17.09.2009
One year on from the 'official' start of the financial crisis and the mainstream political (and media) debate is still a very narrow one: how to regulate the financial sector more tightly.
One way of looking at the banking crisis is to understand it as a symptom (rather than a cause) of the state we're in.
The real, much deeper crisis - as argued in a new pamphlet written by Robin Murray - is that we're caught between two worlds - between closed, top-down institutions and open, distributed network technologies.
A new, more productive and less wasteful 'social economy' is possible, in which the state, the market, co-operatives and communities all play a part.
What particularly struck me about this morning (and the essay) was the need for new forms of investment to support this emerging economy. From public services to the creative industries, putting in place new digital, transport and energy infrastructures all become key to a functioning future.
This needs new types of policy. We were particularly grateful to David Lammy MP who responded to Robin's provocation and reflected on the role for the state in this context. Do take a moment and read Robin's essay. And keep an eye out for updates on our work with the Young Foundation, gathering and evaluating an extensive collection of 'Social Methods' to generate, nurture and grow social innovation.
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