In 2040, everyone acts upon their very best intentions for the planet and fellow human beings. “Value” is re-defined on the basis of that. Humans no longer feel the need to structure their life around activities that bring them economic value, in order to participate in this society.

Rather, equity is provided in this system, in the sense that human beings all have access to high-quality education, health care, and can enjoy further human rights, as identified in the UN Charter. Furthermore, the participation in society is valued on the basis of the contribution that individuals make to this social and ecological environment.

Focus on Human Wellbeing in a new economic system – a redefinition of economic value from GDP growth, towards social and ecological wellbeing takes place. Society is structured accordingly. This leads to a shift in the economic thinking, and allows for de-growth to occur.

New Political System – technological innovations enable transparency and new ways of political decision-making. Political power is redistributed in a way that decisions are weighed upon best intentions, and best mid-term and long-term outcomes. Political priorities are collectively decided upon, but for sure: the ecological boundaries are not crossed. It is no longer important who holds political power, since the best intentions and collective priorities are the key within the political system. Hence, the power of the nation-state considerably declines. The agenda of the United Nations is no longer determined by the national interests of the main member states, but becomes an even better reflection of the General Will (as coined by Rousseau).

Overall, I have hopes about the empowerment of technological innovations for grassroots innovation. There are many people who strive for their dreams and ideals, and it’s fascinating to see how many children at some point have the following question on their mind: how can I contribute to a better world? The changing information infrastructure facilitates a bottom-up generation of ideas in our society.

Simultaneously, I feel despair for the challenges that human greed cause for humanity. Globalisation may disfavour the world’s poorest regions and spur a concentration of social and economic wealth, while the earth planetary boundaries are crossed. This can challenge the continuation of life on earth, and necessitate drastic transitions in our political, social and economic systems. Ideally, we ensure that we can progress on these transitions, before we have to experience the dire consequences of current trends in society.