Позитивные изменения. Тематический выпуск «Экономика будущего» (2023). Positive changes. Special issue «The economy of the future» (2023)

But let’s go back to the economy. Based on the above, we can say that the economy of the near future will be a hybrid of commercial and non-profit mode of operation, where every action will be evaluated in terms of its positive social impact, regardless of whether it is produced by commercial or noncommercial means. Since intangible spheres of activity (alone or in combination with tangible production) have immeasurably greater potential for having positive social impact in relation to the old-time tangible production sectors, these new sectors will eventually acquire greater commercial value as they are gradually incorporated into the regular economy. Eventually the new sectors based on intangible or hybrid production will gain economic independence and become the undisputed leaders of the new economy. The old, purely tangible industries (manufacturing of commodities with zero intangible value or utility) will either receive a complementary intangible module, to become hybrid in nature and get integrated into the economy of the future, or will disappear, becoming a thing of the past.

The economy of the future is the economy of mutual exchange of intangible values and tangible values that have acquired the status of manifestation or carrier of intangible values. In other words, there will be tangible things carrying intangible value, or a tangible thing will be part of a module combining tangible and intangible items that have a positive social impact or meaning to a person and/or the society. That is, all the products in the economy of the future will have an intangible module, representing their positive social impact.

The economy of the future will assign the greatest value to those products carrying intangible value that offer an opportunity to increase the development level of the humans (i.e. their qualities and competencies). These can be products in the field of information, knowledge, culture, or any other field. Accordingly, the leaders of the new economy will be those industries and enterprises that create such products.

The logic and model of the new human behavior in the economy of the future will be based on the understanding of values as products of positive social impact, that is: “I buy something that will make me better (as a person, in the sense of the development of my qualities and competencies), increase my development level and will therefore improve my financial well-being.” That is, the entire society will be working to create a more developed person, which in turn, through having all the necessary qualities and competencies, will contribute to the development of themselves and the society, thus acquiring even greater development and helping others to develop and fully supporting themselves and those around them financially. It is crucial to highlight that the development agenda is not forced or compulsory for anyone. Everything must happen freely, exclusively because of individual’s goodwill and desire. The reason is that the society understands that each person has their own development level and stage, their own development path, which they feel and identify on their own.

From here emerges an open, free economy of mutual benefit, of mutual positive impact, where everyone has their own understanding of the benefit to themselves, to the others, and to the society, and also acquires a corresponding measure:

• the personal capital – that is, the individual inner self-perception

• the social capital, that is, collective external measure – social recognition, status, social opportunities, etc.

• financial capital, that is, individual external measure – money and things surrounding that person

In other words, the more benefit and positive impact a person produces, the more capital of each type they earn.

All human and social interaction will be translated into the equivalent of positive social impact and its corresponding measure, including social and financial capital.

All products in the new economy will be assigned a positive impact index, which measures the usefulness of each product for the new human and social development paradigm. The higher the positive impact index a product has, the greater its cost, and therefore the value in terms of personal, social and financial capital. This will affect producers, sellers and buyers of these products accordingly. That is, the producers, sellers and buyers will all gain personal, social, and material capital by producing, selling and buying products with a higher positive impact index.