We need a political Einstein to formulate a sustainable socio-economical paradigm

After the fall of communism, socially softened capitalism remains the globally dominant socio-economic model. The capitalistic paradigm (in diverse forms) has significantly reduced global poverty over the past 60 years, lowering the poverty rate from over 50% to below 10%.

However, the capitalist paradigm at the base of our socioeconomic order relies on continuous physical growth, making it inherently unsustainable (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-022-01652-6).

Without an alternative system, we face increasing polarisation on environmental, political, and social issues: environmentalists demand sustainability, mainstream politicians lack a path to a sustainable future without loss of wealth, and extremist populists mislead vulnerable populations.

In the early 20th century, classical physics faced an existential crisis.  Giants like Einstein, Bohr and their contemporaries formulated the paradigm-shifting Relativity Theory and Quantum Mechanics. These shifts were not mere problem solutions but paved the road for nuclear energy, space exploration, information technology and artificial intelligence.

Similarly, we now need visionary minds in politics and economics to establish new paradigms for sustainable societal order with potential impacts on global stability, economic equity, and environmental resilience.

(*) A sustainable society must live on a < 1 ton CO2e/capita/year energy consumption by 2050 (www.unep.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2022), one-tenth of the current Western World per-capita turnover