Parousia and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ: The World Economic Forum and The Great Reset
The Great Reset is the name of a proposal submitted by the World Economic Forum in May 2020 for economic planning for the sustainable reconstruction of the economy and society after the Covid-19 pandemic and the associated economic crisis of 2020-2021.
As COVID-19 lockdowns are gradually easing, anxiety about the world’s social and economic prospects is only intensifying. There is good reason to worry as a sharp economic downturn has already begun. The world could be facing the worst depression since the 1930s. While this outcome is likely, it is not unavoidable.
For a better outcome, the world must act collaboratively, jointly, and swiftly to revamp all aspects of our societies and economies, from education to social contracts and working conditions. Every country, from the United States to China, must participate, and every industry, from oil and gas to tech, must be transformed. Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum, believes we need a “Great Reset” of capitalism.
There are many reasons to pursue a Great Reset, but the most urgent is COVID-19. Having already led to millions of deaths, the pandemic represents one of the worst public-health crises in recent history. And, with casualties still mounting in many parts of the world, sadly, it is far from over.
The COVID19 pandemic will have serious long-term consequences for economic growth, public debt, employment, and human wellbeing. The global government debt has already reached its highest level in peacetime. Moreover, unemployment is skyrocketing in many countries: in the US, for example, one in four workers have filed for unemployment since mid-March, with new weekly claims far above historic highs.
Sadly, this will exacerbate the climate and social crises that were already underway. Some countries have already used the COVID-19 crisis as an excuse to weaken environmental protections and enforcement. Rising inequality continues– US billionaires’ combined wealth has increased during the crisis – social inequalities are intensifying.
It is believed that left unaddressed, these crises, together with COVID-19, will deepen and leave the world even less sustainable, less equal, and more fragile. The World Economic Forum believes that incremental measures and ad hoc fixes will not suffice to prevent this scenario. Entirely new foundations for our economic and social systems must be built.
This would require an unprecedented level of cooperation and ambition. The pandemic has shown how quickly one can make radical changes to our lifestyles. The pandemic forced businesses and individuals to abandon and re-evaluate practices long claimed to be essential, from frequent air travel to working in an office.
Populations have shown a limited willingness to make sacrifices for the sake of healthcare and other essential workers and vulnerable populations, such as the elderly. And many companies have stepped up to support their workers, customers, and local communities, in a shift toward the kind of stakeholder capitalism to which they had previously paid lip service. The tension and pushback is being felt, as some of these actions are felt to be coercive and violating personal liberties and the freedom of choice.
The will to build a better society probably does exist. The question being asked: At what cost to individual freedoms, liberty of conscience and capitalism?
Professor Schwab believes the Great Reset is badly needed and will require stronger and more effective governments, though this does not imply an ideological push for bigger ones, demanding private-sector engagement every step of the way. This raises grave concern.
Parousia and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ: The World Economic Forum and The Great Reset
The Great Reset agenda has three main components.
- The first steers the market toward fairer outcomes. To this end, governments should improve coordination (for example, in tax, regulatory, and fiscal policy), upgrade trade arrangements, and create the conditions for a “stakeholder economy.” At a time of diminishing tax bases and soaring public debt, governments have a powerful incentive to pursue such action.
Moreover, governments should implement long-overdue reforms that promote more equitable outcomes. These may include changes to wealth taxes, the withdrawal of fossil-fuel subsidies, and new rules governing intellectual property, trade, and competition.
- The second component would ensure that investments advance shared goals, such as equality and sustainability. Here, the large-scale spending programs that many governments are implementing represent a major opportunity for progress.
We should use funds to create what is more resilient, equitable, and sustainable. This means, building “green” urban infrastructure and creating incentives for industries to improve their track record on environmental, social, and governance.
- The third priority of a Great Reset agenda is to harness the innovations of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to support the public good, especially by addressing health and social challenges. During the COVID-19 crisis, companies, universities, and others have joined forces to develop diagnostics, therapeutics, and possible vaccines; establish testing centers; create mechanisms for tracing infections; and deliver telemedicine.
Dr. Schwab has also stated in a podcast, found on the World Economic Forum website, (https://www.weforum.org/great-reset/) that he wishes to see:
- Redefining of our social contract with all of humanity
- Decarbonization of the environment, and a robust green economy
- Moving to stakeholder capitalism, not just shareholder
- Much stronger global co-operation, one world united for common good
- Great Reset of the economy and environment
This is a very ambitious agenda and would appear to seek for greater equality and wealth redistribution. Obviously, implementation of this idealism is the grave concern. The devil is always in the details. And by the way, going down this pathway, might very well be the end to the great American experiment and open the door to the socialism as outlined in George Orwell’s 1984.
Parousia and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ: The World Economic Forum and The Great Reset
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzdrN4ZnrM5bzpCUfnCeWkqjVq0JHKoAT
