There is now a broad discussion of the dependence of economic growth on investments in healthy social relations, rather than treating social spending as simply a hostage to economic growth. The agenda of economic development now includes, in other words, issues of social policy. As the OECD quote also reveals, there is a political side to the equation. All of these menacing signs in economic and structures lead to basic questions about how to foster tolerant and democratic societies. Disenchantment with politics and politicians, especially those whose policies are blamed for the negative social effects of restructuring, is on the rise.
Pollsters find that the public's sense of insecurity is high, even where crime rates are in decline.
Public opinion polling as well as political behaviour display disturbing signs of anger. At the same time they hunger after more democratic involvement. There is a well grounded fear that failure to respond to these hopes will push more people into the arms of radical populists, with their manichean worldviews, and of religious sectarians, who have already taken hold of the right-wing in some places. Their politics is often one of intolerance and exclusion. There is also an ideological dimension to this paradigm shift which involves redefining the roles of markets, states and communities.