By Alex Armengol
Remember at the end of the XXI century and the beginning of last century, the Industrial Revolution (IR). Remember which changes occurred, good and Bad ones. But what made it change was the people who were living day to day the Revolution. Millions died, millions became wealthy, millions starved, millions… What is for sure is that the IR made people change, and the faster you were changing the more predictable future was assured, of course, with some luck as well. Imagine what could happen if 3 big balloons each one at least as big as the IR where pressing us, which changes could be made by people? Imagine 3 big forces, all together, all at the same time, entering in each one’s life. 3 Mixed Revolutions. Well, that is what exactly we are living nowadays.
As an entrance: Technology and Information Revolution (TIR), Average age, TV, Biochemical’s, Internet…
As a main course: The Woman Revolution (WR), increase of production, family disintegration, new gender problems…
As the great desert: The Globalization Revolution (GR), Massive migrations, Communications, McDonalds, Prostitution, Integration, Disintegration…
This fast speed of our history is making us look confused. We are there, but many times we don’t understand it. How are we going to manage this lack of speed? Forcing to change our society is slow and we need speed. The perfect example: even though we would like to revert at 100% the world heating, we would not be able, as US Democrat Al Gore says.
Is Liberalism Enough to Reach that Speed?
Liberalism enables much better than other ideologies to move at faster tracks. It gives to the individual the liberty to progress and this is very good for individuals who can and want to progress. With Liberalism the possibility of progress is given directly to the individual. But the permanent question that we as Liberals have to answer in any situation is: Are the individuals able or want to use this potential released by Liberalism? In this question I always wonder: Is the situation in a civilized position? Is the relation of forces fair? If it is the case, Liberalism is the perfect way to act because it gives the maximum power to the ones that are interested to progress, and consequently the faster speed to progress. But what happens when it is not fair ?...
In the political spectrum, there is a huge gap between Neo-Liberalism and Neo-Interventionism. For me, being Liberal means to know exactly where I have to position my decision in this spectrum in any given situation. That means basically to be enough Liberal to stop Liberalism when it has to be stopped. In other words, the more the situation is civilized, the more Liberal I can be, but in order to civilize the situation I have to intervene. What a paradox!!!
In order to solve that liberal paradox we, the Young Liberals of Andorra, have created our own definition of Liberalism:
“Maximize the individual liberty as much as possible in order to progress; meaning that each individual or association of individuals has the exact rights but also the exact obligations for the common wealth in every given situation.”
Being a Liberal means being able to stop Liberalism in the appropriate situation when it has to be stopped. This is the Liberalism of Liberalism; we have to feel free to stop Liberalism whenever we have to. In this fast world we are living, feel free to change the rules, otherwise even Liberals are going to be stocked as other ideologies are being stocked right now.
Let’s put it into a practical situation:
I am happy to think that Tafsir was not refused in the last GA... this means that more than half of the world representatives have given another chance to Africa (Liberals)… Perhaps the key to Africa is Senegal ? If Senegal is a democracy and Liberals that are ruling that country have good-will I suppose that having one of the next events after Dallas in Dakar will be a good decision. We as Liberals of the World have to think how we can solve this huge problem called Africa and the Senegalese have a good word to say.
I understand why many of you have not admitted many mistakes that were done in the past. Most of you because your belief in justice does not tolerate the change of rules, which is understandable to a certain extent. Some because of political interest. But the fact is that we, as Liberals, have to get into Africa anyway and for that if we have to change rules, we do change them. By changing rules, IFLRY will be stronger in Africa.
About the Author
Alex Armengol is the International Officer of the Young Liberals of Andorra He has a Baccalauréat. BBA in European University and an MBA at the Institut d’Alta Empresa. His has done work in Product Development at the Deutsche Bank and all fields in Hotel Industry. He has occupied the position of President of Partit Liberal d’Andorra in Escaldes-Engordany, with the objective to improve a little bit the world