Peace is banished and rejected by all nations, wrote Erasmus of Rotterdam in his The Complaint of Peace. Pope Leo XIV hopes for an unarmed and disarming peace. We should converse with a smile that banishes hostility. To do this, we must overturn the dominant economic behaviours today. This action starts from the bottom, from regional and local communities, and addresses residents so that they trust each other, collaborate and are involved in civic life. This is how social capital, indispensable for the health of economic life, is nurtured. In Spera, his autobiography, Pope Francis shed light on the neuralgic points of the economic malady. Here we summarise them in four points, faithfully using the words of the recently deceased Pontiff. Idolatry of wealth. Caged by consumerism. Profits for the few. Low wages: the economy that crushes salaries is not an economy. In Emilia-Romagna, wages have not kept pace with inflation. Therefore, the malaise cannot be cured by entrenching ourselves in unhealthy behavioural traditions. All that remains is to change the direction of travel and do so by walking together horizontally, not along vertical hierarchical lines, as recommended by Pope Francis.
A new generation of entrepreneurs is called to lead the change, born from the study of econo-my (ecological economy) that contrasts ego-my (the selfish dehumanising economy), hostile to the paradigm shift. These entrepreneurs must, first of all, adopt a new business language. During the first industrial revolution (late 18th – early 19th century), the recurring terms were command, control, and chain of command. In the second industrial revolution (late 19th – early 20th century), scientific management (Taylorism) and efficiency were pursued considering the state of the world in the short term. In the third industrial revolution (mid-20th century – late 20th century), cognitive work, innovation, and flexibility. In today’s fourth industrial revolution, agility, adaptability and ecosystems where living beings interact with each other and with the physical environment. Those of the third and fourth revolutions are the entries of an original economic dictionary to be translated into interventions for the compatibility of profits with the public good, following the practice that the Japanese call “Gapponshugi”, the ethical capitalism that dates back to the industrialist Shibusawa Eiichi. He argued that in corporate accounts, alongside profits and losses, nature comes into play with its human components, which influence and are influenced by it in various ways, physical (including the climate) and natural (living organisms). It is a set of invaluable assets to be protected to guarantee the economy and the environment a sustainable future. Healthy economic growth does not come from the world of tangible things, but from identifying unusual entrepreneurial ideas in close connection with the needs of living species and nature.
The task to be carried out is comparable to that of the silkworm that transforms into a butterfly, that is, in a generation of creators who see horizons so distant as to be imperceptible to the majority. The boredom of travelling the same roads every day disappears. Enter the pleasure of venturing into virgin lands with imagination and artistic flair. Along the journey toward mutually supportive peace and a healthy economy, beginners’ ability to learn even through mistakes is a testament to the value of uncertainty and imperfection, which are not flaws but precious parts of being human. They train us to be resilient, creative and innovative; they help us get back on track after setbacks, strengthen bonds with others and uncover new ideas and opportunities. Awareness of broad contexts and not neglecting alternative perspectives, progressives contribute to virtuous relationships with beginners. In contrast, conservatives with narrow specialisations and prey to the thinking formed in traditional groups reinforce prejudices and compromise the beginners associated with them, who learn how to cause disasters. Unfortunately, the tragic figure looms of those who, thinking of a future of peace and an economy of respect for all and mutual aid between generations, are rejected in the present moment.
