TRENDING DECENTRALIZATION

Post war (WWII) globalization, highly enabled by many disruptive technologies made the world of humans rather small, especially compared to previous ages. Without a doubt, the intense interconnectedness ushered by prevailing globalization has benefited humanity in general, even though these benefits are/were not equitably shared amongst the global sheeple. To start with, the old underlying global political economy still dictates relations between nation states. This dichotomous (core-periphery) economic relation has intensified socio-economic polarization between and within nations. To this end, our Africa still remains the mainstay of polarizing globalization, always benefiting outsiders at the expense of the born natives. To be sure, some countries in the semi-periphery have managed to attain escape velocity, i.e., have ‘made it’ to the club of the ‘unsustainably developed’ (China et al), while others have come down a rung or two, on the prevailing wobbly economic ladder (Eastern Europe)! Overall, increased dissatisfaction with the existing world order is incentivizing countries to look for solace (solutions for their protracted problems) in a more circumscribed political configuration than what currently obtains. Here the underlying assumption is; devolvement will bring empowerment and empowerment will bring prosperity! The latest episode in this regard involves the secession movement of the Catalans in Spain. There are also other secessionary tendencies in Europe, even though they are not as vigorously pursued, as in the case of Catalonia. On one hand, the general sentiment in Europe, it seems, is to move away from highly centralized arrangements of socioeconomic governance (namely the Bb-brussels’ Bureaucracy). Brexit is just one example along this route. On the other hand, particularly in the case of Brexit, the wish of the majority of the Scottish and the Irish (in Britain) to remain within the EU requires further analysis. The fact is; these people desire to achieve autonomy from the UK, albeit indirectly. This attitude of seceding from a particular nation state, only to end up within the larger EU, reflects a desire to be independent, while remaining secured within the ambit of the supra nationalist entity of the EU; politically, economically and socially. This sentiment also holds in other restive regions of Europe; Veneto, Catalonia, Scotland, etc. France and Italy have initiated movements advocating independence from the EURO. Some within these movements would like to go even further and leave the EU altogether. In the same vein, popular Trumpism initially advocated for independent nationalism, only to be subsumed within the logic of the ‘deep state’ later. Admittedly, visible disempowerment under various guises, are propelling secessionary movements elsewhere, not excluding Africa. Unfortunately, the empowerment desired all over the world is increasingly predicated on the potentiality of amassing wealth, at the expense of Mother Nature and social stability! When it comes to such bigger pictures, both the secessionists as well as the status quo (current power holders), remain essentially blind to the fragile nature of our world system!

In late modernity, narcissism is the defining characteristics of both individuals as well as nation states. Concocted national interests (socalled) threaten to override the general interests of humanity. As a result, our life-sustaining ecosystem is being destroyed on the altar of greed, sustained by, amongst other things, the above imbecilic notion of ‘national interest’. ‘Fake life’ as propagated by the likes of the movie industries, spectator sports, etc. as well as value sapping narratives of the global status quo, is on its way to destroying organic harmonious human existence. The whole mess is facilitated by an economic system underlined by the fraudulent and destructive system of phony global money.