“Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility. For the person who is unwilling to grow up, the person who does not want to carry his own weight, this is a frightening prospect.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
We all take democracy for granted. If I had £1 for every time someone said that democracy is not perfect but better than the alternatives, I would be settled on a beach somewhere far less grey and windy than here. The trouble is, it is true.
I could argue for benevolent dictatorship, but rarely trust or admire the dictator. If it was me, then that would be fine. Others, I’m just not so sure about.
Cuban socialism, some 50 years on, seems rather fun. Free education, free healthcare, no income taxes (unless you are taking foreign money), sunshine and free cigars (which you can re-sell openly in a cooperative) once you retire. Oh, and dark rum galore….and the most beautiful people. But scratch the surface just a little and things are not at all what they seem.
I would avoid like the plague any theocratic states and those rather one eyed quasi democratic ex Republics. Elected presidents seem to be able to extend their terms through control of the military and use the economic power of the state to make themselves and their cronies hugely, if secretly, wealthy.
So, whereas free and fair universal suffrage and the applicable rule of law clearly has faults, it does seem pretty good.
As the members of golf clubs country wide will attest, just because you are a member does not restrict you from complaining about the state of the greens in winter. Nor does it mean you have to join the greens committee. You have paid your dues and have the right to sit at the bar, in diamond pattern knitted sweater, Gunner in hand, and complain.
Complaining is therapeutic and can be effective. It depends when, where and to whom you complain. And it depends on the spirit, the intention, behind the complaint. For the greater good or personal aggrandisement?
The Iranian people may find some success as we speak. Campaigners for equality and women’s rights seem to have struck quite a chord. Students in the 2017 UK election used their vote to good effect.
Capitalists, however, seem to have lost that right in today’s society.
Making money per se, for its own right, irrespective of how later used, is not seen as a subject worthy of a campaign. Probably not. But that certainly does not imply that capitalism cannot benefit the state as well.
It is the lost sense of duty, a loss of personal and corporate compassion, a denial that with the freedom to make personal profit comes responsibility, that may have led to this tarnishing.
With freedom does come clear responsibility. For the individual, for the collective and for the corporate persona.
If you don’t want state intervention, then you need to do something to help the state and those with statehood. Beyond just paying your reasonable taxes. Over time, if you act without compassion, you will inevitably lose the common mandate. It is the common mandate that delivers votes and votes choose the government that decides your freedoms.
You need to earn the right, by exhibiting compassion and values, for the freedom to do as you wish, including making money.
We are happy for you to practice your religion so long as you do not belittle others and do no harm. We are happy for you to say what you think, even if offensive to some, so long as you do not incite or cause damage to others and permit them to reciprocate. We are happy for you to make profit, so long as you adopt a reasonable position towards those less fortunate in society and invest in the future baseline of the society you benefit from.
The sad but undoubted fact is that most modern states simply cannot afford all the needs of their populations. Health care of ageing populations, education, security, research, environment. All valid. All needed. All required for the sake of future generations. All together unaffordable.
It is time that the corporates did something ambitious, far reaching and societally beneficial. It is time that they exhibited compassion and took responsibility for their freedoms.
When touring China, I was once asked by the head of the Party delegation about our budgeting process. I explained it to them and then bemoaned short termist quarterly reporting. Especially problematic for public companies facing transition. He reciprocated with an explanation of his own 50-year process. Planned, controlled, lasting well beyond his tenure, but game changing. Rather like the commitment today to remove 40m Chinese peasants from poverty in 3 years.
Of course, far easier if you have the power to just uproot people and move rivers. But the scale of ambition and commitment struck a chord.
If our corporations really cared about their future profitability, their future freedoms, then they would care equally about the future of Britain. The two are inextricably linked. They would then adopt the “I’m taking responsibility for freedom” pledge.
The pledge could agree that over the next 25 years, all businesses within a specific sector would commit say 2% of their market value, or their balance sheet cash, or some other meaningful measure, back into society each year.
For example: the pharmaceutical industry would commit over 25 years to establish facilities dedicated to national research into societal problems such as Alzheimer’s. They would fund specific science and technology courses to produce the next generation of Nobel prize winners. Gambling and gaming would invest into mathematicians. The media and broadcast industries into cultural arts or digital graphics. Private equity could invest say 2% of the value of their funds into entrepreneurialism and innovation incubators. And so on.
Long term, committed, measured and focused investment. For the greater, generational and personal good.
Investors would be minded to support such investment, as there would be no competitive advantage to any one business and long-term revenue generation and sustainability of the sector would be enhanced. How could they not. This could be their pledge.
The businesses could in return derive say a pooled share of the IP generated or have the pick of the graduates. In this way, industry becomes responsible for creating their own freedom to compete profitably in the long run.
The corporate body adopts values, taking responsibility for supporting the future wealth of the nation and its population. Let alone removing some of the burden from government.
In return, government acknowledges this investment with incentives, a framework for competition, international promotion and thereby confers upon industry the freedom to make profit.
The standard that would be set is one of compassionate corporate responsibility. Instead of it being someone else’s problem, corporate Britain steps up to the plate and takes responsibility. It accepts responsibility for its own destiny, for its employees’ wellbeing, for its part in the health of the nation and for establishing enduring values of compassion in society.
Moreover, it re-establishes capitalism as a real force for good. After all, are we all not still using Victorian sewers. Its time now to invest in cleaning up the mess we are leaving for the next few generations by taking a radical and compassionate approach to protecting our own freedoms.
Al Insky
February 2018