In many ways, the early part of the twenty-first century has not turned out the way politicians and so-called thought leaders might have expected.
There is political chaos and economic stagnation. Communities are fragmented and sometimes mutually hostile. Though there has been widespread adoption of technology, this has only increased the atomisation of modern society. Wealth creation has produced hyper-rich individuals and corporations, at the cost of the wider population. Economic tension has led to the rise of the far-right in politics and a weakening of centre-ground political support.
Into the next decade, we face the prospect of energy crises as fuel prices rise, held low by irrational markets. The debt mountains of countries and individuals will have to be faced and some hard decisions made as to how banks operate. The widening trade gaps between the US and China, Germany and other European countries will have to be evaluated, alongside the extended supply chains that trans-national corporations rely on. Many of these facets of modern hyper-capitalism have made firms wealthy but are not sustainable in the long term. Ultimately a few external changes could cause them to collapse.
But there are (hopefully) some opportunities within all these issues: the possibility of refocussing on regionalisation and local production. More emphasis on meaningful manufacturing and less on financial manipulation. A restoration of community values and craft-based professions — even agriculture could be looked at with fresh eyes.
Though there could be a bright future, it will take work and leadership to achieve it.