Revitalizing manufacturing enterprise in the post-industrial void

Somehow, the above problem must be remedied before there is a major backlash. The rise of Nazism and Islamic fundamentalism in Europe are in some ways early symptoms of dispossession. These scars can fester into the nightmare of what happened in Germany during the 1930s, if change does not occur.

An unsustainable high cost of living exists across the developed world. This is creating unnecessary poverty and creating high barriers for new local community businesses to be created.

While governments have increased spending on items such as defence, hospital and other social protection services face chronic stress from cutbacks.

New paradigms of government are required from leaders who are willing to make the difficult decisions.

The aim of any new paradigm of government would be to bring back truly small community based government, with a central government looking after the national issues of defence, etc. From the financial point of view, this is absolutely necessary, i.e., to find a way to have small government, due to the eroding tax base and aging populations within most countries of the developed world. Otherwise massive fiscal deficits will continue to grow in national budgets to the point where 'failed governments' will be a common occurrence.

This extreme situation could occur within a single generation from now, where the Greek crisis today is a prelude of the future facing the 'west'.

Secondly, the regulating away manufacturing and industry to the third world in the name of safety and environment needs to be reversed. The cost of this has been too high for society to bear. HACCP, GMP, OSHA, and other regulations have made it so difficult to open and operate a business for the small entrepreneur. Today the streets of Europe are sterile, while the streets of Asia are vibrant. There are lessons to be learnt here and public discussion is so badly needed about what type of society government should allow.

Thirdly, the current banking system needs to be overhauled. Banks are not acting in the greater social interest, and through their promotion of property speculation, have played a role in putting housing out of the hands of the people who need it. The banks are hesitant to lend to small business and in the writer's opinion, a return to small banks and savings societies needs to consideration.

The current trends in banking are not healthy for competition and rebuilding local community enterprise.

Next, industry protection and import replacement are not the dirty words that the economic rationalists made us believe. It's time to protect local industry, particularly the SMEs, just like japan, South Korea, and almost all of the rest of the world are doing.

Finally, cities are becoming far too big and rupturing as they struggle to provide the necessary services to inhabitants. There should be a focus on regional development where richer lifestyles can exist. Regionalization is the best way to reinvent community, as we ask the question; How big should our cities grow?

Life is not about the 'grand plan' of developing a new universe based on national comparative advantage, particularly if the social costs are too high. Unemployment and poverty issues are more important than seeking some form of theoretical efficiency that is exploitive and partly artificial in the first place.