Evolutionary Economics and Equality: an Age of Enlightenment

Publisher Marketing: Five decades of tax cuts for the rich have been linked to income inequality, but not economic growth. The 2008 economic debacle was the tipping point, accelerating the call for changes, and heralding the lost decade. This highlights the hollowing out of the middle class and the polarization of jobs - job growth for high and low paying jobs. People who want work, but cannot find work suffer greatly, not just from the loss of income, but from the diminished sense of self-worth. The Occupy Wall Street protests began - connected by the anger of the common person against the banks for manipulating the system and tanking the economy. The ongoing widespread unemployment, and the discovery that the economic system is not as good as they once believed, is a source of disillusionment. This is the present state. Accepted ways of thinking are being challenged - ushering in a new Age of Enlightenment! The Occupy Wall Street protesters challenge the excess of corporations in general, and in particular, a government controlled by corporate money, and increasing inequality - the growing income gap between the very wealthy and the rest of society. In the past decade, the epigenetics revolution has rewritten our understanding of genetics disease and inheritance - challenging the old way of thinking. Individuals are much more sensitive to exposures from their environment, diet and lifestyles than previously thought. Individuals should have an equal chance and freedom to chose among alternative vocations that they could possibly lead, if not fettered by preventable epigenetic burdens. Many have suggested that banks should not be 'too big to fail' rather be reduced in size. In the past four years reforms have eluded legislators, and banks have become even larger. The sense is that innovation should be redirected from products designed specifically to increase the size of banks' profits, to innovation that produces jobs. Evolutionary economics represents a new mind set to support an approach in a future state to wealth creation through technological innovation. This new system will control the epigenetic harms that have the potential to affect every aspect of our lives. In the future state, the new equality will allow individuals to achieve their full potential with new freedom linked to capabilities. Epigenetics will play a role in controlling the epidemic of chronic disease appearing on the horizon.