freedom of consumption and its limit
Editorial Altreconomia February 2011
According Confcommercio, in 2008-2009 the consumption of Italian families have decreased average 2.1% per annum, making a fearful step back "to 1999 levels. We should applaud?
As we were different in 1999! And how many things have happened! Yet since then we have always said, not consumption, which measures the welfare of individuals. Their
increase does not translate linearly into an increase of happiness. Indeed, even then-Francesco Gesualdi said it best of all, we knew that the overproduction and the resulting overconsumption enrich a few individuals, leaving behind environmental devastation, social, personal.
In recent years it has been much talk of new indicators of well-being as an alternative to Gross Domestic Product. Are necessary and not We will put in doubt.
For we have always preferred to oppose the system that we have called "the economy of satiety": less consumption, more welfare, justice and sustainability.
So far everything is clear, but it would be hypocritical to think that, with this economic system and in these conditions, the reduction of consumption is a fact to greet with enthusiasm. Whether we like it or not, today, less consumption means less money and less work. Or less certainty, more precarious.
This is the great system of blackmail. This is why the construction of un'altreconomia is necessary and urgent.
It is growing in the hundreds of purchasing groups solidarity, fair trade, in the short chain, finance ethics.
to this reflection, however, we would like to add another.
words: in the debate on welfare can not rule out the theme of freedom. And its limits.
There are certainly many consumption activities that lead us well, and we feel deprived of a liberty if someone prohibiting, for example, take a flight. Yet my freedom ends where that of others, and not just because we can take advantage of the current political economic system puts us in a position to do so (and sometimes forces us as well), thanks to finance predatory neo-imperialism or commercial. I do not have
diritto di consumare, sprecare e inquinare quanto voglio, solo perché posso permettermelo. Che ci piaccia o no, farlo significa ledere i diritti di qualcun altro: oggi -nel Sud del mondo e in quel Sud che ci sta accanto e che chiamiamo “migranti” e “giovani precari”- e in futuro, quando consegneremo ai nostri figli un pianeta depredato. Questa è una libertà illusoria, imposta da un sistema che in realtà ci rende schiavi.
La libertà prevede un limite, un vincolo -come quando si cammina mano nella mano con la persona amata-, che tuttavia non diminuisce il mio benessere, semmai lo aumenta.
Questa è la vera responsabilità cui siamo chiamati tutti noi e sono chiamate istituzioni e soprattutto imprese. Here's the real "social responsibility". The rest is just talk.
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