Understanding the ideological roots of our global crises: a pre-requisite for radical change

Even though the unfolding global financial crisis has shaken the world, it has been accompanied in the background by slowly unfolding environment and development crises. While action is being taken to keep the financial crisis from getting worse, negotiations for next steps in the climate change treaty are ongoing, and efforts are being made to implement the millennium development goals to improve the lives of people globally. Herein, the author advocates the argument that the reason the solutions have not been very effective, and that the financial crises unfolded anyway, is because the roots of the crises have not been fully understood. In the absence of this understanding, the very mode of progress has ultimately worsened the problems. After a brief historical review, this paper puts forth and analyzes five major ideological root causes, and provides supporting arguments to show how these have led to a worsening situation for the long-term prospects for progress. Understanding the root causes better points to solutions and directions for progress that are for the long-term benefit of all.