Discovering Our Humanity—Economics of the Future

The core argument of this chapter is that transformation cannot lie in just re-organizing or constraining the self-focused jigsaw puzzle of current Global Economics. Instead, it lies where our human strength lies—in change based on the power of our Humanity. To ensure the Book’s validity of conclusions, particular attention is paid in this chapter to understanding Humanity—from historic, philosophic and existential perspectives. This power resides where the people are—where intersubjective relations and cultural meaning are at home—in local community. The power is like that of an earthworm in a garden—here providing nutrition for the ‘garden’ of human connectedness, creativity and enterprise. Power of positive transformation comes from below. It cannot come from above, from the ‘rulers’ with intrinsic investment in the present self-based economic system. Eight Principles for a Humanity and Local Community centered Economics are presented, including the importance of Circular Economy and Circular Triangle thinking, and the ‘Global Localism’ concept which connects the local with global change. Particular attention is paid to the role of Universal Basic Income and to building a successful Humanity-based Economics and Society within a longer-term COVID-influenced future. Indeed, solutions for handling COVID long-term mirror and strengthen those of the New Economics this book is developing and presenting.