"On 16-17 October, the European Commission will be hosting EU Development Days, a two-day forum on international affairs and development cooperation that will see Heads of State, Nobel Prize laureates, business leaders and development professionals meet to discuss some of the global issue that are at risk of slipping down the international agenda in the wake of the economic crisis."

The above was posted today on the Debating Europe website ( http://www.debatingeurope.eu/2012/09/25/inclusive-growth/#comment-19803 ). The issue they are asking us to debate about is the issue of the "inclusive growth," (i.e. economic growth that is broad-based and benefits the majority of the population). "The last decade has seen the steady rise of developing countries across the world, led by the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China). However, rapid economic growth has often been accompanied by rising inequality," we continue reading.

Well how can you expect to have equality in this world, when the very culture of our civilization and our economies is capitalist, meaning that we are all constantly striving to accumulate riches for ever more. And by any cost. The free markets allow companies to charge us whatever they want and for whatever reason. Terms and conditions apply everywhere. The only thing our economies and companies must strive to achieve is growth.

More money, more power. That greedy attitude is the root of all evil that they are speaking of. Once a group of people get rich or powerful enough, then all they are trying to do is accumulate more and more wealth and also they are trying to prevent others of getting access to it. Simply because when too many people get access to so much wealth, that means less wealth for the already wealthy.

So how can we promote equality in the world? In my opinion it is just a utopia, and it will never be achieved totally. But we can try to make our societies a bit more equal and less painful for those in the lower classes of our society. Because if we want to try to achieve absolute equality, then we have to proceed with wealth redistribution among the different levels of societies, and among states and regions. Now who would actually want that? Well apart from the poor.

So in my utopia vision, which I know I have no chance of ever seeing it coming to reality, the following should be done to achieve equality.

a) Ban all tax haven states. They only promote tax evasion. How on earth can we tackle tax evasion when we have countries on our planet that they are fostering it, and of course make profit out of it.

b) Limit the power of the banks and the markets, or at least regulate them. Create rating agencies in Europe and Asia or other regions so that we will have more competition in this industry too. Now we are rated according to American interests, way of doing business and mentality. Not necessarily the right one.

c) Scrap the Security Council in the UN, or at least reform it. The countries in it are still representing the post WW2 status quo of global power. The permanent members are the world's so called "super-powers," (USA, China, Russia, France and Britain). The non permanent members are selected for a two year membership, that can be from any region of the world. Now how can a small African country that is elected for just two years can make any real difference representing its region's interests, when having to deal with giants like the USA and Russia. And as we have seen from the Syrian situation, it is always China and Russia that are in disagreement with the interests of the "western" states. Not to mention that Europe is still divided in "Eastern Europe" and "Western Europe" in its regions. Why do we need permanent members in the UNSC? Are we still living in the cold war? Why shouldn't all countries rotate and rid of us of all stalemates in important decisions to take action, like that of Syria?

d) Allow all countries to be able to exploit their natural resources without the intervention of third parties, blocks, corporations or countries. The main problem is that while some countries are free to exploit their natural resources freely for the benefit of their people (Norway) in other regions the global players and powers are corrupting the national elites of a certain country with money, so they will sell out their national resources for scraps, benefiting only the political elites and those corporations/groups/countries involved.

This have happened in Africa, it is happening in Greece right now and has happened even in Ireland in the past. Why Norway is exploiting all gas and oil resources in the North Atlantic while the Irish have sold theirs and do not benefit at all? It is actually the Norwegians that exploit the Irish gas reserves. Who decided this and how this agreement was made? Why shouldn’t we allow states like Greece or Ireland to exploit their natural resources for themselves, for the benefit of their people first and then share them with their European partners? Never mind what is going on in Africa and their oil, gas, metal and precious stones reserves. How can we talk about “equality” when there are forces who promote inequality by corrupting the political elites of certain states?

e) Promote transnational organizations and formations like the EU, to promote integration and break the traditional “national” politics. In some countries like Greece, (and Ireland or Spain) politics are still decided under the influence and legacy of the divisive post civil war politics. All these countries suffered bloody and destructive civil wars that left a mark in the political life of the state, until today. There are usually two main parties that represent the two sides of the civil war and traditionally families vote according to their family’s allegiance to each side. How can we ever move on and progress with this mentality? We need a new blood of thinker politicians, politicians with a vision not an ideology.

f) Reform the capitalist system. stop the accumulation of money and power in some corporations or states or organizations at any cost. Stop the growth oriented GDP economy and focus in creating a fair society that works, not a society that knows only to consume. Control the influence of the markets and the rating agencies, pushing for growth evermore. If this “growth” means that we as a society have to go backwards, scraping all worker’s rights and quality of life of our citizens, in the name of "growth" and "competitiveness," then the heck with it. Why turn them into manic consumers that work all day with no quality of life and time for themselves and their families? Also, health and education should be free for all, and not be privatized. I agree with privatizations in other trades like the telecommunications, but as far as health and education is concerned, I believe they are a human right, not a commodity.

g) Stop the "commodification" of everything: from fish to land, plants, animals, natural resources and soon even water or the air we breath! And in a way, people themselves. When we are talking about work force and the so called "labor market" that must be flexible, non-permanent with as less social rights as possible, then we are turning humans into another asset. Any country with strong social policies is avoided by the "investors" and is considered as "less competitive!" It is heaven for them after all, to have workers that work a lot with as little money as possible. Well I think we should have some morals too when reforming our societies. How can we expect young people to create families, to start up a career or a new life, when we create unfavorable conditions for them to get a job, unless they get exploited. Just because the labor market dictates so.

Can we achieve all the above? Personally I believe that if we manage to achieve only two of those points, our societies will move to a better direction. Now where are all the politicians with a vision to push for their implementation? I am still looking to find one.

Christos Mouzeviris is the writer of the blog: The Eblana European Democratic Movement