The challenges, opportunities and constraints facing future generations is the recurring theme of the Aspen Junior Fellow Breakfasts, examined from an international perspective. In this breakfast debate, it was acknowledged that Europe, despite the level of prosperity, social cohesion and intellectual output it has achieved, is progressively offering fewer opportunities than other geographical areas. The challenge in the immediate term, it was stressed, is to imbue Europe – hamstrung as it is by a governance split among many countries and various levels of government – with a “critical mass”. Today, European action is ineffective and there is difficulty in getting pan-European projects off the ground. Kissinger’s lament that “When I want to call Europe, I cannot find a phone number” still applies. Indeed, the problem has become even more complicated. Which of the many phone numbers does one dial to get a response? And just who is responsible for making the relevant decisions? There are opportunities, such as in the field of mobile health, where special efforts at cooperation between institutions, scientists, communities and businesses are called for: what is needed is the will to overcome the prevailing fragmentation. Hence, it was suggested that the first challenge for younger generations is to fortify a common vision and the single market against divergent interests of individual countries.
The other challenge highlighted as facing Europe was identified as being demographic in nature, with a need to understand the implications of an aging population for business and the social sector. In many countries, such as Italy, the wealth generated and accumulated by the older generation is, for the next generation, far greater in value than any young person can hope to produce in his/her working life. This creates a social and political obstacle: each has reasonable grounds for being more interested in protecting the prevailing situation than risking investment in the future (Italy, for instance, where household net worth is generally quite high, is a case in point). This creates a vicious circle of inefficiency, lack of competition, poor responsiveness and reduced opportunities. Reagan observed that welfare “passivizes” the poor, who, as a result of social security benefits, stop looking for work. In Italy, it seems the opposite is the case: inherited wealth “passivizes” the rich. Indeed, some sections of younger generations expect to come into their parents’ inheritance and, consequently, have a reduced willingness to take risks.
The participants observed that the challenge is therefore to be open to the possibility of making opportunities available based on merit and on ensuring a greater role for women. Political and business organizations that base their selection on merit will consequently grow stronger, whilst organizations that operate on a “who you know” basis will struggle. It is better, it was felt, to take risks and fail than defend the status quo and fall into decline. The impetus for this shift needs to come from those currently in their mid-30s to 40s. It was noted that there is a great unmet demand for leadership in Europe – leadership which must come from the younger ranks, who seem to be held back by a combination of lack of courage and passive inertia. Yet Italians have significant resources at their disposal to deliver international leadership: they are well-placed, by virtue of their formative background, to manage ambiguity and diversity, and are able to reach constructive compromises (always essential in multinational businesses). However, they also have individualistic traits that need to be eliminated, as well as a poor propensity for geographic mobility and a reduced ability to listen. It was acknowledged that the Aspen method provides a resource for understanding and exploiting opportunities that Europe must seize, through a constructive and focused dialogue between four key spheres – namely, the political, business, academic and non-profit sectors – which, despite their different motivations, must interact with each other in order to create value and a shared vision.