The Beginning of the End for the Market Economy!
A pressing question arises in light of the attempts by the state to intervene in economic and commercial activities, the return of state ownership over many private commercial activities, the reduction of private sector ownership or role, and the imposition of new restrictions on its commercial operations, witnessed across the essential economic, social, and service sectors in the United States, France, Britain, and partially in Germany.
Are these attempts aimed at undermining leftist parties from one perspective, or consolidating their influence from another? Or are they an effort to diminish the influence of wealthy elites and the growing political polarization surrounding them? Can Elon Musk be taken as a model subject to give-and-take, representing the new pattern we are witnessing in basic economic, social, and service policies? Are these fundamental state issues being addressed through reactive measures, driven by temporary political or electoral agendas at the expense of the stability and development of important economic sectors and equally vital social sectors, such as health, education, and social security, which have played a vital economic role and an increasingly significant social role?
Are we facing waves of policies based on reactive measures (stemming from personal considerations or a desire to curb competition), despite the fact that they cause structural fissures in state institutions and disrupt the stability of its economic, social, and service systems? Such trends will have immediate and long-term repercussions and risks on the stability of life for individuals, families, and society, potentially evolving later into social fragmentation, public anger, and a different consumer mood that could have been contained and reassured among the broad masses of the population, who may increasingly feel dissatisfied.
The logical question is: Where do Kuwait and Gulf countries stand in terms of being affected by or drawn into such changes in liberal countries known for adopting and defending economic and social freedoms and a market economy that allows natural growth with regulated economic freedom?
Can these transformations become evident in the banking, commercial, health, educational, and social security sectors?
These are questions worthy of being raised, discussed, and presented to decision-makers to address the matter before Kuwait or Gulf countries fall into economic, social, and service crises stemming from a series of new policies pushing toward socialism, restricting the activity and integrated vitality of the private sector, which complements national development paths. This integration between the public and private sectors was endorsed by the Constitution, and its preamble elaborated on its explanation. Does what has been achieved over the past four decades by Gulf countries warrant caution and a pause in the face of new upcoming transformations, and refrain from imitating leading countries in their reactive policies driven by political or electoral gains, at a stage when the influence of leftist and socialist parties is growing in Europe and America, with an expected electoral sweep on the horizon?
