The dirty secret of capitalism -- and a new way forward | Nick Hanauer

Prevoditelj: Djurdjica Ercegovac Recezent: Igor Pureta

I am a capitalist,

Ja sam kapitalist

and after a 30-year career in capitalism

i nakon tridesetogodišnje karijere u kapitalizmu

spanning three dozen companies,

koja obuhvaća preko trideset kompanija,

generating tens of billions of dollars in market value,

generirajući tržišnu vrijednost od desetina milijardi dolara,

I'm not just in the top one percent, I'm in the top .01 percent of all earners.

ne samo da sam u gornjih jedan posto, ja sam u gornjih 0,01 posto

svih onih koji zarađuju.

Today, I have come to share the secrets of our success,

Danas sam došao podijeliti tajne našeg uspjeha

because rich capitalists like me have never been richer.

jer bogati kapitalisti poput mene nikada nisu bili bogatiji.

So the question is, how do we do it?

Dakle, pitanje je, kako mi to radimo?

How do we manage to grab

Kako uspijevamo prigrabiti

an ever-increasing share of the economic pie every year?

sve veći dio ekonomskog kolača svake godine?

Is it that rich people are smarter than we were 30 years ago?

Jesu li bogati ljudi pametniji no što smo mi bili prije 30 godina?

Is it that we're working harder than we once did?

Radimo li mi napornije no što smo prije?

Are we taller, better looking?

Jesmo li viši, ljepši?

Sadly, no.

Nažalost, ne.

It all comes down to just one thing:

Sve se to svodi na samo jednu stvar:

economics.

ekonomiju.

Because, here's the dirty secret.

Jer u ovome je prljava tajna:

There was a time in which the economics profession

postojalo je vrijeme u kojem je ekonomska profesija

radila u javnom interesu, za sve,

worked in the public interest,

but in the neoliberal era,

ali u neoliberalnoj eri,

today,

danas,

they work only for big corporations

oni rade samo za velike korporacije

and billionaires,

i milijardere,

and that is creating a little bit of a problem.

i to stvara mali problem.

We could choose to enact economic policies

Mogli bismo se odlučiti za provođenje ekonomskih politika

that raise taxes on the rich,

kojima se povećavaju porezi za bogate,

regulate powerful corporations or raise wages for workers.

reguliraju moćne korporacije ili povećavaju plaće radnicima.

We have done it before.

To smo već radili.

But neoliberal economists would warn

Ali neoliberalni ekonomist bi upozorio

that all of these policies would be a terrible mistake,

da bi sve takve mjere bile užasna greška

because raising taxes always kills economic growth,

jer povećanje poreza uvijek ubija ekonomski rast,

and any form of government regulation

a bilo koji oblik vladine regulacije

is inefficient,

je neučinkovit,

and raising wages always kills jobs.

a povećanje plaća uvijek ubija poslove.

Well, as a consequence of that thinking,

Kao posljedica takvog razmišljanja,

over the last 30 years, in the USA alone,

tijekom proteklih 30 godina, samo u Sjedinjenim Državama,

the top one percent has grown 21 trillion dollars richer

gornjih jedan posto postalo je bogatije za 21 bilijun dolara,

while the bottom 50 percent have grown 900 billion dollars poorer,

dok je donjih 50 posto postalo siromašnije za 900 milijardi dolara,

a pattern of widening inequality that has largely repeated itself

obrazac rastuće nejednakosti koji se u velikoj mjeri ponavlja

across the world.

diljem svijeta.

And yet, as middle class families struggle to get by

A ipak, dok se obitelji srednje klase bore za preživljavanje

on wages that have not budged in about 40 years,

s plaćama koje se nisu pomakle otprilike 40 godina,

neoliberal economists continue to warn that the only reasonable response

neoliberalni ekonomisti i dalje upozoravaju da je jedini razuman odgovor

to the painful dislocations of austerity and globalization

na bolne poremećaje uzrokovane štednjom i globalizacijom,

is even more austerity and globalization.

još više štednje i globalizacije.

So, what is a society to do?

Pa što da radi društvo?

Well, it's super clear to me what we need to do.

Meni je savršeno jasno što bismo trebali činiti.

We need a new economics.

Potrebna nam je nova ekonomija.

So, economics has been described as the dismal science,

Dakle, ekonomija se opisuje kao turobna znanost,

and for good reason, because as much as it is taught today,

i to ne bez razloga, jer kako se danas predaje,

it isn't a science at all,

to uopće nije znanost,

in spite of all of the dazzling mathematics.

unatoč svoj blistavoj matematici.

In fact, a growing number of academics and practitioners

Ustvari, sve veći broj akademika i praktičara

have concluded that neoliberal economic theory is dangerously wrong

zaključilo je da je neoliberalna ekonomija opasno pogrešna

and that today's growing crises of rising inequality

i da su današnja rastuća kriza sve veće nejednakosti

and growing political instability

i rastuća politička nestabilnost

are the direct result of decades of bad economic theory.

direktna posljedica više desetljeća loše ekonomske teorije.

What we now know is that the economics that made me so rich isn't just wrong,

Ono što danas znamo je da ekonomija koja je mene učinila tako bogatim

nije samo pogrešna, ona je naopaka

it's backwards,

because it turns out

jer se pokazuje

it isn't capital that creates economic growth,

da nije kapital taj koji stvara ekonomski rast,

it's people;

to su ljudi;

and it isn't self-interest that promotes the public good,

i nije samoljublje ono što promiče javno dobro,

it's reciprocity;

to je reciprocitet;

and it isn't competition that produces our prosperity,

i nije natjecanje to što proizvodi naš napredak,

it's cooperation.

to je suradnja.

What we can now see is that an economics that is neither just nor inclusive

Danas možemo vidjeti da ekonomija, koja nije ni pravedna niti uključiva,

can never sustain the high levels of social cooperation

nikada ne može održati visoku razinu društvene suradnje

necessary to enable a modern society to thrive.

nužne za procvat modernog društva.

So where did we go wrong?

Pa gdje smo pogriješili?

Well, it turns out that it's become painfully obvious

Pokazuje se da je postalo bolno očito

that the fundamental assumptions that undergird neoliberal economic theory

da su temeljne pretpostavke koje podupiru neoliberalnu ekonomsku teoriju

are just objectively false,

jednostavno objektivno netočne.

and so today first I want to take you through some of those mistaken assumptions

Stoga bih vas danas prvo želio provesti kroz neke od tih pogrešnih pretpostavki

and then after describe where the science suggests prosperity actually comes from.

i nakon toga opisati odakle napredak zapravo dolazi, po viđenju znanosti.

So, neoliberal economic assumption number one is

Dakle, prva neoliberalna ekonomska pretpostavka je

that the market is an efficient equilibrium system,

da je tržište učinkoviti ravnotežni sustav,

which basically means that if one thing in the economy, like wages, goes up,

što u osnovi znači da ako jedna stvar u ekonomiji, poput plaća, raste,

another thing in the economy, like jobs, must go down.

druga stvar u ekonomiji, poput poslova, mora opadati.

So for example, in Seattle, where I live,

Tako, na primjer, u Seattlu, gdje ja živim,

when in 2014 we passed our nation's first 15 dollar minimum wage,

kad smo 2014. godine prvi u zemlji uveli minimalnu satnicu od 15 dolara,

the neoliberals freaked out over their precious equilibrium.

neoliberali su se izbezumili zbog svoje dragocjene ravnoteže.

"If you raise the price of labor," they warned,

"Ako podignete cijenu rada," upozorili su,

"businesses will purchase less of it.

"biznis će ga manje kupovati.

Thousands of low-wage workers will lose their jobs.

Tisuće nisko plaćenih radnika izgubit će posao.

The restaurants will close."

Restorani će se zatvoriti."

Except ...

Osim ...

they didn't.

što se nisu.

The unemployment rate fell dramatically.

Stopa nezaposlenosti dramatično je pala.

The restaurant business in Seattle boomed.

Ugostiteljski biznis u Seattlu je procvao.

Why?

Zašto?

Because there is no equilibrium.

Zato jer ne postoji ravnoteža.

Because raising wages doesn't kill jobs, it creates them;

Jer povišenje plaća ne ubija poslove, već ih stvara;

because, for instance,

jer, na primjer,

when restaurant owners are suddenly required to pay restaurant workers enough

kad se od vlasnika restorana odjednom zahtijeva da dovoljno plaćaju svoje radnike,

so that now even they can afford to eat in restaurants,

tako da si sada čak i radnici mogu priuštiti da jedu u restoranima,

it doesn't shrink the restaurant business,

time se ne smanjuje posao restorana,

it grows it, obviously.

povećava se, očito.

(Applause)

(Pljesak)

Thank you.

Hvala.

The second assumption is

Druga pretpostavka je

that the price of something is always equal to its value,

da je cijena nečega uvijek jednaka vrijednosti toga,

which basically means that if you earn 50,000 dollars a year

što u osnovi znači da ako vi zaradite 50 tisuća dolara godišnje,

and I earn 50 million dollars a year,

a ja zaradim 50 milijuna dolara godišnje,

that's because I produce a thousand times as much value as you.

to je zato jer ja proizvodim tisuću puta veću vrijednost od vas.

Now,

Sada,

it will not surprise you to learn

neće vas iznenaditi da čujete

that this is a very comforting assumption

da je to vrlo ohrabrujuća pretpostavka

if you're a CEO paying yourself 50 million dollars a year

ako ste direktor koji sebi isplaćuje 50 milijuna dolara godišnje,

but paying your workers poverty wages.

a svojim radnicima plaća minimalni dohodak.

But please, take it from somebody who has run dozens of businesses:

No, molim vas, vjerujte nekome tko je vodio desetine firmi:

this is nonsense.

to je besmislica.

People are not paid what they are worth.

Ljudi nisu plaćeni koliko vrijede.

They are paid what they have the power to negotiate,

Plaćeni su onoliko koliko uspiju postići pregovaranjem.

and wages' falling share of GDP

A smanjenje dijela BDP-a koji se odnosi na plaće

is not because workers have become less productive

ne događa se zato jer su radnici postali manje produktivni,

but because employers have become more powerful.

već zato jer su poslodavci postali moćniji.

And --

I --

(Applause)

(Pljesak)

And by pretending that the giant imbalance in power between capital and labor

A pretvarajući se da ogromna neravnoteža između snaga kapitala i rada

doesn't exist,

ne postoji,

neoliberal economic theory became essentially

neoliberalna ekonomska teorija postala je u suštini

a protection racket for the rich.

zaštitni reket za bogate.

The third assumption, and by far the most pernicious,

Treća pretpostavka, i daleko najopasnija,

je bihevioristički model

is a behavioral model

that describes human beings as something called "homo economicus,"

koji ljudska bića opisuje kao nešto zvano "homo economicus",

which basically means that we are all perfectly selfish,

što u osnovi znači da smo svi mi savršeno sebični,

perfectly rational and relentlessly self-maximizing.

savršeno racionalni i neumoljivo usmjereni na povećanje vlastitog profita.

But just ask yourselves,

No, samo se upitajte,

is it plausible that every single time for your entire life,

je li moguće da je baš svaki puta tijekom cijelog svog života,

when you did something nice for somebody else,

kada ste nekome učinili nešto lijepo,

all you were doing was maximizing your own utility?

bilo to samo radi maksimiziranja vlastite koristi?

Is it plausible that when a soldier jumps on a grenade to defend fellow soldiers,

Je li moguće da kada vojnik skače na granatu da bi obranio svoje suborce,

they're just promoting their narrow self-interest?

on samo promiče svoje usko samoljublje?

If you think that's nuts,

Ako mislite da je to ludost,

contrary to any reasonable moral intuition,

suprotno svakoj razumnoj moralnoj intuiciji,

that's because it is

to je zato jer to,

and, according to the latest science,

prema najnovijoj znanosti,

not true.

nije istina.

But it is this behavioral model

No to je bihevioralni model

which is at the cold, cruel heart of neoliberal economics,

koji je u hladnom, okrutnom srcu neoliberalne ekonomije

and it is as morally corrosive

i on je jednako moralno korozivan

as it is scientifically wrong

koliko je i znanstveno netočan

because, if we accept at face value

jer, ako prihvatimo kao neupitno

that humans are fundamentally selfish,

da su ljudi u suštini sebični,

and then we look around the world

i pogledamo naokolo po svijetu

at all of the unambiguous prosperity in it,

na sav nedvosmislen napredak u njemu,

then it follows logically,

onda logički slijedi

then it must be true by definition,

da to mora biti istina po definiciji,

that billions of individual acts of selfishness

da se milijuni pojedinačnih nesebičnih djela

magically transubstantiate into prosperity and the common good.

nekim čudom preobražavaju u napredak i zajedničko dobro.

If we humans are merely selfish maximizers,

Ako smo mi ljudi tek sebični maksimizatori,

then selfishness is the cause of our prosperity.

onda je sebičnost uzrok našeg napretka.

Under this economic logic,

Po toj ekonomskoj logici,

greed is good,

pohlepa je dobra,

widening inequality is efficient,

povećanje nejednakosti je efikasno,

and the only purpose of the corporation

a jedina svrha korporacije

can be to enrich shareholders,

može biti bogaćenje dioničara,

because to do otherwise would be to slow economic growth

jer raditi drugačije značilo bi usporavanje ekonomskog rasta

and harm the economy overall.

i nanošenje štete cjelokupnoj ekonomiji.

And it is this gospel of selfishness

I upravo je to evanđelje sebičnosti

which forms the ideological cornerstone of neoliberal economics,

ono što čini ideološki kamen temeljac neoliberalne ekonomije,

a way of thinking which has produced economic policies

način razmišljanja koji je proizveo ekonomsku politiku,

which have enabled me and my rich buddies in the top one percent

koja je omogućila meni i mojim bogatim prijateljima u gornjih jedan posto

to grab virtually all of the benefits of growth over the last 40 years.

da ugrabimo praktički sve beneficije rasta tijekom zadnjih 40 godina.

But,

Ali,

if instead

ako umjesto toga

we accept the latest empirical research,

prihvatimo najnovije empiričko istraživanje,

real science, which correctly describes human beings

stvarnu znanost, koje ispravno ljudska bića opisuje

as highly cooperative,

kao visoko kooperativna,

reciprocal

recipročna

and intuitively moral creatures,

i intuitivno moralna stvorenja,

then it follows logically

onda iz toga logički slijedi

that it must be cooperation

da mora da je suradnja,

and not selfishness

a ne sebičnost,

that is the cause of our prosperity,

uzrok našeg napretka

and it isn't our self-interest

i nije naše samoljublje,

but rather our inherent reciprocity

već prije naša urođena uzajamnost,

that is humanity's economic superpower.

ono u čemu je ekonomska super-snaga čovječanstva.

So at the heart of this new economics

U srcu te nove ekonomije

is a story about ourselves that grants us permission to be our best selves,

je priča o nama koja nam daje dozvolu da budemo najbolji što možemo biti,

and, unlike the old economics,

i, za razliku od stare ekonomije,

this is a story that is virtuous

to je priča koja je čestita

and also has the virtue of being true.

i također ima tu vrlinu da je istinita.

Now,

Sada,

I want to emphasize that this new economics

želim naglasiti da ta nova ekonomija

is not something I have personally imagined or invented.

nije nešto što sam ja osobno smislio ili izumio.

Its theories and models are being developed and refined

Ta teorija i modeli razvijani su i razrađivani

in universities around the world

na sveučilištima diljem svijeta,

building on some of the best new research in economics,

nadograđujući se na neke od najboljih istraživanja u ekonomiji,

complexity theory, evolutionary theory,

teoriji složenosti, teoriji evolucije,

psychology, anthropology and other disciplines.

psihologiji, antropologiji i drugim disciplinama.

And although this new economics does not yet have its own textbook

Pa iako ta nova ekonomija još uvijek nema svoj udžbenik,

or even a commonly agreed upon name,

čak ni zajednički prihvaćeno ime,

in broad strokes

u širokim potezima

its explanation of where prosperity comes from goes something like this.

njeno objašnjenje o tome odakle dolazi napredak, ide otprilike ovako:

So, market capitalism is an evolutionary system

dakle, tržišni kapitalizam je evolucijski sustav

in which prosperity emerges

u kojem se napredak pojavljuje

through a positive feedback loop

kroz pozitivnu povratnu spregu

between increasing amounts of innovation and increasing amounts of consumer demand.

rastuće količine inovacija i rastuće količine potražnje potrošača.

Innovation is the process by which we solve human problems,

Inovacija je proces kojim rješavamo ljudske probleme,

consumer demand is the mechanism through which the market selects

potražnja potrošača je mehanizam putem koje tržište odabire

for useful innovations,

korisne inovacije,

and as we solve more problems, we become more prosperous.

i rješavajući sve više problema mi postajemo sve napredniji.

But as we become more prosperous,

No, kako postajemo sve napredniji,

our problems and solutions

naši problemi i rješenja

become more complex,

postaju složeniji,

and this increasing technical complexity

a ta rastuća tehnička složenost

requires ever higher levels of social and economic cooperation

zahtijeva sve veći stupanj društvene i ekonomske kooperacije

in order to produce the more highly specialized products

kako bi se proizvelo više visoko specijaliziranih proizvoda

that define a modern economy.

koji definiraju modernu ekonomiju.

Now, the old economics is correct, of course,

Međutim, stara ekonomija je u pravu, naravno,

that competition plays a crucial role in how markets work,

natjecanje igra ključnu ulogu u funkcioniranju tržišta,

but what it fails to see

ali ono što propušta uvidjeti

is that it is largely a competition between highly cooperative groups --

je da je to uglavnom natjecanje između visoko kooperativnih grupa --

competition between firms, competition between networks of firms,

natjecanje između poduzeća, natjecanje između mreža poduzeća,

competition between nations --

natjecanje između naroda --

and anyone who has ever run a successful business knows

a svatko tko je ikada vodio uspješno poslovanje zna

that building a cooperative team by including the talents of everyone

da je izgradnja kooperativnog tima uključivanjem talenata svih članova

is almost always a better strategy than just a bunch of selfish jerks.

gotovo uvijek bolja strategija nego tek gomila sebičnih kretena.

So how do we leave neoliberalism behind

Pa kako ostaviti neoliberalizam iza sebe

and build a more sustainable, more prosperous

i izgraditi održivije, naprednije

and more equitable society?

i pravednije društvo?

The new economics suggests just five rules of thumb.

Nova ekonomija predlaže tek pet općih pravila.

First is that successful economies are not jungles, they're gardens,

Prvo, da uspješne ekonomije nisu džungle, one su vrtovi,

which is to say that markets,

što će reći da tržišta,

like gardens, must be tended,

poput vrtova, treba njegovati,

that the market is the greatest social technology ever invented

da je tržište najveća društvena tehnologija ikada izumljena

for solving human problems,

za rješavanje ljudskih problema,

but unconstrained by social norms or democratic regulation,

ali nezauzdana društvenim normama ili demokratskom regulacijom,

markets inevitably create more problems than they solve.

tržišta neizbježno stvaraju više problema no što ih rješavaju.

Climate change,

Klimatske promjene

the great financial crisis of 2008

i velika financijska kriza 2008. godine

are two easy examples.

dva su jednostavna primjera.

The second rule is

Drugo pravilo je

that inclusion creates economic growth.

da inkluzija stvara ekonomski rast.

So the neoliberal idea

Stoga je neoliberalna ideja

that inclusion is this fancy luxury

da je inkluzija pomodni luksuz

to be afforded if and when we have growth is both wrong and backwards.

koji si možemo priuštiti ako i kada imamo rast, istovremeno pogrešna i nazadna.

The economy is people.

Ekonomija su ljudi.

Including more people in more ways

Uključivanje više ljudi na više načina

is what causes economic growth in market economies.

jest ono što uzrokuje ekonomski rast u tržišnim ekonomijama.

The third principle

Treći princip

is the purpose of the corporation is not merely to enrich shareholders.

je da svrha korporacije nije samo bogaćenje dioničara.

The greatest grift in contemporary economic life

Najveća prijevara u suvremenom ekonomskom životu

is the neoliberal idea that the only purpose of the corporation

je neoliberalna ideja da je jedina svrha korporacije

and the only responsibility of executives

i jedina odgovornost rukovoditelja

is to enrich themselves and shareholders.

da obogate sebe i dioničare.

The new economics must and can insist

Nova ekonomija mora i može inzistirati

that the purpose of the corporation

da je svrha korporacije

is to improve the welfare of all stakeholders:

poboljšanje blagostanja svih sudionika:

customers, workers,

klijenata, radnika,

community and shareholders alike.

zajednice, kao i dioničara.

Rule four:

Četvrto pravilo:

greed is not good.

pohlepa nije dobra.

Being rapacious doesn't make you a capitalist,

Biti gramziv ne čini vas kapitalistom,

it makes you a sociopath.

čini vas sociopatom.

(Laughter)

(Smijeh)

(Applause)

(Pljesak)

And in an economy as dependent upon cooperation at scale as ours,

A u ekonomiji velikoj poput naše i toliko ovisnoj o suradnji,

sociopathy is as bad for business as it is for society.

sociopatija je loša za posao kao i za društvo.

And fifth and finally,

I peto i posljednje,

unlike the laws of physics,

za razliku od zakona fizike,

the laws of economics are a choice.

zakoni ekonomije su izbor.

Now, neoliberal economic theory

Neoliberalna ekonomska teorija

has sold itself to you as unchangeable natural law,

vam se prodala kao nepromjenljivi prirodni zakon,

when in fact it's social norms and constructed narratives

dok su zapravo njene društvene norme i iskonstruirani narativi

based on pseudoscience.

utemeljeni na pseudo-znanosti.

If we truly want a more equitable,

Ako uistinu želimo pravedniju,

more prosperous and more sustainable economy,

napredniju i održiviju ekonomiju,

if we want high-functioning democracies

ako želimo dobro funkcionirajuće demokracije

and civil society,

i civilno društvo,

we must have a new economics.

moramo imati novu ekonomiju.

And here's the good news:

A evo i dobre vijesti:

if we want a new economics,

ako želimo novu ekonomiju,

all we have to do is choose to have it.

sve što moramo učiniti je odabrati da je imamo.

Thank you.

Hvala.

(Applause)

(Pljesak)

Moderator: So Nick, I'm sure you get this question a lot.

Moderator: Nick, sigurna sam da ti često postavljaju ovo pitanje.

If you're so unhappy with the economic system,

Ako si toliko nezadovoljan ekonomskim sustavom,

why not just give all your money away and join the 99 percent?

zašto jednostavno ne daš sav svoj novac i pridružiš se 99 posto?

Nick Hanauer: Yeah, no, yes, right.

Nick Hanauer: Da, ne, da, točno.

You get that a lot. You get that a lot.

Često to pitaju.

"If you care so much about taxes, why don't you pay more,

"Ako ti je toliko stalo do poreza, zašto ne plaćaš više,

and if you care so much about wages, why don't you pay more?"

a ako brineš zbog plaća, zašto ne plaćaš više?"

And I could do that.

I mogao bih to učiniti.

The problem is,

Problem je

it doesn't make that much difference,

što to ne čini veliku razliku,

and I have discovered a strategy

i ja sam otkrio strategiju

that works literally a hundred thousand times better --

koja doslovce funkcionira sto tisuća puta bolje.

Moderator: OK.

A ta je da svoj novac koristim za gradnju narativa i donošenje zakona

NH: which is to use my money to build narratives and to pass laws

that will require all the other rich people

koji će zahtijevati od svih drugih bogatih ljudi

to pay taxes and pay their workers better.

da plaćaju porez i da bolje plaćaju svoje radnike.

(Applause)

(Pljesak)

And so, for example,

Tako, na primjer,

the 15-dollar minimum wage that we cooked up

minimalna nadnica od 15 dolara koju smo skuhali

has now affected 30 million workers.

danas ima utjecaj na 30 milijuna radnika.

So that works better.

To, dakle, bolje funkcionira.

Moderator: That's great.

Moderator: Sjajno.

Ako se predomislite, naći ćemo neke primatelje za vas.

If you change your mind, we'll find some takers for you.

NH: OK. Thank you. Moderator: Thank you very much.

NH: OK. Hvala. Moderator: Puno vam hvala.