ABSTRACT
This chapter sets out the global economy context. It asserts that the global economy is all pervasive, affecting the lives of everyone on the planet, from the largest urban conurbations to the remotest villages. We all have skin in the game of the global economy. No one should be in any doubt about this. The global market economy has lifted millions out of poverty. Yet there are appalling economic disparities. This has led to unexpected political consequences, since the financial crash of 2007–2008, including the election of Donald Trump and Brexit. The chapter looks at the rapid rise and influence of social media companies on the world, and the phenomena of “fake news”. The chapter also looks at the impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including Artificial Intelligence, potentially affecting jobs and the lives of millions. The chapter concludes by asserting, again, that human motivations, person by person, group by group, society by society, as much as “impersonal forces”, play a critical role in the march of history. The need therefore is not just for a “conscious capitalism” but also a conscience-based capitalism.
