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Capitalism lives off all forms of freedom
The basic idea is clear to all of us, we require democratic structures and freedoms connected with them, in order to further preserve the foundation of a healthy economic system and also generate growth under normal circumstances. We owe these basic political and economic structures of our West European society since 1949 to the decisive effort of the United States of America. Since then the “Capitalist“ system has contributed to the success of our society and created values, off which we are all living today.
As in all aspects of life, real strength manifests itself in times of crises. Our political structures in Europe demonstrate clear deficits in dealing with particular situations such as the pandemic but also in politically motivated changes of our system to the disadvantage of the society. Why is this so?
Unfortunately in recent past an enforced conformity of opinion established itself, which prevents an “actively thinking“ citizen from exercising their democratic right of free opinion. This has even reached the stage where representatives of institutions close to the government are punished for expressing their opinion. One driving force of this change is the fear of our political leadership of taking a clear position, coupled with some representatives of a media apparatus who spread unverified potentially socialist opinions and thus kill in the bud any discussion as well as change.
Preservation of individual rights—of assembly, of faith or religion, of privacy, of labor market participation, of free economic development, of free press both as consumer as well as producer—secure democratic institutions and the basis for the development of capitalism and a healthy business system.
Nowadays almost everybody has had an encounter with these “opinion limits” imposed from outside. This recently developed “conformity of opinion” moves us further and further to the terrain, which was well trodden by Erich Honecker and his friends. Many of the recently passed legal reforms such as for example §6 AStG (german exit taxation) remind of artificially built walls which serve the conservation of power rather that free movement of capital.
Democratic institutions are the anchor of the ideals of the community. Democracy does not only consist of elections. It is rather a matter of creating institutions, which allow us to communicate freely and work together and together reach success. The most important, productive und effective metaphor for this free cooperation has been enterprise.
The WEC (World Economic Council) and the IWS (Internationale Wirtschaftssenat) firmly demand and encourage the activities of entrepreneurs, in order to preserve these democratic institutions and systems, which in their turn guarantee our democratic freedom with all its almost forgotten while so obvious advantages. They have to participate more actively in the political process. They have to focus, alongside their day-to-day business, on political subjects, views and Ideas, since our political leadership within the countries and the EU cannot cope any more.
Chairman of the world economic council
