J. Ralston Saul: Capitalism Fails in "Economy of Surplus"

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2010/05/23/John_Ralston_Saul_on_Freedom_and_Globalization

Author and essayist John Ralston Saul attributes current economic troubles to capitalism's failure to function in an era of surplus. He dismisses the viability of globalization, and ventures that the U.S. is merely having a "consumption fantasy."

-----

Longtime outspoken critic of globalism and what he calls the "rationalist elite," John Ralston Saul argues it's time for a big shift in our political and corporate thinking. Despite the promise of a shiny new world order of globalism for the past forty years, he argues, 19th century European ideas of progress borne out in the industrial revolution continue to dominate the direction of the world.

To a packed house at Melbourne's RMIT, Ralston Saul argues that the worldwide reliance on and faith in globalism has led to war, financial meltdown and a failure to find solutions to important challenges such as climate change. - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

John Ralston Saul, a long-time champion of freedom of expression, was elected President of International PEN in October 2009. An award-winning essayist and novelist, Saul has had a growing impact on political and economic thought in many countries. Declared a "prophet" by TIME magazine, he is included in the prestigious Utne Reader's list of the world's 100 leading thinkers and visionaries. His works have been translated into 22 languages in 30 countries.

Saul is perhaps best known for his philosophical trilogy - Voltaire's Bastards: The Dictatorship of Reason in the West, The Doubter's Companion: A Dictionary of Aggressive Common Sense and The Unconscious Civilization. This was followed by a meditation on the trilogy - On Equilibrium: Six Qualities of the New Humanism.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• growth
• free
• market
• economy
• unsustainable
• sustainability
• supply
• demand
• consumers
• capitalists
• fora.tv
• foratv
• fora
• tv
• john
• ralston
• saul
• melbourne
• writers
• festival
• australian
• broadcasting
• corporation

[SocialSC]

36 empty houses to every homeless person in America

[USFAssassins]

@badsign1980 He's not talking about a monetary surplus he's talking about an asset surplus.

[badsign1980]

hes wrong where not in surplus where in debt situation, resources are below their real price and west is not producing anymore thats why where in debt in first place

[Sydwayman]

@alanoasiss You like capitalism because you wish to have more then your neighbor, you are truly stunted.

[Sydwayman]

@alanoasiss Theirs only 2 social classes. Public education wouldn't even exist in a pure capitalist society. Socialism is a natural progression.

[MattiFreeman1]

@alanoasiss

why do you give permission for poverty and suffering?

[alanoasiss]

¿You know that thanks to Caplitalism was created the middle class, and therefore there is a middle class?

As I said Capitalism is not perfect but is the best we have right now.

I would like better public education, and no this is not a problem that Capitalism generated it's a problem that the govt did because they are not doing their jobs right. This would be benefit to all the poors, all the society and even the govt.

[alanoasiss]

@MattiFreeman1 War is not an invention of Capitalism. Also that system makes less war and more negotiation, like the European Union does. Why use force when you got something I want and I got something you want, I know that dosent happens with USA.

¿You think the poor people can't survive? You are underestimating them and a lot. Even if you don't have any money at all you can still survive. Comfort and survive are two things that are different and yes poor’s have less comfort.

[MattiFreeman1]

@alanoasiss

yes, why not murder millions by starvation so you can have some more money than another person

you are not interested in life - you only have a circumstance you were born into that has been completely created / determined by the prerequisite of money, and your 'ambition' is based on environmental programming - what 'you want' is just patterning based on how to survive in the system

[alanoasiss]

@MattiFreeman1 Man, you only speculate in your comments like: Then you must be this and that, you need to know me to say that accurately.

Dude, I’m the nerd of my class, I have a middle-high class family, I have a lot of friends here the nerds aren’t like the ones on USA; they have a lot friends too, I like a lot my life. I'm not liyin.

But I want more because I know I can have it. What can I say humans are ambitious. Why not have more when you can.