The Rape of Europa by Félix Vallotton (1908)
“The challenges facing the West and liberal democracy are manifold: on the one hand, there is the destructive force of Donald Trump and the apocalyptic rumblings of right-wing populists from within our own ranks – and on the other, there are Russia and China. The challenge posed by China is just one piece of the puzzle in a perfect storm that seems to be brewing. However, it is the most underestimated piece so far.” - Kai Strittmatter in We Have Been Harmonized: Life in China's Surveillance State
Quo vadis europa?
What resources does Europe have to offer a regenerative, integrative, and attractive alternative to the obsolete capitalism of the West and the emerging state capitalism of China?
Personal background to the question
Katja Hellkötter has been running C-Space together with Jan Siefke since 2015, a creative space and place for meeting and learning that is designing new forms of learning, working, and living in Berlin. C*SPACE operates locally in the Pankow district, European as a member of the “European Creative Hubs Net,” and is also globally networked towards Asia.
Katja and her family's Easter visit raised many issues that (should) concern us in Germany, Austria, and Europe as a whole. As in the past, our shared history in China was an important common denominator in our conversations, enabling us to gain an alternative perspective on events in Europe.
A central theme was the political and economic ignorance of social innovation that we repeatedly observe in our work. Political actors often become competitors because they undermine or copy civil society initiatives and block changes in power structures. Is political innovation currently more urgent than technological innovation? The failure to factor social and ecological capital into economic indicators such as GDP leads to a financing vacuum in the market for NGOs that address important issues.
“In fact, social innovation may be of greater importance and have much greater impact than any scientific or technical invention.” - Peter F. Drucker[1]
Europe in search of a new systemic identity
The result is a Europe in crisis. The dissolution of Extinction Rebellion, the fatigue of the FFF movement, the political drift to the right, and the problems with integrating immigrants are clear signs that previous attempts to address the ecological and social crisis have failed.[2] Radical thought leaders are considering breaking the law to enable systemic change.[3] Europe needs a new, meaningful idea that breaks with previous economic paradigms and sparks enthusiasm for a new way of living together.
Under the state-capitalist pressure of an ethnically and culturally more or less homogeneous China, Western capitalist democracy is being challenged and must redefine itself, as economies of scale and authoritarian decision-making patterns will allow China to win in capitalist competition in the short and medium term—even if, in the long term, ecological collapse will mean a bitter end for everyone. We are therefore facing a forced system change that holds both risks and opportunities. If Europe cannot design an alternative system that allows economic, social, and ecological harmony, it is highly likely to become a colony of China. The medium- and long-term consequences of this shift in the dominant culture from West to East should be the subject of a separate debate. However, all Europeans who have lived in China for a long time are aware that there is far too little awareness in this country of what a dominant Chinese culture would mean for Europe.[4]
“Not to innovate is the single largest reason for the decline of existing organizations. Not to know how to manage is the single largest reason for the failure of new ventures.” - Peter F. Drucker
Realistic utopias – from right to duty[5]
Let us reflect on the historical starting point that makes realistic scenarios of transformation possible for Europe. Almost all European nation states adopted a democratic constitution in the 19th century that focuses on the distribution of power and grants citizens rights: voting rights, civil rights, human rights, workers' rights, women's rights, children's rights, etc. This evolution of democracy can be traced back to European antiquity.
Against the backdrop of the climate crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a comprehensive debate on civic duties, in which the German philosopher David Precht has played a prominent role. Refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19 has been seen as a moral duty of citizens in order to protect the health of others in an exceptional situation. Analogous to this largely forgotten situation, other duties have been discussed with regard to the ecological and social crisis. What carbon footprint should a person be allowed to have in order not to deprive others of a life worth living? What contribution must a person make to the functioning of local communities? How high can a person's income be without seriously affecting the health and well-being of many others?[6]
The common denominator in this current debate is the intersection of changing rights and obligations resulting from limited natural resources and a growing global population. The Anthropocene era is characterized by a circumstance that is less highlighted than the consequence that humans are changing the climate to an unprecedented extent: we no longer live in different ecosystems, but have inevitably become part of a single ecosystem, revealing our mutual interdependence and interconnectedness.
“It is time to talk about human responsibility.” - Helmut Schmidt[7]
Gross well-being instead of gross domestic product
Post-growth economists have identified excessive capitalism as an economic expression of morally unsound greed and have shown that we can lead healthier and happier lives with less consumption of natural resources and fewer working hours. The key to establishing an alternative system should therefore lie in economic incentives that enable new
lifestyles.
Jason Hickel calculates that 65% of US GDP – and with it, an immeasurable amount of resources and working time – would be eliminated if the goal of an economy were general well-being rather than national prosperity. According to his calculations, an income of USD 14k would be sufficient in the US to achieve maximum well-being, while the current GDP per capita is USD 59k.[8] System transformation in the Anthropocene is therefore class struggle under new
premises.[9]
Coupled with the predictable and already unfolding consequences of automation and machine learning, a rethinking of the concept of “wage labor” is inevitable.[10] We must engage in experiments in model labor markets that either combine traditional wage labor with social and ecological contributions or prohibit work entirely as part of “extractive economies.” Comprehensive ‘distributed value accounting’ of the social and ecological impact of every (professional) activity is necessary if we want to meaningfully separate destructive behavior from regenerative action.
“Very few events have as much impact on civilization as a change in the basic principles of organizing work.” - Peter F. Drucker
Conditional vs. unconditional basic income
One of Europe's great advantages is its widespread federalism, which makes it possible to test these new forms of wealth distribution in small municipalities and still relatively small federal states and to transform the transform the democratic systems of the 19th century into meritocratic systems of the 21st century. The networking of organizations and individuals who want to support this experiment is now more urgent than ever: Europe needs a new model that inspires through inclusion but at the same time demands a contribution.
"If Europe were a person, I would have to rush out and fight for her. For my heroine, who gave me 70 years of peace.” - Klaus Maria Brandauer
Endnotes:
[1] The Essential Drucker, 2002
[2] https://www.mingong.org/blog-de/uber-die-natur-eines-volksfeindes
[3] https://ark.greensteps.me/library/chris-packham-is-it-time-to-break-the-law
[4] http://www.mycountryandmypeople.org/01-blog-2133823458/tiananmen-july-1st-youth-parade-a-reason-for-concern
http://www.mycountryandmypeople.org/01-blog-2133823458/thoughts-on-the-china-international-import-expo
Kai Strittmatter: Die Neuerfindung der Diktatur
[5] https://www.mingong.org/blog-en/a-lucid-manual-for-transformation-by-architect-friedrich-von-borries
[6] https://www.mingong.org/blog-en/on-failing-democracies-and-spheres-of-justice
[7] https://brennstoff.com/ausgaben/es-ist-zeit-%C3%BCber-verantwortlichkeiten-des-menschen-zu-reden/
https://www.helmut-schmidt.de/helmut-schmidt-im-ringen-um-die-idee-eines-weltethos
[8] Jason Hickel: Less Is More - How Degrowth will save the world
[9] https://kontrast.at/andreas-kemper-interview-klasse/
https://www.darkmatteressay.org/blog/on-waging-war-and-democratic-decline
[10] https://www.mingong.org/blog-en/martin-ford-enlightened-marxist-or-apolyptic-technocrat
Quo vadis europa?
What resources does Europe have to offer a regenerative, integrative, and attractive alternative to the obsolete capitalism of the West and the emerging state capitalism of China?
Personal background to the question
Katja Hellkötter has been running C-Space together with Jan Siefke since 2015, a creative space and place for meeting and learning that is designing new forms of learning, working, and living in Berlin. C*SPACE operates locally in the Pankow district, European as a member of the “European Creative Hubs Net,” and is also globally networked towards Asia.
Katja and her family's Easter visit raised many issues that (should) concern us in Germany, Austria, and Europe as a whole. As in the past, our shared history in China was an important common denominator in our conversations, enabling us to gain an alternative perspective on events in Europe.
A central theme was the political and economic ignorance of social innovation that we repeatedly observe in our work. Political actors often become competitors because they undermine or copy civil society initiatives and block changes in power structures. Is political innovation currently more urgent than technological innovation? The failure to factor social and ecological capital into economic indicators such as GDP leads to a financing vacuum in the market for NGOs that address important issues.
“In fact, social innovation may be of greater importance and have much greater impact than any scientific or technical invention.” - Peter F. Drucker[1]
Europe in search of a new systemic identity
The result is a Europe in crisis. The dissolution of Extinction Rebellion, the fatigue of the FFF movement, the political drift to the right, and the problems with integrating immigrants are clear signs that previous attempts to address the ecological and social crisis have failed.[2] Radical thought leaders are considering breaking the law to enable systemic change.[3] Europe needs a new, meaningful idea that breaks with previous economic paradigms and sparks enthusiasm for a new way of living together.
Under the state-capitalist pressure of an ethnically and culturally more or less homogeneous China, Western capitalist democracy is being challenged and must redefine itself, as economies of scale and authoritarian decision-making patterns will allow China to win in capitalist competition in the short and medium term—even if, in the long term, ecological collapse will mean a bitter end for everyone. We are therefore facing a forced system change that holds both risks and opportunities. If Europe cannot design an alternative system that allows economic, social, and ecological harmony, it is highly likely to become a colony of China. The medium- and long-term consequences of this shift in the dominant culture from West to East should be the subject of a separate debate. However, all Europeans who have lived in China for a long time are aware that there is far too little awareness in this country of what a dominant Chinese culture would mean for Europe.[4]
“Not to innovate is the single largest reason for the decline of existing organizations. Not to know how to manage is the single largest reason for the failure of new ventures.” - Peter F. Drucker
Realistic utopias – from right to duty[5]
Let us reflect on the historical starting point that makes realistic scenarios of transformation possible for Europe. Almost all European nation states adopted a democratic constitution in the 19th century that focuses on the distribution of power and grants citizens rights: voting rights, civil rights, human rights, workers' rights, women's rights, children's rights, etc. This evolution of democracy can be traced back to European antiquity.
Against the backdrop of the climate crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a comprehensive debate on civic duties, in which the German philosopher David Precht has played a prominent role. Refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19 has been seen as a moral duty of citizens in order to protect the health of others in an exceptional situation. Analogous to this largely forgotten situation, other duties have been discussed with regard to the ecological and social crisis. What carbon footprint should a person be allowed to have in order not to deprive others of a life worth living? What contribution must a person make to the functioning of local communities? How high can a person's income be without seriously affecting the health and well-being of many others?[6]
The common denominator in this current debate is the intersection of changing rights and obligations resulting from limited natural resources and a growing global population. The Anthropocene era is characterized by a circumstance that is less highlighted than the consequence that humans are changing the climate to an unprecedented extent: we no longer live in different ecosystems, but have inevitably become part of a single ecosystem, revealing our mutual interdependence and interconnectedness.
“It is time to talk about human responsibility.” - Helmut Schmidt[7]
Gross well-being instead of gross domestic product
Post-growth economists have identified excessive capitalism as an economic expression of morally unsound greed and have shown that we can lead healthier and happier lives with less consumption of natural resources and fewer working hours. The key to establishing an alternative system should therefore lie in economic incentives that enable new
lifestyles.
Jason Hickel calculates that 65% of US GDP – and with it, an immeasurable amount of resources and working time – would be eliminated if the goal of an economy were general well-being rather than national prosperity. According to his calculations, an income of USD 14k would be sufficient in the US to achieve maximum well-being, while the current GDP per capita is USD 59k.[8] System transformation in the Anthropocene is therefore class struggle under new
premises.[9]
Coupled with the predictable and already unfolding consequences of automation and machine learning, a rethinking of the concept of “wage labor” is inevitable.[10] We must engage in experiments in model labor markets that either combine traditional wage labor with social and ecological contributions or prohibit work entirely as part of “extractive economies.” Comprehensive ‘distributed value accounting’ of the social and ecological impact of every (professional) activity is necessary if we want to meaningfully separate destructive behavior from regenerative action.
“Very few events have as much impact on civilization as a change in the basic principles of organizing work.” - Peter F. Drucker
Conditional vs. unconditional basic income
One of Europe's great advantages is its widespread federalism, which makes it possible to test these new forms of wealth distribution in small municipalities and still relatively small federal states and to transform the transform the democratic systems of the 19th century into meritocratic systems of the 21st century. The networking of organizations and individuals who want to support this experiment is now more urgent than ever: Europe needs a new model that inspires through inclusion but at the same time demands a contribution.
"If Europe were a person, I would have to rush out and fight for her. For my heroine, who gave me 70 years of peace.” - Klaus Maria Brandauer
Endnotes:
[1] The Essential Drucker, 2002
[2] https://www.mingong.org/blog-de/uber-die-natur-eines-volksfeindes
[3] https://ark.greensteps.me/library/chris-packham-is-it-time-to-break-the-law
[4] http://www.mycountryandmypeople.org/01-blog-2133823458/tiananmen-july-1st-youth-parade-a-reason-for-concern
http://www.mycountryandmypeople.org/01-blog-2133823458/thoughts-on-the-china-international-import-expo
Kai Strittmatter: Die Neuerfindung der Diktatur
[5] https://www.mingong.org/blog-en/a-lucid-manual-for-transformation-by-architect-friedrich-von-borries
[6] https://www.mingong.org/blog-en/on-failing-democracies-and-spheres-of-justice
[7] https://brennstoff.com/ausgaben/es-ist-zeit-%C3%BCber-verantwortlichkeiten-des-menschen-zu-reden/
https://www.helmut-schmidt.de/helmut-schmidt-im-ringen-um-die-idee-eines-weltethos
[8] Jason Hickel: Less Is More - How Degrowth will save the world
[9] https://kontrast.at/andreas-kemper-interview-klasse/
https://www.darkmatteressay.org/blog/on-waging-war-and-democratic-decline
[10] https://www.mingong.org/blog-en/martin-ford-enlightened-marxist-or-apolyptic-technocrat