How do we fix our 21st century economy? Look to Darwin | Robert Neild

The current vision of capitalism no longer works, neglecting the society it is meant to serve. Darwinism would bring a dose of reality and morality

In recent decades the world economy and society have been changing at an unprecedented rate. According to Unesco, the total number of qualified scientists and engineers undertaking research has soared to about 10 million, of which a fifth are in China. Technical inventions have emerged ever faster, providing us with new gadgets and machines, along with new ways of engaging with one another and organising the institutions within which we live.

This has brought us great benefits, but it has also brought dangers and damage: weapons of mass destruction, global warming, the economic bubble and collapse caused by new financial tricks, global tax evasion and tax avoidance, high-tech monopolies, and the diffusion of powers of information and misinformation resulting from new means of communication.

We need to put aside the long-established Newtonian vision of a harmonious economy with negligible innovations

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