The technological revolution, the expansion of markets, and the disintegration of social structures have followed the accelerations of an increasingly predatory capitalism since the late seventies. The social state (referred to as welfare) has transformed into a handicap, leading to the deindustrialization of once prosperous societies, transitioning towards the tertiary sector. Subsequently, they experienced demographic decline due to contraceptives, abortion, an increase in the age of marriage, and the rising cost of living.
For over two decades, the Asian third world and the former Soviet space have uninterruptedly developed to produce at advantageous costs, leading to the emergence of “unfair” competition against Europe. Technology has largely shifted to Asia, and, ultimately, what is referred to as the West has become dependent on it. China, in particular, has risen to the status of a global player before encountering some hiccups, both economic and demographic, which have not, however, relegated it.
In recent years, concerns have arisen about the presumed “Chinese overtaking,” accompanied by demagogic proclamations about “dedollarization,” marked by calls for greater economic justice and freedom, fueled by countries whose systems and cultures were and are more slavish than class-based (China, Russia, Petro-monarchies). But, as one knows, cynicism is mocking.
Paradoxically, the sense of irreversible decline has emerged for us just when things began to go against the trend. Globalized anarchy has indeed found critical points, and for some years now (certainly since 2020, but noticeable since 2016), supply chains and production sites have started to diversify, creating a series of parallel systems characterized by interdependence but also by the recovery of industrial control at home.
Today, Europe is grappling with the great American recovery, which employs Moscow’s foolish henchman to contain and prevent its own, already complicated due to the absence of continental sovereignty. However, some signals are unequivocal even here: automation, robotics, artificial intelligence are making labor less necessary, ensuring significant gains in some cases not isolated. This, of course, puts jobs at risk, but it is a very relative problem since the required jobs are increasingly qualified, and the demographic issue is pressing. Robotics can therefore compensate for excess immigration. The taxation of profits could be reconverted into training and mobilization to recreate a social corpus and an existential ethics that help transform everything into a society that is no longer liberal or communist. Tasks to which we should dedicate ourselves with perseverance and tenacity.
Until one confronts reality constructively, only apocalyptic and desperate visions will be obtained. Those who only now realize what was evident since the nineties and do not look at the premises of something very different are destined to spin their wheels in anguish.
Commitment must be geared towards something serious and solid, not cheering for some catastrophe or for some exotic “liberator” tyrant. It is about conceiving and building the alternative within the European growth and modernization trend. This, from a political and economic perspective. But, beyond and above this, cultural and spiritual commitment is needed to straighten the backbone, recover the ancient spirit, and sweep away the psychopathies of a certain spoiled bourgeoisie that claims to speak on behalf of everyone when expressing unrealistic left-wing utopias that even make the gruesome slave traders and oppressors of peoples, whom some jokers would pretend to represent the “traditional” (sic!) alternative, smile.
