The New Middle Ages in "Modern Times"
On June 26, 2017, in hall "Oval" of the Bulgarian Red Cross was held economic forum organized by the Center for Economic Strategies and Research at BASA, on topic "The new economy and new forms of employment (cognitariat, precarious and lumpenproletariat '). Acad. Prof. Nako Stefanov was lecturer who raised a number of issues for debate on new forms of work and employment in social and creative economy in the conditions of globalization and information and communication revolution.
The lecture was attended by representatives of the scientific and business circles, as well as Mrs. Tashka Gabrovska, state expert, representative of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy.
The subject is a continuation of lecturing on world geopolitics and geo-economics in the economic forum of BASA.
In his lecture, Acad. Stefanov presented an in-depth analysis of the new forms of employment, the automation of labor through the level of technology and the transformation of knowledge into a new means of realization and a new means of work. He pointed out that in modern times the new forms of employment are 3 groups – classes. One of the groups is the Cognitive Labeled "Knowledge Workers". The oppressed social groups, the risky ones, those who could not, to some extent, enter the new high-tech conditions and fall into the social hierarchy or do not find their place in it are the "Four A" Precursor: anxiety, alienation, Anomie, Anger. Here the alienation is not related to what is seen in the philosophical works of Marx, Sartre and the Frankfurt School. This is a new type of alienation imposed by the social conditions. In the new phase of evolutionary development, the Precariate is forced to engage in an activity that is not close to him and is not part of his being. Acad. Stefanov mentioned the third "class", which is part of modern neo-liberal capitalism - the Lupenproletariat. By this name is defined the class that lives without labor and uses the mechanisms of the state for its existence. Concepts as Third and Fourth Industrial Revolutions were noticed and analyzed, Smart Society, Society 4.0, Society 5.0, The new silk road qualifying the post-industrial paradigm. In conclusion Prof. Stefanov concludes that the New Economic Reality predicts an increasing wave of unemployment and an increasing number of sectors for employment.
The solution proposed by Prof. Stefanov is to extend the leisure time of the individual by reducing working hours and working week. Using the leisure time to develop the potential of the individual in a direction in which he feels useful and experiencing the integrity of his existence, the individual will have the opportunity and time to discover or rediscover himself. According to the lecturer, in the name of humanism, society should be transformed into a new solidarity-creative society.
Prof. Mihail Mirchev, a sociologist and a professor at the University of National and World Economy, commented on the subject, noting the turbulence in society and the 4 + 1 socio-political stratum. He talks about the collapsing pyramid of society. Acad. Prof. Boyan Lalov noted that the modern world should focus on the future rather than lie on the classical paradigm of education. Academician Prof. Grigor Velev, in turn, distinguished himself from economic and sociological research for differentiation of society and explained the fact that not all ethnic communities have the same psycho-physiological features. Acad. Georgi Marinov drew attention to the possibility of the emergence of new ideological paradigms with a strong social focus. In conclusion, Acad. Stefanov summed up that modern society goes to the New Middle Ages, and Prof. Mirchev added that it was washed by "gray zones" of a public deformed hierarchy. The lecture will also be published in the "Trade Journal" (www.tradenews.bg).
The lecture is organized by the Center for Economic Strategies at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the Arts, with the assistance of the Sofia Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Orenda Top 300. A group of the best students from University of National and World Economy took part.
An Economic Forum on "Alternatives for EU Development. Opportunities for Bulgaria " will be held in October. The first reports have already been claimed.
The subject is a continuation of lecturing on world geopolitics and geo-economics in the economic forum of BASA.
In his lecture, Acad. Stefanov presented an in-depth analysis of the new forms of employment, the automation of labor through the level of technology and the transformation of knowledge into a new means of realization and a new means of work. He pointed out that in modern times the new forms of employment are 3 groups – classes. One of the groups is the Cognitive Labeled "Knowledge Workers". The oppressed social groups, the risky ones, those who could not, to some extent, enter the new high-tech conditions and fall into the social hierarchy or do not find their place in it are the "Four A" Precursor: anxiety, alienation, Anomie, Anger. Here the alienation is not related to what is seen in the philosophical works of Marx, Sartre and the Frankfurt School. This is a new type of alienation imposed by the social conditions. In the new phase of evolutionary development, the Precariate is forced to engage in an activity that is not close to him and is not part of his being. Acad. Stefanov mentioned the third "class", which is part of modern neo-liberal capitalism - the Lupenproletariat. By this name is defined the class that lives without labor and uses the mechanisms of the state for its existence. Concepts as Third and Fourth Industrial Revolutions were noticed and analyzed, Smart Society, Society 4.0, Society 5.0, The new silk road qualifying the post-industrial paradigm. In conclusion Prof. Stefanov concludes that the New Economic Reality predicts an increasing wave of unemployment and an increasing number of sectors for employment.
The solution proposed by Prof. Stefanov is to extend the leisure time of the individual by reducing working hours and working week. Using the leisure time to develop the potential of the individual in a direction in which he feels useful and experiencing the integrity of his existence, the individual will have the opportunity and time to discover or rediscover himself. According to the lecturer, in the name of humanism, society should be transformed into a new solidarity-creative society.
Prof. Mihail Mirchev, a sociologist and a professor at the University of National and World Economy, commented on the subject, noting the turbulence in society and the 4 + 1 socio-political stratum. He talks about the collapsing pyramid of society. Acad. Prof. Boyan Lalov noted that the modern world should focus on the future rather than lie on the classical paradigm of education. Academician Prof. Grigor Velev, in turn, distinguished himself from economic and sociological research for differentiation of society and explained the fact that not all ethnic communities have the same psycho-physiological features. Acad. Georgi Marinov drew attention to the possibility of the emergence of new ideological paradigms with a strong social focus. In conclusion, Acad. Stefanov summed up that modern society goes to the New Middle Ages, and Prof. Mirchev added that it was washed by "gray zones" of a public deformed hierarchy. The lecture will also be published in the "Trade Journal" (www.tradenews.bg).
The lecture is organized by the Center for Economic Strategies at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the Arts, with the assistance of the Sofia Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Orenda Top 300. A group of the best students from University of National and World Economy took part.
An Economic Forum on "Alternatives for EU Development. Opportunities for Bulgaria " will be held in October. The first reports have already been claimed.
Director of the Scientific Center "Economic Research and Strategies"