We invite you at CADI on Friday, 11th February at 1800 to take part in a discussion concerning globalization, middle class and democracy.

In the transition process from pre-industrial societies to the industrial/capitalist one, we can observe, initially, a social polarisation phenomenon that is increasing and it reaches a maximum point, and, afterwards, we observe the contrary phenomenon, of decreasing the polarization through the emergence of a larger and larger middle class. This social polarisation increase followed by decrease is known to the economists under the name of “Kuznets curve”- invert U- and it is seen in any place where the regulations of the capitalist economic system start to be applied. Modern states, that represent a necessary instrument in the local capitalisms sustainability, represent a barrier in front of global capitalism development. This is because the effects of the new type of capitalism are, firstly, more negative than positive for the majority of people living in developed countries, whose living standard tends to decrease. However, since these people are citizens, they will start putting pressure on politicians to take measure to stop the decreasing of the living standard. And for the politicians will be extremely difficult to ignore these pressures, because if they do ignore them, they will lose votes. If we want global capitalism, it is impossible to keep democracy the way we know it today. If we want to keep- and even enlarge- the democratic system, then it is impossible to not see global capitalism with reluctance. This is the fundamental dilemma of our time. And the fall of the middle class that was one of the local capitalism effect and that supports the democratic regime will transform this dilemma into an unavoidable one.

Program

18:00 Sorin Cucerai presents

18:20 Discussions

To read

Sorin Cucerai, Declinul clasei de mijloc (based on few written texts in Financiarul)