Market economies that drive so much of modern civilisation ultimately have their origins in human relationships and human wants. Though notions of trust and reciprocity are fundamental in the development of free trade and commerce, their importance has been overlooked and often ignored. Gradually, economic exchanges have become seen as abstract processes alienated from human agency; economics became cut loose from human control and any notion of mutual benefit or human telos.
The global financial crisis, rise of the international Occupy movement, and most recently the LIBOR scandal, have ensured that issues of trust, accessibility and accountability in financial institutions are firmly embedded in public consciousness. As part of a raft of complementary work on future economic models and principles, ResPublica intends to further the debate about the meaning of 'ethical capitalism' by tracing the origin of 'successful capitalism' back to basic human relationships.
A flagship output of our New Economies; Innovative Markets workstream, this publication will bring together a number of radical and insightful contributors from high-profile thought leaders, to explore the fundamental values upon which markets were established and ask the big questions about what outcomes we want from our economy in the future. Confirmed contributors include Professor John Kay, Diane Coyle, Professor Avner Offer, Professor Luigino Bruni and Professor Zygmunt Bauman.
This will be an exciting opportunity for organisations leading the debate on ethics, sustainability and responsibility to join ResPublica in outlining a vision for the future of market economies. Consortium partners will benefit from co-branding on the publication and related events. For further information please contact, Caroline Macfarland at caroline.macfarland@respublica.org.uk.