ECONOMY WITHIN GLOBAL POLICIES

. By: Eng. Ali LaçejERA-NGO

Shkoder-AlbaniaIn the last centuries several attempts have been made in order to turn the economy into an exact science by applying certain rules and determinability laws, to the way economy moves (operates) within definite conditions. Between directly planned (otherwise commanded) and indirectly planned (otherwise market) economies, there has been an open confrontation, conceived as systems’ clashes and state machinery or state coalitions clashes. Really the character of this dispute was a clashing of systems of political philosophies applied in economic practices. By the turn of this millennium, have succeeded the system providing more individual and community freedom, more individual and group identity, more capabilities to self- change, that is, more venturing initiative relating to the individual or interest group.However, things are changing, we already have a different type of development seen as:

1. Tendencies of Global Policies and Global Economy

I still feel somehow challenged upon reading the essay of Mr. Francis Fukuyama, (ex-director of planning the foreign policies in Bush’s administration, USA) entitled “The End of History” that in fact with Carl Poper’s “The Misery of Historicism”, George Soros’s “The Idea of an Open Society”, offer a new “Quantum”, on the way to the organising and applying of the economic system. The fact is that, we all (the Albanians) have been a part of a closed economic system, commanded to its last instance of organisation. We had the opportunity to study, to survey, and assimilate a lot of the concepts and ideas for the first time. But we have the great chance to not start from the end of the century but from the offset of this millennium. Apart from what Mr. Fukujama claims: “we are not interested on some strange ideas people in Albania and Burkina Faso would have“, we experience the opportunity and we are interested to know what is the attitude and what are the tendencies of great centres of civilisation and of course, of the modern economy.

In general, great centres of civilisation and economy go by the principle that:“ The civilised PEOPLE consume less quantity and more quality” hence, it is available regarding to consumption market; (be it of durable or no durable goods) food, clothing, homes, means of communication and transport, entertainment and regeneration - as well as for the market of ideas, information or education. To this is added the recycling of raw materials in the form of urban wastes, but which is still in its first stages to ensure economic efficiencies. At the same time the extension of markets into political – geographical unions is becoming a reality. About the same pace, large industries are growing and joining in these markets. A graphic example is the alliance of automobile production industries. Obviously this trend is going to last for long and it will derive adjustments to orienting the global market and laws of competitiveness.

Another factor introducing an integrating agent of a global character in economic culture is the culture of currency, or economic symbol.Gradually the Babel’s Tower of the World Finances is giving way to supranational finance symbols.It will be precisely these supranational finance symbols, through their institutions to promote regional and global stability, which will indirectly plan fields of prior development and indispensable “Welfare” levels in entire areas or regions integrating

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global education, as well.But supranational finance symbols converted into currency or super-currency, into plastic money or stock exchange headings, will bring forth the unification of philosophic trends.

There will the interests play the firs role. Will interest mean only material profit?

The mankind having learned the bitter lesson on centralised economies, with direct planning, lacking individual and community freedom; having learned the lesson on social solidarity missing within the wild capitalism regarding the costs it brings forth; is requiring the philosophic expression to a new democratic system as the spirit of a newer economy, beyond the classic “laissez faire” and Marxist Socio-Communism. But let us treat this topic later according to the modified education waiting for us in the future.

2.Another factor constituting global economy is STANDARDS

Several times we watched on news the opening and the closing of markets for the British beef, chickens from Greece, Belgium or Holland, or Belgian Coca-Cola.

In particular, very severe has been the dispute between EU and USA upon genetically treated food products.

Much the same happened with cigarette ads in Formula One in England or with ice- cream in Italy.

Besides standard’s integration, it is being moved rapidly towards their broad-scale advertising. Public – consumers are being subject to the advertising campaigns but also to the attention drawing towards the cases representing danger or indeterminacy. It is generating a direct culture of critical attitude toward the quality of goods or services in comparison with the promoted standards of individuals or group level. It is not exclusive that sometimes such information instruments are used speculatively for political interests.

Whoever is given the opportunity to study Microsoft’s Business Plan standardised more or less for the year 2000 observes that its elements separate into TOP and into ALL, including clients or goods. Subjective voluntarism is non-existent. Enterprises, companies, corporations and family businesses will run by the same rules on: money circulation, establishing business competitive strategies, or drawing up business plans.

By the same track and the same ruling will run the evaluation of employed human resources or payment, the selling of business, contracts, disagreement settling, income and taxes, marketing plan, estimation of competitors or the creation of advertisement and promotion

Standards are to be regarded a mathematical requisite for success being the final target of an economic segmentation to be mastered.

3. Economic Resources and the Development of Economy in the Global Policy

The fact is that, apart from the building structure of an economy, in the entire mankind’s history, the economy, in turn, is characterised by the direct subordination from human or natural resources or from the resources transformed by them.

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In the twentieth century we witnessed two World Wars initiated by direct relations toward natural resources, and human implications within them, it was witnessed even that the notions of colonialism and neo-colonialism as non-profit methods in terms of general economic organisation have been sidestepped.

Nowadays such things can be noticed only by the relations of higher-level finances, where the attention of the ordinary mortals, or sometimes called otherwise – citizens, cannot arrive at the true meaning of the word.

Positivism or negativism freed by the accomplishment of these relations, depends all the more from the behaviour of the subordinate partner related to the schemes of principal partner, otherwise it depends from the existence of financial markets with the same parameters to measuring money cost, to measuring and regulating money circulation.

In terms of comparison; it is very difficult for a deaf-mute to communicate with a normal person, no matter how many languages the latter can speak.

Maybe we are too late to start speaking the language of international financial markets; it is no more a matter of national sovereignty. All the great European countries are loosing it on themselves-benefit.

In the triad knowledge – technology - industry, rationality in using resources became really measurable. Apart from the scope this three-levelled group operates:• In natural resources• In human resources • Virtual resources … If the flow of action (circulation) from one level to the other is not secured, the efficiency - consequently rationality in utilising the source will not ensure gradients of positive improvement

The competition has already well – established the necessity of fast communication in this triad, but if watched within the framework of global economies outlining all the more by each passing day, insofar even the elements of three - levelled sequence are liable to homogenisation.

Schools and universities are standardising knowledge, scientific or technological laboratories of corporations, even the competitive ones, all the more are exchanging information (it is not surprising that specialists of general Motors or Fiat competing in the markets of Latin America, solve together technical problems). Therefore industries themselves tend towards all the larger alliances.

The way for: production organisation, marketing, and research; i.e. economy on the whole… does no longer represent an issue of a national character. Nowadays, special trademarks are gaining all the more international character.

Apparently, to afford three-levelled circulation knowledge-technology-industry, do not suffice separate financial resources (economical energies). Such budgets can be realised but through joint contributions of many subjects. A quick image is offered by the European Community project “ARIANNE”. It is maybe here starts the method of shared contributes as for the programs: PHARE, LEONARDO, ECHO, FLAIR, ECLAIR, JOULE, TELEMAN, VALUE, SOCRATES, etc.

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For their part, industries are aiming to find selective natural resources integrated to a satisfactory average education of human resources with all the broader re-qualifying possibilities.

Our position is that of inactive resources and we are getting poorer at an unimaginable speed in terms of human resources, especially in quality aspect.

The sooner be applied policies that ensure community’s serenity, the rehabilitation of state institutions, removal of senseless barriers as regards technologies by replacing them with spurring accessories; the sooner would we re-start intensive development.

4. Modern Political Philosophies and Economic Education

And here we are next to real tendencies of political philosophies; that is to say the system that increases the level of liberty, meanwhile it tends to extinguish the causes of instabilities or regressive education.

Global policies intend to establish a larger and freer economic space, an integrative factor for common development aims, thus a lot of exclusive decision-making power of solitary states is being transferred into state communities. In the meantime, during the last decade, are heightened the tendencies to increasing the autonomy of local governments, improving the administration of human and natural resources, making it more rational and faster in order to increase development gradients and the quality of life, as well as to establish higher levels of communities’ life

The most proceeding cases are represented by Scotland and Northern Ireland, meanwhile the same tendencies, but of different connotations, exist in Basque region or North Italy. It is more or less the so-called EUROPE of TOWNS, or as it is mentioned in political theories’ terminology “Grass roots democracy”

The most meaningful program realizing this concept into practice is the program of World Bank called: FDI – Fiscal Decentralisation Initiative, which is nothing else then the economic expression of aforementioned political philosophy. The other tendency is the crescent consciousness on natural environment protection and development, as well as the well-run usage within it. Generally it is called “Green Ideology”None of them contradict the other. The first tendency – the decentralization of super-centralized states or unlimited authorities into international or local governing bodies goes the way to establish higher levels of protection of unrepeatable natural wealth or of those by slower repetition then human resources increment. All natural resources are not everlasting; naturally not so near to our age, but such they remain! “Green Ideology” is trying to explain a philosophy of such a political movement.By this way, the administration of these resources goes closer to those having more responsibilities toward next generations, inheritors of common wealth or community life quality. Consequently, by all means “Green Ideology” and “Grass Roots Democracy” are complementary. Nowadays it is no longer only a matter of economic reliability or feasibility, but at the first place is coming the effective management of resources.

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At the big centers of economy and civilization, in the course of time, institutional sources, medias and institutions of education have adapted this informing and educating trend.

Everyday the political life of those centers pursues a triangular module as follows: Globalization - Think globally, act individually Decentralization - Economic decision-making as close as possible to the

community Naturalization - An economy of rationalized natural resources, fast circulation,

high quality.

REFLECTION

In fact, it seems a luxury to think about global policies and global political developments, when in Albania and most of Balkan, the economy and politics are so chaotic and informal and economic education is at intuitive steps; when economic institutions maybe know but are unable to do, as complementary institutional factors are so far from being such.

The Conference on Regional Economic Resources Evaluation, continuing the first tentative we made to establish The Basis Of Regional Development Strategy (Prefecture of Shkodra) is one of further steps to complete with ideas and visions what in the future will be the truly Regional Strategy of Development for Shkodra Region. Its completing depends from a lot of politic, social and economic factors, but anyhow we feel good as we started to do something having our own way.

Therefore we want to think about the globalization, too; not so as to pretend interfering to its realization, because numbers and their order do not give us that liberty; that as to find the most rational way to our natural place within this system.

1. Tendencies of Global Policies and Global Economy

...We have the opportunity and we are interested to know what is the attitude and what are the tendencies of great centers of civilization and of course, of the modern economy.

From the principle “ the civilized man consumes less quantity and more quality” From the recycling of raw materials in the form of urban wastes, From the extension of markets into political – geographical unions is becoming a

reality. Obviously this trend is going to last for long and it will derive adjustments to orienting the global market and laws of competitiveness.

From the establishment of supranational financial symbols, which through their institutions will tend more global and regional stabilities, that will indirectly plan prior development fields in certain areas or regions, as well as necessary “Welfare system” levels including there the global education.

From that the method of organization of: production, merchandising, research, so making economy in general…does not represent anymore a matter of only national interest.

It remains of e great National interest: “Everything to the development”

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2. STANDARDS

The opening or closing of markets is being done more and more on behalf of standards integration, through promotional campaigns, and the attention drawing towards the cases representing danger or indeterminacy.

Directly is being established a culture of critical attitude toward the quality of goods or services in comparison with the promoted standards of group level.Enterprises, companies, or family businesses will run by the same rules on: money circulation, establishing business competitive strategies, or drawing up business plans.

By the same track and the same ruling will run the evaluation of employed human resources or payment, the selling of business, contracts, disagreement settling, income and taxes, marketing plan, estimation of competitors or the creation of advertisement and promotion.

A vital question remains: Integrate in the private business Young Economists, educated by new concepts, as soon as possible, or there is no chance for economic development.Standards are to be regarded a mathematical requisite for success being the final target of an economic segmentation to be mastered.

3. Economic Resources and the Development of Economy in the Global Policy

o It is the era of financial markets by the same parameters to measuring money cost, to measuring and regulating money circulation.

o Maybe we are too late to start speaking the language of international financial markets; it is no more a matter of national sovereignty. All the great European countries are loosing it on themselves-benefit.

It is re-conceived the triad knowledge – technology - industry, regarding: natural resources, human resources and virtual resources, aiming to increase the flow of action (circulation) from one level to the other. The segments of the triad are liable to homogenisation.

Universities are standardizing knowledge Scientific or technological laboratories, even the competitive ones, all the

more are exchanging information. Industries themselves tend towards all the larger alliances. Industries are aiming to find selective natural resources integrated to a

satisfactory average education of human resources with all the broader re-qualifying possibilities.

Our position is that of inactive resources and we are getting poorer at an unimaginable speed in terms of human resources, especially in quality aspect.

The sooner be applied policies that ensure community’s serenity, the rehabilitation of state institutions, removal of senseless barriers as regards technologies by replacing them with spurring accessories; the sooner would we re-start intensive development.

4. Modern Political Philosophies and Economic Education

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New politic philosophies are getting oriented to a new equilibrium of the system, as for the same we aim the system that increases the level of liberty, meanwhile it tends to:

Extinguish the causes of instabilities or regressive education. Establish a bigger and freer economic space, an integrative factor for

common development aims. Transfer a lot of exclusive decision-making power of solitary states is

being into state communities Increase the autonomy of local governments, doing good to more rational

and faster administration of human and natural resources in order to increase development gradients and the quality of life, as well as to establish higher levels of communities’ life

It is more or less the so-called EUROPE of TOWNS, or as it is mentioned in political theories’ terminology “Grass roots democracy”.

Increase the consciousness on natural environment protection and development, as well as the rationalized usage of it-“Green Ideology”.

Both of philosophies are complementary to each other. Utilize supranational financial symbols to generate and unify philosophic

trends in order to bring up a new evaluation of relations between: ○ economic reliability or feasibility. & ○ effective management of resources.But there remain three main challenges, having no implementing recipe, which will test regenerating ability of communities. Let us hope we’ll know what it really does mean:

Globalization - Think globally, act individually Decentralization - Economic decision making as close as possible to the

community. Naturalization - An economy of rationalized natural resources, fast circulation,

high quality… And so much the more we’ll know to be as well behaved for the sake of our development and broader. Maybe it is the most challenge regarding the way to establishing the rule of law in Albania.

Eng.ALI LAÇEJNovember,1999

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