The age of fear, some signs of hope.

The coffers are empty. The kingdom is bankrupt. Emergencies have broken out everywhere. The state demands more taxes so the citizens, regardless of what burdens they already carry, must pay more, and more, again and again. Their burdens will increase until they can carry no more and then the state will pile still more on them.

These words would serve as a reasonable description of conditions at many times in ancient history, in the age of Savanarola, during the black death, at times of shortage or war or during the great breakdown of European civilisation in the 20th century.

Who would have imagined we would find ourselves here again? Surely this is some nightmare, some fantasy that will pass in a little while?

No.

We find ourselves suddenly cast back into a dark and unexpected age of fear. The language of the age of optimism, just ended, is of no use now. Thoughts of prosperity or hope are behind us. We must turn our minds to survival.

Most public thinking has been devoted to one question; how did it come to this? This is of some interest but offers little more than historical perspective. The really important question is; how do we get ourselves out of this mess?

Happily I can report there are many things to be done. Most of them are far removed from the agendas of the Eurocrats or the politicians and business elite who got us into this mess. Indeed I believe one of the keys to recovery is a widespread clear-out of all the old guard in business, politics, journalism and finance. We are facing great new challenges. The world has changed and there are many new opportunities, if we can grasp them. We need new people, new ideas, new policies and new directions.

I will return to this subject.