Sep 9, 2006 10:40:00 AM cite

Jerry Mander: Answertext will be available soon.

by Jerry Mander

Sep 9, 2006 10:40:00 AM cite

Jesper Green: The current economic system, if it’s inherently corrupt, I don’t think it’s inherently corrupt, I think it’s stable corrupt, if you can say it like that. I think, I think that lobbyism and small ways of bribing or corruption is taking place every day, every where, in all levels of government, government levels. I think that, I think that government officials should be bribed by their own governments to do their work, do their work, and not be underpaid, and I think it’s a problem in many countries around the world. Government officials should be paid well so they don’t have the need to get bribed, but then again if you get paid well, you’re still want to have to more, get more, rise a level, go to the next level. People are greedy, so yes, it is inherently corrupt.

by Jesper Green

Sep 9, 2006 10:40:00 AM cite

Jodie Evans: Yeah, obviously it's inherently corrupt and corrupting, which is I think more important that the way it's set up, it's, it's set up to corrupt also. And it corrupts countries, it corrupts ideas, it corrupts values. We need to move back to small economies. Taking back local power and the way to do that is to do it, to buy locally, to exchange locally, to as much as possible check out of the larger economic forces. And we see that movement arising from -- at the World Social Quorum, of how people can come together and step out of what the power, economic power structure is and create something of their own. And the more we understand how many of us are out there doing the work, how many people have figured out answers, how much we can take it locally and use the global piece as a way to learn from each other, as a way to ask questions, get answers, find new solutions, try out new things, because part of the economic power is the stagnation of no change, no innovation and no creativity.

by Jodie Evans

Sep 9, 2006 10:40:00 AM cite

John Gage: There are no universal economic systems. There are layers and levels, local economic systems, more regional economic systems, global economic systems, all in a constant state of flux and change. Enormous amounts of wealth move through today’s financial channels. Does this system encourage corruption? Wherever there is wealth, there is an encouragement of corruption. Wherever there is power, the ability to divert wealth into channels that benefit one person, one group, one tribe, one city, one region, there is corruption, because human behavior always motivated by the attempt to make things slightly better, that motivation is easily swayed by immediate payments or bribes attempts to change how someone behaves. At the bottom level, the most evident level, the most citizen – close to every person, the closest forms of corruption to every person are the corruptions of the police, of the regulatory components of a government, of the telephone installer, of those that – the traffic policemen. Those forms of corruption generated often by a simple calculation by the person whose job it is to do the telephone installation, calculation is they are not getting paid. So, they’ll find a mechanism to support their children, it’s only human. The mechanisms that we need to alter are not the grand economic systems, they are making these systems of compensation for those that work fair, equitable, enough for those to live, eliminate the base causes that make everyone at the lowest levels, at the most – the closest levels to everyone’s life. Eliminate the incentives for them to alter their behavior by bribes and the bribes can go away. Government action is critical in this. Governments can act, governments can stop corruption. It’s not the economic system inherently that creates corruption, it’s the manipulation of the system for immediate individual benefit. Transparency can eliminate corruption.

by John Gage

Sep 9, 2006 10:40:00 AM cite

Jonathan Granoff: The world itself is inherently temporal and corrupt. Human beings are inherently inadequate. And the world is not Heaven. But to the extent that we can bring the exalted qualities of justice and caring into our economic institutions is the extent to which they're going to function and be sustainable and work. Well that's not so Utopian. If we had a different system of accounting and the bottom line of corporations included their responsibility to communities, their responsibility to the environment, that would have a huge effect on them. I don't think that there's any economic system that has ever demonstrated perfection, but there are periods in human communities in which the principle of justice and caring is predominant, and then the economic system provides goods and services in a more equitable fashion. Can we bring that into our institutions? Of course we can. But multinational institutions operating without global governance controls, put our oceans at risk, our climate at risk. And that is corrupting of the sacredness of life. And we don't have the luxury of having the only voices in governing policy be those that serve the market. We have to find ways of bringing the sense of the sacredness of life, and the nurturing of our relationship to the natural world, to the fore. And we can. Laws create our main economic institutions, and laws can express these values just as they are disproportionately protecting the values of the market. There was a time in which slavery was considered a legitimate means of production. It's no longer considered a legitimate means. We would not ever plant gardens in our back yards in such a way that they would destroy the ecosystem of our homes.

by Jonathan Granoff

Sep 9, 2006 10:40:00 AM cite

Jonathan Meese: It is completely irrelevant for the human, whether an economic system is corrupt, as the human is not the economic system. The economic system is a totally autonomous structure that exists for itself. If the human is corrupt, then he is corrupt within his legislation. He may be so and it doesn't matter, especially when if he is corrupt to himself. We all are corrupt and this is ok. We should go to Las Vegas and play gambles. Everyone has to put on Red and everyone has to win or to lose. This is corruption. But this is not important. The total neutrality is the point. Only the most neutral is the most radical, this means when the pendulum is in the middle. All peripheries, the alleged radical states and the anti-radical states are only some flying spots where the neutral is reflected and then stands still. Then there is no corruption any more. But then nothing has to do with us any more as well. Economic systems are only themselves. They are independent from human being. It would be really stupid to stop it. Corruption is personified by Al Capone. Thank you, Al Capone.

by Jonathan Meese

Sep 9, 2006 10:40:00 AM cite

Jonathan Stack: I don't know if any system is inherently corrupt, but all human beings are corrupt. That we are corrupt, it is part of us, we are flawed. And so, anything we create is going to have the seeds of flaw in them. It's not a matter of dismantling a system and then we are going to get -- [there is] corruption, so I don't know if there is -- I don't think what the key is, is necessarily just change the system and somehow everything going to be go. We have got to really look deeper into how we are going to manage the flaws of our own species and there is no quick fix to that, and you have to ask yourself, are you corrupt? Under certain circumstances, would you behave in a way that would not rise up to your ideals? Have you ever compromised on something that you believed in? And if you can figure that out, if you can kind of like, if you can work on yourself and you know the biblical quote, who will throw the first stone, very much the same thing. It's just like who's to know what's right or wrong and how to transcend those limitations. Figuring out a better economic system, I think that's going to become as a result of changing our individuals. Anyhow, that's what I am focusing on. Other people are focused on the big macro questions. I am not a macro question sort of guy. I am kind of like fugue, I got to take care of what I can see and imagine. So, I got to run the company better, I got to treat people better, I got to treat my family better and myself better. And if I take care of all of that, then I think maybe I have done my little bit to contribute towards this sort of the big questions. On the personal side, there's no time.

by Jonathan Stack

Sep 9, 2006 10:40:00 AM cite

José Manuel Prieto: What system are we talking about? I don’t think, that there is a corrupt economic system. Corruption has to do perhaps with economic systems. Corruption has to do with social systems, with the implementation, with the degree of [civil government], with de degree of [] that have elements that act within the system. I don’t think, that we can talk about inherently corrupt systems. The corroption is in [], and is linked to the culture of the country, to its political culture, to its traditions. And corruption is something that is alway present, and not something that can be eradicated. I believe that it’s something that should be fought permanently, with the consciousness that it exists, but without trying to [eradicate] corruption in a radical way. Hypothetically, there is a system where corruption doesn’t exist. I don’t think that this is possible. Corruption will always appear by some means or other and it’s up to society to [pursue] the task of society and to fight with it permanantly and consciously. I think that’s the plan we should put into action. And that’s my answer to the question, if there are inherently corrupt economic systems. I don’t think that there is anything else.

by José Manuel Prieto

Sep 9, 2006 10:40:00 AM cite

Jwan M. Aziz: I think that the current economic system is unsuccessful.Yes it is unsuccessful.In some countries people die from hunger, in some other countries people die from diseases. There are countries which suffer from lack of medicine and money to educate their children. However we tried to collect donations and to send them to these countries like my country which is Iraq, only quarter of the donations arrive there or even they do not arrive. So all of us must try to dismantle that and to make the economic system accessible for the entire world.

by Jwan M. Aziz

Sep 9, 2006 10:40:00 AM cite

Kailash Satyarthi: Well, the economic systems are devised on the basis of some principles. Of course, the intention behind them are always to benefit the people in power. But, no economic system could be devised on the principles of corruption. It is the human beings, it's we who are corrupt, it's the people who are corrupt. And, the corruption is beginning from the mindset of the people from the vested interest and selfishness of and greediness of the human beings. And, it is the human beings who are the part of the system make the system corrupt. So, inherently, I can’t say that the systems are corrupt or the present economic system is corrupt. But, definitely, the present economic system is bringing lot of corruption, as well as the people are making it more and more corrupt. And, that’s why you need more knowledge, you need more transparency, you need more mutual accountability, bottom-up accountability basically to make sure that the people cannot feel free to mint money out of the situation and they cannot exploit the situation and make the system corrupt. So, we have to control the system through advancing the moral values and ethical trade practices, ethical market practices, ethical production practices. And, until and unless the people who produce the wealth are not in possession of -- are not in control of their own fates, it’s very difficult that you can stop corruption from the higher levels. And, the corruption is not something which starts from bottom to up, corruption is something which comes from the top to bottom. And, that has to be noticed that the corruption have to be stopped from the top. The democratization of knowledge is also one thing.

by Kailash Satyarthi

Sep 9, 2006 10:40:00 AM cite

Kigge Hvid: I have to pose another question? Is it corrupt, how do you find it corrupt, and which economic system are you discussing? Is it the system of South Africa? Is it the system of the States? Is it the Danish system where I come from? Or, is it in fact the global system you are talking about? If it’s a global system, I think what you're aiming at as corruption is the fact that people are not equally rich around the world or have their basic needs covered in the same way around the world. If this is what you are aiming at and you are asking how should we dismantle that, I think it's a question of new thinking, of new planning. So, how do we do that? We engage people around the world. Basically, there is no one else than people,; there is no one else than us to find out how to solve these problems. Right now, I see a lot of new thinking in the world. I see a lot of very very skilled people from very different fields of professional skills getting together in the world to look into the very big problems. So, one thing we could do is that if you read the UN 2050 Millennium Goals, look into them. They are the voices of 190 or something states leaders of around the world put by them to be the biggest problem in the world. Look into them, look into how you could, how your community could, how the people you work with, how your university, how your job could help solve these problems. I sincerely believe that we have the knowledge to solve the problems and to find other and very much better systems. The only thing that’s needed now is that all the good voices of the world, all the good thinking of the world comes together and look into these problems. So, take care -- no, take part, take care and just start it.

by Kigge Hvid

Sep 9, 2006 10:40:00 AM cite

Kurt Weidemann: Bribery is an illegal consequence of the human claim to power. This means that you are able to make better progress if you grant advantages to those who can help you to reach power, wealth or whatever. These advantages make them submissive. This is an attitude, which is damaging to competition. This attitude is connected to the character of the person who has not enough consistency, who has not enough pride to use the means of competition. Instead they are trying to reach their goals by activities which are undesirable and which should not correspond to the dignity and the reputation of human beings. You can always stop a thing by punishment. Stop it by potential punishment.

by Kurt Weidemann

Sep 9, 2006 10:40:00 AM cite

Lesego Rampolokeng: Living in an imperialist world means indeed we are pushing values that are inherently corrupt, that are rotten at their core. And, how we go about dismantling that is by placing a bomb right in the middle of where it sits and blowing it up which means taking ourself with it. I don’t think it’s even worth asking whether it is inherently corrupt when we throw bombs on sectors of the world in those places that we think we can get wealth out of. Is the current economic system inherently corrupt? Well, the sand is bleeding, you know. The rivers of the African Continent are forever reddened. Is the current system inherently corrupt? First of all, it was built on the belief that in order to be able to breath you need to pollute, in order to fill your coffers you need to have bones -- human bones that you can build vaults out of. The current economic system is more than just inherently corrupt. It is indeed taking on its own dying breath and it will ultimately collapse inward. I believe that it will be seriously romantic and really lacking in any alliances to think that one day we will hold hands like Martin Luther King wanted and seeing ourselves out of poverty, seeing ourselves out of denigration and dehumanization and human lack. As long as you are governed by ogres and animals that believe that the world only belongs below them and beneath their own feet and between their claws and…

by Lesego Rampolokeng

Sep 9, 2006 10:40:00 AM cite

Leung Ping-Kwan: I am not so sure whether the current economic system is inherently corrupt. There are a lot of problems with the current economic system, but it is not as defective. I also see problems in just go about dismantling it. Because I think you can see that in the top issue of China or other socialist country, in order to go against capitalist, the economic system that they are proposing, the auto exchange equity that would also help us for the country and for the people as well. I always want the record to personally would be to just dismantle once itself in order to accept this and other issues. I would wonder whether revolution will be the best way or whether or not either rules have changed or we will or we back up on the problem. They think they have problem. In order to modify or just change it would not be better and just to dismantle existing system. We also see a lot of thieves in the name of correcting,dismanteling, or corruption but while in practice it could also lead to other kinds of problems. So, I have doubts about dismantling one’s system and illegitimately replacing with a new system. I think the best way would be to review the present system and actually identify what are the corrupt or the problems or the [reasons] and not to modify or to change it.

by Leung Ping-Kwan

Sep 9, 2006 10:40:00 AM cite

Lijun Fang: After people have fresh food, the food becomes decaying excrement in a short time. Then, the society is like an enlargement of a human body. Since the excrement and the decaying are supposed to be parts of the human's natural behaviour, why do we need to dismantle the corruption? Probably, our more important responsibility is how to make such corruption more beneficial to the whole society and lead it into a healthy order.

by Lijun Fang

Sep 9, 2006 10:40:00 AM cite

Lillian Holt: Essentially, yes I would say. The current economic system and we're all caught up in it aren't we? And I do see and I do believe that it is corrupt in some way when you have the haves and the have-nots. I mean in Australia, where I come from, it's a first world country and yet there's still poverty there. There is certainly poverty among the indigenous people but I'm not just talking about indigenous people. There are poor working class people. So the economic system it always seems to me about a hierarchy and within that is incorporated the haves and the have-nots. How can we go about dismantling it? Well, as Einstein said and I reiterate the quote before that I said about him. He said the language they used to build the system will not be the language that we will use to dismantle it. In terms of dismantling, how can we help? I know a friend of mine who's just given up a big house because her family has grown up and she's chosen to go into a smaller. She said my way of not participating in what she sees as a corrupt system and she's talked about the economic and political system, especially the political socio economic system, is not to partake of it or to participate in it only to the extent that she had to survive and I really admire that person for that because she wasn't into consumerism. She wasn't supporting it and by living more simple she just refuses to participate in it and I think that's what we have to do. You know, we can say hey enough is enough.

by Lillian Holt

Sep 9, 2006 10:40:00 AM cite

Livingstone Maluleke: Yes, the current economic system that was inherited mostly in South Africa is corrupt. It is corrupt because this economic base was only focusing on individuals of the same, or which of course is in the minority. Only the minority with capitalistic-incident countries and; therefore, in South Africa for an example, after the change of the many laws governing the country, there is what we called the BEA (which is the Black Economic Approach), which is an approach focusing to embrace as much people in the majority as possible. And, it is for that reason that this system of the majority inclusion in the economic empowerment is imperative. That is the only way in which we can be able to dismantle the former system. Thank you.

by Livingstone Maluleke

Sep 9, 2006 10:40:00 AM cite

Mae-Wan Ho: The current economic system is not only corrupt, it is basically wrong and misguided. And, it is the most damaging thing on earth today. That’s what leads to the over consumption of the earth’s resources that has brought on climate change. Of course, it needs a bit of assistance from science and technology. But, with this kind of mindset guiding economics, then science and technology become powerful instruments of exploitation and devastation and which is the situation we have today. Well, how do we go about dismantling it? I suggest that what we should do is to grow our own food, consume locally, trade services locally, use local currency, and just get out of the corporate machine. And, what we have to have is a system of global exchange of information, of knowledge, free exchange of resource with -- of intellectual resources in order to enable us to maximize investing in the local economy and in the local circular economy. And that’s how we can overcome this current economic system.

by Mae-Wan Ho