Israel's version of the French Revolution: Liberty, fraternity, creativity
Israel’s creative class has had enough. The nation-wide protest against a political system run by parasites that disenfranchises the productive classes is only gaining momentum.
By Carlo Strenger Tags: Israel housing protest Israel protest Benjamin Netanyahu Avigdor LiebermanBenjamin Netanyahu has, for many years, argued that Israel’s economy is independent of politics. Seemingly, he has a point: the driving force behind Israel’s economy in the last two decades has been the high-tech industry - responsible for more than 16% of Israel’s GDP and 40% of its exports. The high-tech industry doesn’t depend on the Israeli market, and can therefore survive any political upheaval.
Netanyahu and Lieberman think that they can have their cake and eat it too: Netanyahu’s dream is to turn Israel into a Republican Hinterland like the American Bible Belt.
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Hundreds of thousands of protesters march in Tel Aviv over the high cost of living in Israel, August 6, 2011. |
| Photo by: Tal Cohen |
Lieberman’s dream is to become Israel’s Putin, and for Israel to become an autocratic state in which citizens meekly follow the commands of the supreme leader. And yet, they hope that Israel’s economy will continue to flourish even if they manage to shut down the irreverence and criticism that they can’t swallow.
Netanyahu, and Lieberman even more, hate the liberal state of mind. It drives them crazy, because, like most right-wingers, they need citizens to be obedient and uncritical; otherwise they cannot succeed with their fear mongering. This is why they have done everything they can to shut down criticism in a series of anti-democratic laws.
But their goal of maintaining Israel’s economy thriving while shutting down criticism is illusory: innovation strongly depends on liberal culture. This much has been proven conclusively by the research of Richard Florida, an economist specializing in urban economic policies. He showed that a new social group had evolved - the creative class - that drives innovative economies, and which cities and countries around the world are eager to attract.
This class has very distinct characteristics: it is highly mobile, because its main assets are the skills that its members literally carry in their heads. They disdain living in suburbia, and prefer pedestrian-friendly environments. They choose their habitat according to very specific criteria: they seek occupational opportunities, cultural density, culinary quality and diversity, and they require the vicinity of good gyms and good coffee.
This easily leads superficial observers like Netanyahu and Lieberman to the conclusion that the creative class is shallow, hedonistic and cares for nothing but its own interest.
Either they are called sushi-eaters by Netanyahu’s party members, or Lieberman complains that they don’t leave space for him in Tel Aviv’s restaurants – something that would never happen in the autocratic Israel of which he wants to be a Putinesque leader.
To the great surprise of Netanyahu and Lieberman, what brought Israel’s liberals to the streets is their developed social conscience. And yes: most of the protesters belong to the creative class. If Netanyahu and Lieberman had eyes to see or ears to hear, they would know that liberals across the free world care for social causes, across boundaries of ethnicity and religions - boundaries which they disdain.
The creative class’ central concern is liberty and justice. It hates to do as told by authoritarian leaders – otherwise it couldn’t be creative. It generally despises the games of the political establishment, particularly in Israel, where horse-trading has gone way beyond the acceptable. They prefer being productive to the useless arm-wrestling of the power-hungry, most of whom have done very little creative work in their lives.
Up until the current uprising, it looked as though Netanyahu, Lieberman & Co were on the way to succeed in turning Israel into an illiberal state. Because the supporters of true liberty in Israel descended into political apathy in the last years, primarily because there is no party that appeals to its sensitivities.
But Israel’s creative class has had enough. The nation-wide protest against a political system run by parasites that disenfranchises the productive classes is only gaining momentum. And for them, there is no conflict between the middle class and workers: they believe that only a society built on social justice can flourish.
Netanyahu is beginning to realize that Israel’s uprising must be listened to – if only to buy them off, which he thinks is possible. Lieberman, of course, can’t live with the uprising: because the type of state he wants, cannot accommodate a creative class.
Indeed, you can’t have a totalitarian state and a creative economy. China, a while ago, put innovation into its five-year plan; it invests huge sums in trying to import innovation from the West. But the Chinese economy continues to be driven by applying knowledge that has been created in the West, because you can’t command people to be creative. Russia’s economy is in tatters, kept afloat only because of its raw-materials (largely controlled by oligarchs associated with Putin): it hasn’t managed to make a single product that succeeds outside of Russia – at this point even the leading Premium Vodka is produced in France.
Neither China nor Russia is capable of developing creative economies, because such economies require a liberal, open-minded environment. You cannot command people to be creative: you can only give them the space and the cultural stimulation that nurtures their creativity. That’s what the Scandinavian countries are doing – and hence lead in the capacity for innovation; and that’s what characterizes the liberal U.S. East Coast and West Coast that Netanyahu hates, because they don’t buy his rhetorical flourishes, as opposed to his beloved middle-American Republicans.
Netanyahu will try everything to buy off the protesters with some concessions and otherwise leave things as they were. And Lieberman will do even more to destroy Israel’s liberals and the creative class, because he knows that liberty and creativity are the greatest enemy of the authoritarian state-of-mind on which his success depends.
Last Saturday, it was clear that Israel’s mature liberals are heeding the young leadership’s call for a new Israel. But we must not delude ourselves: This uprising is the fight for Israel’s liberal character. If we don’t win it, Israel may be lost.
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Is it merely ironic, or just plain ignorant, that China and Russia are always cited as the example of ultimate totalitarian regimes and are equated with Right Wing politics. In every situation in World History where there has been totalitarianism, the beginnings of it were always a desire for "Social Justice" equated with hatred for the wealthy (creative innovators who became successful financially). It was always the wealthy, the educated, and the creative, who were massacred first, along with dissenters from the ideology of social uniformity which is really what Social Justice ends up being about and it is always the liberal anti-establishment Left which forwarded the uprisings. China and Russia are the perfect examples of how Social Justice as an objective fails every time; and stifles all creativity because all incentive is taken away. It ends up trying to enforce sameness. By nature, humans are creative beings, and each unique. Equal means the same. We may be and should be equal in a court of law, but in everyday reality our "un-equalness"; our unending variety of talents and attributes, and varying degrees of success, is what sustains our rich and vibrant societies. Our societies already help the poor greatly, more than at any time in human history. Social Justice is really a cover up for saying that those who have should give it to those who don't. In Ethics of the Fathers it is said that those who say "What is mine is mine, and what is yours is mine, this is a wicked person". This is what Social Justice is really about. It is envy and greed on the other foot.
Strenger gladly displays his lack of knowledge about China because he is one to try to shape the world to reflect his beliefs. Seeing how extremely paranoid he is (Lieberman wants to be Putin) I can only feel sorry for him.
But, Carlo Stenger, where are "the Aristocrats, á la lanterne" in Israel ? In Tel Aviv, Haifa, Jerusalem ? Or, are you speaking about a "vulgarized french revolution" - a revolution for the entertainment of the people? Unless equality, the real, the complete one, is in question, it seems to be a surgar-sweetened "revolution à la caviar".
Another article demonstrating stupidity from arrogance. It isn't from living in an ivory tower it is a willful self-deception
creative liberalism is fine as long as justice does not become treason. Justice is propaganda for the Pal cause, at least nobody accuses Lieberman of treason. But the whole muslim world complains about him. that at a minimum shows that Lieberman has his heart at the right place.
Binjamin Netanyahu is such an American politician- he spent enough time in US to talk the talk and walk the walk- Yonathan Netanyahu was an Israeli Zionist . The kibbutzim Israelis were different from today's mostly American West Bank settlers (in US pioneers). Israel even in the worst of times was extremely creative, literate,cultural (multicultural in its right meaning- speaking different languages,different Jewish cuisines and Gebaeck- Kaesesahne Torte ,Aepfelstreudel, Russian blinis. Israelis were not in the ratrace- living was cheap, doctors were the best,soldiers did their duty, they were mensche, all this has changed since Olmert. Golda Meir ,was so very authentic; and she was from US. In Israel it used to be the Law and the melting pot of diaspora Jews; the Rebbes in Jerusalem. For professionals- there are 12 billion mouths in China needing denatal care in almost every form and affordable medicines for worldwide clientele.
Israel is given billions of dollars each year to spend in Israel on "research and development". In addition, America has regularly given Israel many billions in loan guarantees. If this isn't enough, America steers business to Israel as we saw in the Turkish drone deal, as well as a number of deals from Egypt and other nation. Added to this, the American government invests directly in some Israeli busnesses. The Israeli economy has been on life support for so long that Israelis don't even seem to realize it.
Carlo, you are the man who tells it like it is! Keep up the good work! Your writing is indeed creative!
Infrequently, but with great regularity, the genius of Israel's creative sons and daughters pays off, in medicine, technology, Nobel Prizes, contemporary literature, etc. Unfortunately, Israel's dullard leaders are too absorbed hammering out seas of brass, iron domes, and restrictuve laws defending their authoritarian soapboxes to appreciate what is happening in front ot their very noses. Tomorrow: they will be left behind.
Why is it that the liberal democracies are going bankrupt everywhere?
I had just about given up hope for beloved Israel; but Strenger came through again! Every sentence a terrific commentary!
USA is the best country, therefore, because of its good universities and museums, silicon valley and Hollywood. The Bible Belt is only one part of america. It is nice to think that the urban professionals will lead the next generation of Israel.
Liberty, Fraternity and Creativity - all of it fused into a common cause - provoked by a shared disillusionment and frustration over having been cheated by the government of the just rewards of their labor and not having received recognition of their contributions to society. The most peaceful revolt in history - so far. Let us hope it will continue in that vein.
Everyone who commented so far seems to miss the point that this whole article is sarcastic and simply making fun of Israeli politics and what's going on with the protests. Why else compare it to the French Revolution - a very bloody overturn of power? Why else say something blatantly absurd like "Netanyahu's dream is to turn Israel into a Republican Hinterland like the American Bible Belt?" Or that "Lieberman’s dream is to become Israel’s Putin?" Either Strenger has a very narrow and extremely negative view of Netanyahu and Lieberman or he intended to be snarky. Then he goes on to talk about the creative class (in a very ludicrous way) and a study that has been "proven conclusively," which is something that any economist knows you can't do. Additionally, his description of the creative class is farcical, as well as what he says about China and Russia. I'd continue to pick apart the article, but my point is clear by now.
Netanyahu/Lieberman may be losing control of the gov't. Also, enjoy the report of investors attacking tycoons in the market.
It could not have been said better!
China, according to a student in China, does not encourage or teach innovation. Religious fundamentalism and the Bible Belt hinder science education in the USA. The liberal cities would be more open to liberal education and science education, maintaining good universities and museums for the general public. USA does lead in technology, but lack of local qualified applicants, opens opportunity for those from abroad.
The association of this protest in Israel with the French revolution in itself shows the complete lack of knowledge from the author. And given that the French revolution just turned France into a bloodbath with a dictatorship and a broken state in the end is enough to distance anything from it, but the author seems to like the French revolution.
It is difficult to believe that many hi-tech people are involved in the protest. These people tend to be very well compensated, so that they would not notice a high cost of living. Strenger uses the term "the creative class" after mentioning the high tech industry, creatively creating the impression that hi-techies are the people he is discussing. This cannot be true. The "creative class" participating in the protests may be artists, and other well educated people who are not well compensated. Leaders of movements often come from the educated class. A well-known example is Moses (the Lawgiver.) The other day, Knesset Speaker Rivlin stated that he feared the next elections result because the protesters were the type of people who used to vote for Likud. (He meant Sephardim, typically not high earners.) This indicates to me that many protestors are not of the “creative class” but of the low economic stratum. These people are not liberals, but they may vote against Likud as a way of punishing Netanyahu for his free-market policies (blindly imitating the US). Strenger may get what he wants, but the causes will have nothing to do with his analysis.
Who is paying these parasites to demonstrate? What is driving up prices of housing are foriegn owners who don't live in Israel and rent it out to tourists.
dear jj, please show me where strenger mentions housing. it is safe to assume who show contempt for creativity and therefore can not think about more then you own short cummings.
was a disaster...there's a reason that the current France is the fifth incarnation of the republic. this is not an autocracy, and we do not need a radical overhaul of the system, change and reforms are necessary; revolutions in democratic societies take them one step forward and 2 steps back.we do not need to take france as an example.
the ones who took the country one step forward and two steps backwards was the government! Nobody is about to send Liebermann & CO to the guillotine, but surely into retirement and pretty soon too to save what still is to be saved!
I WISH THE PROTESTERS SUCCESS. BUT HAVING OBSERVED OUR COUNTRY FOR THE LAST TWENTY YEARS, I SEE VERY LITTLE HOPE.
The author is half correct. He is right with regard to Lieberman's model not being conducive to creativity. He is WAY WRONG on holding up the Scandinavian model as the great incubator of creativity. That is the deserved place of America, when it didn't impose crippling taxes on the creative class. The kind of welfare state tax regime advocated by the left is as stifling to creativity as Lieberman's totalitarianism.
The 'great incubator of creativity' is about to get what it's uncreative entrpreneurs truly deserve: another great depression. Bring on a worldwide famine and we are back to black Tuesday, 1929. Somalia points the way, bigger and bigger monopolies are the vehicle, and a new generation which thinks the depression is ancient history is the guide. American republicans are trying to run government as though it were a profitable business, which it ain't, never was, and never will be! The consequence is disaster.
unless it finds a political party or creates one it will be ineffective. housing, cost of living, helping minorities, are deep problems, and one can't pretend they are not political. 300,000 people in the streets means millons at home believe Bibi has failed. the absurd announcemtn of more building in jersualem will be a wild provocation to the Palestinians, and boost world disapproval of Israel's mindless policies at this time.
to do it these people must get into a government positio, that means that the present government has to be toppled!
Someone was reading too much of his own BS.
Anyway, description of China is off. China is very clever about allowing whatever liberalism will benefit their economy, and there is a rapidly growing class of extremely successful entrepreneurs in China. They steal technology from the West when practical, but they are also starting to become an economic menace on their own.
You are missing Carlo's point. Being a successful entrepreneur means you are successfully adopting the neo-liberal capitalist way. It mind mean you are a shrewd businessman. It does not mean you are a creative thinker.