European Centre for Art, Culture and Science

Monday June 8 2009 / Culture & Science

The World after the Financial Crisis

When large economies fall apart, everybody feels the consequences. The American financial system has blown itself up from within: the century of America seems to lay behind us. The persistent faith in neoliberalism and the growth of the economy have disappeared. How will the crisis influence our opinions and our actions? Should we let the market take its course or should we look for new values?

In the West we believed in the market as the main organizing principle. But economists and bank directors don't seem to be able to take care of business; it is time to invite other people to think about future scenarios in which the emphasis will be placed on investing in excellent education, culture, sustainability and innovation. There is a change in thinking: no longer do we want to perceive ourselves as egotistic individualists, merely focusing on gaining an income as high as possible.

What lessons can be learned from of the crisis? Are we seizing the opportunity to revise our society? Or will we continue in the same way as before? Has the current system reached its limits and should we replace it with something completely different? Who has the most future proof model?

With Adjiedj Bakas (Trend Office Bakas, author of The Future of Finance and Beyond the Crisis, TrendWatcher of the Year 2009), Jaap van Duijn (economist and publicist), Arnold Heertje (emeritus professor economy) and Maartje van Putten (member of the Independent Review Mechanism African Development Bank and author of Policing the Banks, accountability mechanisms for the financial sector). 

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