248
and the environment. Furthermore, basic publications were also published focusing on the relationship of religion and sustainability (Table 6.4).
Despite all positive features, the authors consider problematic the fact that activists focusing
on environmental protection and sustainable
development are in minority within religions.
Many followers have not been even “touched” by
the topic or even opposing the above in important
questions. The biggest concern nevertheless is
that whether religious leaders would be able to
treat religious doctrines ecumenically regarding
sustainable development forcing differences and
conflicts into the background. For this not only
conflicts developed between nature and the society have to be recognised but those within the
global society as well, and the most serious ones
should be solved as well. Religions may help this
issue, but their activities so far cannot be described
successful. The hardest task is to rise above differences and conflicts of different religions in order
to realise the common goals of humanity.
6.7
Beyond SDGs: How
to Develop the Global
Society in the Future?
Concepts Regarding the
Future of the Society
Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development describes demands
related to the development of the society regarding sustainable development. The engine behind
the change and the way in which the change in
the system is realised to achieve sustainable
development were less important for the creators
of the document.
Most authors of publications dealing with the
operation of the global society (Huntington 1996;
Meadows et al. 2004; Diamond 2005; László
2008a, b; Talberth 2008; Dardot and Laval 2010;
Acemoglu and Robinson 2012) give rather suggestions than concepts to the way and direction
of the development of the society. There are a lot
of valuable thoughts among the suggestions, but
most often these publications do not deal with the
operation of the society as a whole and with
accommodation to the changed conditions in the
twenty-first century in detail.
Dardot and Laval (2010) towards the end of
their book briefly discuss the future. The current
situation is evaluated as follows. They refuse to
see our existence solely as an economic enterprise typical for the current society. In contrast,
conditions of cooperating with others, sharing
loads and following community goals shall be
created. They also emphasise to expand and
intensify “cooperative behaviour”. (Although
how cooperation can be expanded and made
more intense remains a question.) According to
Dardot and Laval (2010), the concept of “work
harder and more effectively” principle dominating in today’s lifestyle has to be rejected, and
cooperating communities have to hit a rupture on
the wall that may open the way for opposite
behaviour. They also see correctly that neoliberal
capitalism will not collapse as a result of its internal contradictions, and thus the solution could be
brought by community thinking.
The above concept is most problematic, according to the authors of the present book in that new
thinking alone (not presented in detail by Dardot
and Laval 2010) is not enough to transform the
whole society for which systematic measures are
also required. The spreading of this alternative
rationality (community thinking) is hindered also
by that competence and greater performance
clearly prove that living standards got higher in
more competitive countries. Technological development and the exponential expansion of associated infrastructure aspires increasing mental
performance as well. Sometimes the society—
only temporarily according to experience so far—
limits technical development, e.g., supplying
electric energy to all homes was only possible
after agreeing related standards.
Let’s see how economists think about changing production and consumption that give the
basis for the operation of the Society.
6.7.1 Development of the Society
Based on Economics
In the last decades of the twentieth century it
became clear for a part of economists that the
relationship between economic growth and
nature could contain conflicts, therefore the relationship of the economy and the biosphere has to
6 Steps Towards Realising Global Sustainable Development
and the environment. Furthermore, basic publications were also published focusing on the relationship of religion and sustainability (Table 6.4).
Despite all positive features, the authors consider problematic the fact that activists focusing
on environmental protection and sustainable
development are in minority within religions.
Many followers have not been even “touched” by
the topic or even opposing the above in important
questions. The biggest concern nevertheless is
that whether religious leaders would be able to
treat religious doctrines ecumenically regarding
sustainable development forcing differences and
conflicts into the background. For this not only
conflicts developed between nature and the society have to be recognised but those within the
global society as well, and the most serious ones
should be solved as well. Religions may help this
issue, but their activities so far cannot be described
successful. The hardest task is to rise above differences and conflicts of different religions in order
to realise the common goals of humanity.
6.7
Beyond SDGs: How
to Develop the Global
Society in the Future?
Concepts Regarding the
Future of the Society
Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development describes demands
related to the development of the society regarding sustainable development. The engine behind
the change and the way in which the change in
the system is realised to achieve sustainable
development were less important for the creators
of the document.
Most authors of publications dealing with the
operation of the global society (Huntington 1996;
Meadows et al. 2004; Diamond 2005; László
2008a, b; Talberth 2008; Dardot and Laval 2010;
Acemoglu and Robinson 2012) give rather suggestions than concepts to the way and direction
of the development of the society. There are a lot
of valuable thoughts among the suggestions, but
most often these publications do not deal with the
operation of the society as a whole and with
accommodation to the changed conditions in the
twenty-first century in detail.
Dardot and Laval (2010) towards the end of
their book briefly discuss the future. The current
situation is evaluated as follows. They refuse to
see our existence solely as an economic enterprise typical for the current society. In contrast,
conditions of cooperating with others, sharing
loads and following community goals shall be
created. They also emphasise to expand and
intensify “cooperative behaviour”. (Although
how cooperation can be expanded and made
more intense remains a question.) According to
Dardot and Laval (2010), the concept of “work
harder and more effectively” principle dominating in today’s lifestyle has to be rejected, and
cooperating communities have to hit a rupture on
the wall that may open the way for opposite
behaviour. They also see correctly that neoliberal
capitalism will not collapse as a result of its internal contradictions, and thus the solution could be
brought by community thinking.
The above concept is most problematic, according to the authors of the present book in that new
thinking alone (not presented in detail by Dardot
and Laval 2010) is not enough to transform the
whole society for which systematic measures are
also required. The spreading of this alternative
rationality (community thinking) is hindered also
by that competence and greater performance
clearly prove that living standards got higher in
more competitive countries. Technological development and the exponential expansion of associated infrastructure aspires increasing mental
performance as well. Sometimes the society—
only temporarily according to experience so far—
limits technical development, e.g., supplying
electric energy to all homes was only possible
after agreeing related standards.
Let’s see how economists think about changing production and consumption that give the
basis for the operation of the Society.
6.7.1 Development of the Society
Based on Economics
In the last decades of the twentieth century it
became clear for a part of economists that the
relationship between economic growth and
nature could contain conflicts, therefore the relationship of the economy and the biosphere has to
6 Steps Towards Realising Global Sustainable Development