The Loss of the Future

The Loss of the Future


Yavlinsky G.A.,

Dr. Sci. (Econ.), Professor, National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE). Moscow, Russia, mmitkina@mail.ru


elibrary_id: 829244 |


DOI: 10.17976/jpps/2017.05.10
Rubric: DIXI!

For citation:

Yavlinsky G.A. The Loss of the Future. – Polis. Political Studies. 2017. No. 5. https://doi.org/10.17976/jpps/2017.05.10



Abstract

The author, an eminent economist and politician, analyzes alarming trends in global development that found their reflection in the voting for Brexit in the United Kingdom, in the outcome of the 2016 presidential elections in the United States, in the migration crisis in Europe and in a number of other landmark events and phenomena of our times. As a follow-up to the concept proposed in his book “Realeconomik”, he notes that what is happening now is far from being accidental. The current tremendous amount of events derive from the factors that have gained strength in the last quarter of the twentieth century. Among them were the following: a) the growth of global inequality in its various manifestations combined with a sense of inability to surmount them; b) the disorganization of the world order that emerged after the World War 2; c) the transformation in the sphere of information and communication technologies that outstrip the development of human consciousness; d) the change in the laws governing the functioning of the world economy. The author critically examines the urge for a political “U-turn”, which has become a spontaneous response to a severe contemporary issues. He believes that the thoughtful attitude of global and national elites toward the factors he suggested for consideration, the awareness of political leaders of the world of their responsibility for its development can prevent an inaccurate reaction that inevitably will result in the growth of chaos. In the second part of the article, the author provides us with a short, but an in-depth analysis of serious changes in the global ratio of centers of political and economic power. He considers the large-scale changes in the world order, called differently (“change of leadership”, the formation of a “multipolar” (polycentric) world, “new normality” in international relations, etc.). In his opinion, all the above terms express the same essence, i.e. the back-pedaling to the past models of global equilibrium. His special concern is the increasingly diminishing role of Europe, which loses not only political and economic power, but also value-oriented and sense-oriented guidance, which is fraught with negative implications for the civilization based – in one way or another – on the ideals of European modernity. The author expresses and substantiates doubts about the existence in the modern world of an integral alternative concept that could replace them, and sees the eventual starting point for overcoming the global crisis in a qualitatively new comprehension of the current situation on the basis of European values. 

Keywords
Russia; world order; globalization; the West; consciousness of postmodernity; chronotope; global inequality; technology of consciousness; the Fourth industrial revolution; “again policy”.


References

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Content No. 5, 2017

See also:


Karaganov S.A.,
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Chebankova E.A.,
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Rutland P.,
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Davydov A.P.,
«The faustian complex» and Russia. – Polis. Political Studies. 2009. No6

Lukin V.P., Oznobishchev S.K.,
Russia in the World of the 21st Century: Accomplishments and Hopes. – Polis. Political Studies. 2018. No6

 

   

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