"Values" by Mark Carney
I'm glad I read this book; it made me more hopeful for Canada! It's always a good feeling when adults drive the country in a boring, nonpopulist fashion. Instead of slogans, we now have a politician who can at least maintain a deep dialogue between the economy, culture, and science.
Carney differentiates value (market worth) and values (ethical principles). His main point throughout the book is that modern capitalism has shifted from moral principles to market worth, and this process needs to be reversed.
The author outlines three major crises, their history, and how humanity has dealt with or is dealing with them:
- 2008 financial crisis
- COVID-19 pandemic
- Climate change
It is refreshing to hear a politician offer centrist views on the issues above without straying too far into either extreme of the political spectrum.
Then, Carney proceeds to outline the seven foundational values that a country should be built on:
- Dynamism
- Resilience
- Sustainability
- Fairness
- Responsibility
- Solidarity
- Humility
I'm especially fond of the resilience part. Crises always come, and building toward having safety buffers is necessary to avoid being caught with your pants down when they arrive.
Another thing that deeply resonated with me was Carney's approach toward private institutions. Instead of proposing limiting regulations, the author emphasized the need for the government to "frame" the market so that it organically moves toward benefiting social institutions on its own.
Overall, my main outcome is that we finally have a cabinet of professionals who have read all these books on politics and economics.