By transforming capitalism, the hegemony of finance has created new sites of social struggle. How can citizens regain a form of collective agency in the speculative process? A new book by the philosopher Michel Feher imagines a politics capable of responding to the dominance of finance.
As a result of their rapid growth and of the dynamics of their development, the BRIC countries and emerging markets are now highlighting their increasing weight in the global economy by taking on an ever-greater role as international investors. But if we look behind these common characteristics, the dynamics and modes of their investments and the strategies of their multinational corporations stand in sharp contrast to one another.
The French economy’s lack of “competitiveness” is often attributed to high labor costs. Recent research, however, suggests that the export performance of advanced countries has less to do with labor costs than with product quality and the ways businesses invest.
Three researchers react against the perspective for European countries of drastic austerity and emphasize the need, central to the Lisbon Agenda, for social investment. Investing in the skills of individuals from their early age, in adapting and securing changing professional trajectories and reconciling professional and family life is crucial for the renewal of solidarity in Europe.
