Overview

In order to understand how our lives and our world are shaped and how this might be reflected in our economic and financial systems, the author turns to a number of leading thinkers from classical Greece to the present day. She finds that important ideas associated with thinkers and writers of the past have often been partially (mis)represented or else interpreted and highlighted so as to appear to endorse a particular approach or point of view. Inconvenient gems that have been forgotten need to be recovered. She refers to a wide range of writers from different disciplines: conservative as well as forward thinking, religious and not. Some may seem outdated or inconsequential. Some are in the news now. The book proposes that we explore an imagined ideal that will restore humanism, a dignified vision of life that has the relational aspect of our lives at its heart.

Full Product Details

Author:   Maria Pereira
Publisher:   Triarchy Press
Imprint:   Triarchy Press
Dimensions:   Width: 14.00cm , Height: 1.20cm , Length: 21.60cm
Weight:   0.268kg
ISBN:  

9781909470606

ISBN 10:   1909470600
Pages:   228
Publication Date:   05 February 2015
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

Chapter 1 looks at the economy as the process of managing our material needs, and money as the unit of exchange within the marketplace. It looks at the introduction of credit and the role that money initially played in liberating humans from dependence, thereby explaining the strong association between money and our ideas of liberty. Chapter 2 examines the process of 'financialisation'. While constructive finance allows enhanced economic welfare and progress, finance has shown its dark side through high leverage, a focus on short-term trading, speculation, excessive extraction of income, and fraud, aided by deregulation and deficient supervision. The current financial model has contributed to inequality, a central challenge today, and to the destruction of our financial commons. It needs to be put right. Chapter 3 discusses how the economy can come to undo material improvements and dehumanise society, causing discontent. While our renewed interest in the idea of happiness aims to restore the human dimension, it is not sufficient simply to provide new aggregate measures of happiness within our economic models. For true progress, we need to fully appreciate and restore the human dimension. Chapter 4 examines our assumptions about human nature and their effect on our actions. The author suggests we reinstate a presumption of the underlying virtue of humanity with a perspective that embraces consideration and respect for the person and concern for the common good. In this way we will be able to restore virtue and dignity to the market. Chapter 5 looks at compassion, which enables virtue. Biologists observe that evolution has resulted in greater cooperation and altruism. Through collaboration, we can ensure that human needs are properly met within the economy and finance. True or enlightened self-interest must encompass the other and the universe at large. Chapter 6 discusses love, which allows us to see the other in ourselves and to realise our full potential. Justice is the uniting of power and love. Love leads to unity and harmony, to a life well lived. It is the deepest manifestation of humanity and of happiness. The Integration draws together all these threads. When working in harmony, money, love and virtue realise our social contract, a foundation of civilisation. In this way a humanistic world can blossom and contribute to the common good.

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Author Information

Maria Jose Pereira (known to many by her married name of Melo Antunes) has lived on three continents. Most of her working life has been spent in finance, banking and investment and her experience has been gained principally in New York, Hong Kong and Paris. She has also worked on climate issues. Her multi-cultural upbringing and varied interests give her a multi-dimensional perspective on the world and allow her to move between finance and the humanities - as well as across different cultures and segments of society - with ease.

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