Be the change you wish to see in Be the change you wish to see in the world: business and NGOs the world: business and NGOs mission to reignite idealsmission to reignite ideals

Leszek NiewdanaLeszek NiewdanaFu Jen Catholic University, TaiwanFu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan

IntroductionIntroduction

IntroductionIntroduction ““We live in an anti-hierarchical age, in We live in an anti-hierarchical age, in

which deference to traditional sources which deference to traditional sources of authority – the social order of class, of authority – the social order of class, the churches, the traditional family – is the churches, the traditional family – is in decline. in decline. The ethic of individual self-The ethic of individual self-fulfillment and achievement is the fulfillment and achievement is the most powerful current in modern most powerful current in modern societysociety [. . .] For many people, social [. . .] For many people, social progress is measured by the expansion progress is measured by the expansion of individual choice within this private of individual choice within this private sphere. This individualism is not just sphere. This individualism is not just consumerist. It is also moral…consumerist. It is also moral…

In many ways this is a more moral time than In many ways this is a more moral time than in the 1950s and 1960s. Young people these in the 1950s and 1960s. Young people these days feel more passionately and morally days feel more passionately and morally about a wider range of issues than they used about a wider range of issues than they used to – from our treatment of the environment to – from our treatment of the environment and animals, to gender, race and human and animals, to gender, race and human rights around the world. People are more rights around the world. People are more likely to challenge the right of established likely to challenge the right of established figures of authority to lay down the moral figures of authority to lay down the moral law. law. For many people, especially young For many people, especially young people, [these are] arguments that we need people, [these are] arguments that we need to rebuild a sense of community.to rebuild a sense of community.” ”

Leadbeater, C. (1997), Leadbeater, C. (1997), The Rise of the Social The Rise of the Social EntrepreneurEntrepreneur, p. 14, p. 14

IntroductionIntroduction

2. What kind of person should I

become?

3. How could I achieve the

ideal?

1. What kind of person am I?

Reality

Ideal

Virtues

Creating moral Creating moral ddesiresesires

Learning to live Learning to live with constraintswith constraints

Sen

se of d

irection

Sen

se of d

irection

Threefold value schemeThreefold value scheme

The threefold model The threefold model interconnects individual interconnects individual self-fulfillment and the self-fulfillment and the good of the community in good of the community in which one liveswhich one lives

Threefold value schemeThreefold value scheme

The threefold scheme is reflected in The threefold scheme is reflected in many traditional moral/ethical many traditional moral/ethical frameworks and in diverse cultural frameworks and in diverse cultural contexts, in which some form of ideal contexts, in which some form of ideal serves as an important factor providing serves as an important factor providing a sense of direction in life.a sense of direction in life.

““Followers of Judaism, Christianity and Followers of Judaism, Christianity and Islam were all able to make use of this Islam were all able to make use of this framework; parallels to it can even be framework; parallels to it can even be found in civilizations as radically alien to found in civilizations as radically alien to the West as India and China.”the West as India and China.”

Skidelsky and Skidelsky, Skidelsky and Skidelsky, How Much Is EnoughHow Much Is Enough, 2012, p. 78 , 2012, p. 78

Threefold value schemeThreefold value scheme

Challenge of the EnlightenmentChallenge of the Enlightenment

The Enlightenment movement, The Enlightenment movement, set itself in opposition to the set itself in opposition to the threefold scheme.threefold scheme.

It created a new model in which It created a new model in which freedom and rights of the self-freedom and rights of the self-interested individual and the interested individual and the equality between such equality between such individuals became the core individuals became the core values. values.

2. How could I achieve self-realization?

1. What kind of person am I?Reality

Self-realization

My rights vs

rights of others

Challenge of the EnlightenmentChallenge of the Enlightenment

In short:In short: The Enlightenment model The Enlightenment model

practically removed the practically removed the objectively set ideals (anchored objectively set ideals (anchored in the conviction that the good in the conviction that the good life could not be achieved without life could not be achieved without due consideration given to the due consideration given to the common good), and ultimately common good), and ultimately turned self-realization of the turned self-realization of the dissociated individual into dissociated individual into a new a new individualized idealindividualized ideal. .

Challenge of the EnlightenmentChallenge of the Enlightenment

Classical virtues and the good Classical virtues and the good life ideal had no place in the life ideal had no place in the “new” model. “new” model.

Avoid hurting others - moral Avoid hurting others - moral minimalism based on the minimalism based on the obligation to respect freedom obligation to respect freedom and rights of others and the and rights of others and the requirements of the social requirements of the social contract (the expanding number contract (the expanding number of laws) – became the new of laws) – became the new standard of moral philosophy. standard of moral philosophy.

Challenge of the EnlightenmentChallenge of the Enlightenment

Kant’s (Kant’s (1724–1804) 1724–1804) morality of duty morality of duty (responsibility): the height of moral (responsibility): the height of moral standard of the Enlightenment? standard of the Enlightenment?

““Categorical imperative” as the Categorical imperative” as the supreme principle of morality supreme principle of morality

CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) anchored in this philosophyanchored in this philosophy

FreedomFreedom RightsRights

DutyDuty

LawLaw

Challenge of the EnlightenmentChallenge of the Enlightenment

Community / Society

Individual

State

Threefold modelThreefold model Enlightenment modelEnlightenment model

Individual

Individual

Individual

State

Challenge of the EnlightenmentChallenge of the Enlightenment

Neoliberalism – an offshoot of the Neoliberalism – an offshoot of the EnlightenmentEnlightenment

David Harvey defines neoliberalism as David Harvey defines neoliberalism as “a theory of political economic “a theory of political economic practices that proposes that human practices that proposes that human well-being can best be advanced by well-being can best be advanced by liberating individual entrepreneurial liberating individual entrepreneurial freedoms and skills within an freedoms and skills within an institutional framework characterized institutional framework characterized by strong private property rights, free by strong private property rights, free markets and free trade.” markets and free trade.”

D. Harvey, D. Harvey, A Brief History of NeoliberalismA Brief History of Neoliberalism, , 2005, p. 2. 2005, p. 2.

Challenge of the EnlightenmentChallenge of the Enlightenment

Iconic statements of neoliberalismIconic statements of neoliberalism Ronald Reagan: “the government is the Ronald Reagan: “the government is the

problem” problem” Margaret Thatcher: “There is no such thing Margaret Thatcher: “There is no such thing

as society. There are individual men and as society. There are individual men and women, and there are families.” women, and there are families.”

Milton Friedman: “There is one and only one Milton Friedman: “There is one and only one social responsibility of business – to use its social responsibility of business – to use its resources and engage in activities designed resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say, within the rules of the game, which is to say, engages in open and free competition engages in open and free competition without deception and fraud.”without deception and fraud.”

Challenge of the EnlightenmentChallenge of the Enlightenment

The goal of neoliberalism has been to The goal of neoliberalism has been to re-shape the entire social space of re-shape the entire social space of diverse communities into the form of diverse communities into the form of the market.the market.

The preferred method of neoliberalism The preferred method of neoliberalism has been to release competitive forces has been to release competitive forces in all possible spheres of life, including in all possible spheres of life, including all layers of government and education, all layers of government and education, and turn them into variables of the and turn them into variables of the market. market.

Challenge of the EnlightenmentChallenge of the Enlightenment

The market frees individual acquisitiveness The market frees individual acquisitiveness from moral, social and/or religious from moral, social and/or religious constraintsconstraints

It releases self-interest from moral restraintsIt releases self-interest from moral restraints It erodes all social ties other than purely It erodes all social ties other than purely

economic ones and/or converts social economic ones and/or converts social relationships into instrumental ones relationships into instrumental ones (“commodifies” them)(“commodifies” them)

It promotes a preoccupation with narrow It promotes a preoccupation with narrow individual advantage at the expense of individual advantage at the expense of responsibility to the community or social responsibility to the community or social obligationsobligations

It substitutes competition for voluntary It substitutes competition for voluntary cooperation.cooperation.

Maitland, I. (1997), “Virtuous markets: the market as school of Maitland, I. (1997), “Virtuous markets: the market as school of the virtues”, the virtues”, Business Ethics QuarterlyBusiness Ethics Quarterly, Vol. 7 No. 1, p. 18 , Vol. 7 No. 1, p. 18

DiscomfortDiscomfort

Values Values ““foreignforeign”” to the to the Enlightenment:Enlightenment:

““Give until it hurts – with Give until it hurts – with a smile”a smile”

““It is not how much we It is not how much we do but how much love we do but how much love we put into what we do”put into what we do”

““If we really want to love, If we really want to love, we must learn how to we must learn how to forgive”forgive”

Mother TeresaMother Teresa

DiscomfortDiscomfort

A way forward? A way forward?

Three stages in the development Three stages in the development of the concept of “enterprise” of the concept of “enterprise”

““Friedman” typeFriedman” type

CSR typeCSR type NGO/SE typeNGO/SE type

Importance of mobilizing moral and spiritual Importance of mobilizing moral and spiritual capitalcapital

““Capital” is believed to take several forms:Capital” is believed to take several forms: physical capital (mobilizing natural resources);physical capital (mobilizing natural resources); economic capital (mobilizing financial economic capital (mobilizing financial

resources);resources); human capital (mobilizing labor resources);human capital (mobilizing labor resources); intellectual capital (mobilizing intellectual intellectual capital (mobilizing intellectual

resources);resources); social capital (mobilizing civil society social capital (mobilizing civil society

resources); resources); ethical capital (mobilizing moral values). ethical capital (mobilizing moral values). Bull, M. et al., (2010),"Conceptualising ethical capital Bull, M. et al., (2010),"Conceptualising ethical capital

in social enterprise", in social enterprise", Social Enterprise JournalSocial Enterprise Journal, Vol. 6:3, , Vol. 6:3, p. 252 p. 252

A way forward? A way forward?

Importance of mobilizing moral and Importance of mobilizing moral and spiritual capitalspiritual capital

Latin Latin spiritusspiritus: that which gives life : that which gives life or vitality to a systemor vitality to a system

““Spiritual capital is our shared Spiritual capital is our shared meaning, our shared purpose, our meaning, our shared purpose, our shared vision of what most deeply shared vision of what most deeply matters in life – and how these matters in life – and how these are implemented in our lives…”are implemented in our lives…”

Zohar, D. and Marshall, I., Zohar, D. and Marshall, I., Spiritual CapitalSpiritual Capital, 2004, p. 27 , 2004, p. 27

A way forward? A way forward?

Core Christian values as moral and Core Christian values as moral and spiritual capitalspiritual capital

Crucial transformative aspects of Crucial transformative aspects of Jesus’ “revolution”Jesus’ “revolution”

Care for the marginalizedCare for the marginalized Challenging dehumanizing Challenging dehumanizing

phenomenaphenomena Raising quality of lifeRaising quality of life

A way forward? A way forward?

““Nothing makes one feel so Nothing makes one feel so strong as a call for help.” strong as a call for help.”

Pope Paul VIPope Paul VI

““Be so good they can’t Be so good they can’t ignore you.” ignore you.”

Steve MartinSteve Martin

A way forward? A way forward?