Ethical Marketplace

(Up to: Economics )

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Re: http://blahsploitation.blogspot.com/2005/06/blogosphere-is-right-to-be-deeply.html

There are many "fringe" attempts to track this, I guess - for instance: http://www.ethiscore.org/

But is it time we started to push for a government-mandated ethical stock market? I figure it has to be implemented on that level in order to have any kind of "real" effect, but just how would that work? Is the fundamental problem with capitalism and competition that it depends on "human nature" and selfishness for its motivation? If so, how can you give a voice to something without a voice, yet remain "marketly liberal"?

I think the answer lies in the idea that the "human nature" mentioned above is not human nature, despite what many economists would advocate. Compassion in the marketplace currently is considered weakness, and the female gender frail to the point where stock exchanges are one giant phallic symbol.

Governments are supposed to be "committed" to climate change etc, but AFAICS climate change is merely one tip of the multi-dimensional iceberg we're about to sail into unless we really look at what we're doing. Is, for example, dealing with corrupt governments purely for business part of the same cause? Getting governments to factor climate, environment and ethics into our economic infrastructure will be the single (?) biggest shift towards a more sustainable future, but it won't come easy.