity, especially in defense of the
\npoor, the powerless and other marginal people.<\/p>\n
A feeling of strong idealism was there. Many leaders had tears
\nin their eyes when they fought for the rights of dismissed
\nfactory workers, or for farmers that were forced to abandon their
\nlands. The tears were expression of their humanity.<\/p>\n
What happens now that free market ideology dominates the
\nworld? There are two things which capture the minds of
\ncontemporary human beings: to make oneself more competitive and
\nto capture material benefits.<\/p>\n
Solidarity with the poor? This would be a good topic to
\ndiscuss in mosques and churches. But now we are dealing with the
\nreal world. Here the main thing is to increase our comparative
\nadvantages. There is only one commandment left now: Thou shalt
\ncompete, or perish.<\/p>\n
Two months after the seminar, having returned to my quiet home
\nin Salatiga, I got a letter from Arndt. He said that there was a
\nplan to publish the transcript of the seminar. He asked me
\nwhether I could reformulate the two points I expressed in the
\nseminar. This, of course, I am very happy to do.<\/p>\n
The writer is a researcher and sociologist living in Salatiga.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/free-markets-violence-and-world-progress-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }