Open Society Needs Defending - by George Soros

[DonViejo]

Open societies are in crisis, and various forms of closed societies – from fascist dictatorships to mafia states – are on the rise. Because elected leaders failed to meet voters’ legitimate expectations and aspirations, electorates have become disenchanted with the prevailing versions of democracy and capitalism.

DEC 28, 2016

NEW YORK – Well before Donald Trump was elected President of the United States, I sent a holiday greeting to my friends that read: “These times are not business as usual. Wishing you the best in a troubled world.” Now I feel the need to share this message with the rest of the world. But before I do, I must tell you who I am and what I stand for.

I am an 86-year-old Hungarian Jew who became a US citizen after the end of World War II. I learned at an early age how important it is what kind of political regime prevails. The formative experience of my life was the occupation of Hungary by Hitler’s Germany in 1944. I probably would have perished had my father not understood the gravity of the situation. He arranged false identities for his family and for many other Jews; with his help, most survived.

In 1947, I escaped from Hungary, by then under Communist rule, to England. As a student at the London School of Economics, I came under the influence of the philosopher Karl Popper, and I developed my own philosophy, built on the twin pillars of fallibility and reflexivity. I distinguished between two kinds of political regimes: those in which people elected their leaders, who were then supposed to look after the interests of the electorate, and others where the rulers sought to manipulate their subjects to serve the rulers’ interests. Under Popper’s influence, I called the first kind of society open, the second, closed.

The classification is too simplistic. There are many degrees and variations throughout history, from well-functioning models to failed states, and many different levels of government in any particular situation. Even so, I find the distinction between the two regime types useful. I became an active promoter of the former and opponent of the latter.

I find the current moment in history very painful. Open societies are in crisis, and various forms of closed societies – from fascist dictatorships to mafia states – are on the rise. How could this happen? The only explanation I can find is that elected leaders failed to meet voters’ legitimate expectations and aspirations and that this failure led electorates to become disenchanted with the prevailing versions of democracy and capitalism. Quite simply, many people felt that the elites had stolen their democracy.

more
https://www.project-syndicate.org/onpoint/open-society-needs-defending-by-george-soros-2016-12

[northoftheborder]

1. Thought provoking insight

[flamingdem]

2. A true humanist

While not perfect, as in his dealings with capitalism

He inspired Bill Gates to be more generous

[ProfessorGAC]

3. But, Soros. . .

. . .and it will be that easily dismissed by the Faux crowd. For some reason, a rich guy is bad if he leans left, but rich is great if the rich person leans (or rockets) right.

So, even rich isn't good enough for these folks. You have to be the right kind of rich.

Remember that he was criticized as a currency manipulator. That he didn't make his money the "right way". Now, that same crowd voted for a guy that made his money by exploiting the bankruptcy laws, stiffing his suppliers, and shafting american industry by chasing the best overseas bargains for raw materials. And that is now, apparently the "right way" to make money. Investing bad. Ripping people off, good.

Go figure.