From the point of view of the owner of a medium-sized company, I would like to spread some confidence concerning clearly defined requirements for a more humane world: a more humane world, which particularly addresses the fundamental right to work. By Johannes Rahe

The German Federal President Horst Köhler called it “Vorfahrt für Arbeit” (making way for employment),(1) thus addressing a basic human need which each of us is entitled to have fulfilled.     
 
How is it possible within our society not to offer our children and young people any future prospects? How does a young person feel, not given any opportunity to enter a professional life? Mediumsized businesses have proved their worth in the past and will continue in the future to give young people in our society hope as well as help to gain the positive feeling of self-confidence.     
 
Solidarity between those who have work and food and those who can only watch from the sideline and perhaps ask themselves in the morning, “What sense does it even make to get out of bed? What is there to live for?” could be used as a positive force for change in Germany, yes, even for the whole of Europe.     
 
The idea would be to give businesses the freedom to match unexploited work resources (already dependent on public subsidies) with the willingness to train young people. The synergetic effect would be obvious: The incentive to offer more young people training opportunities would at the same time be a good opportunity for those, who were without work and hope so far.     
 
In the area of constant conflict between labor and capital, the importance of the human being is minimized; it is only money that counts. We need a way out of this dilemma!     
 
Pope John Paul I once said: “Money can be a force of great evil if it controls us, but a great force for good if it serves us.” This thought requires shared new values and demands a new life style, European coexistence, and a global world community.     
 
This is precisely what the Global Marshall Plan Initiative concentrates on: focusing on existing national and international practices, thus accelerating the introduction of a global change. A shining example are the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations, which, as sufficiently known, shall be implemented by 2015. A reorientation in all strata of our society is absolutely conceivable! Most rich people recognize that such a disunited world can have no long-term future.  
  
The poor will accept assistance in order to achieve self-help, which then leads to modest prosperity. During the process of reorientation, a crucial role will be given to Europe, because of its historical roots and its existing social systems. Europe stands for cultural variety of its countries and their people and last but not least a peaceful coexistence stretching across borders. When taking this into consideration, it becomes evident that Europe with its multiplicity of affluent countries is the hope for our common global future.     
 
For me as an entrepreneur, who does not only care for the wellbeing of the company, but also for the welfare of its employees and their families, it is no question that I am committed to cooperating towards this great, common and finally global goal. In terms of our responsibilities, not only for our children, but rather for our grand-children and great-grandchildren, becoming actively involved seems to be essential.      
 
I would like to call upon each and every one of you to actively take the challenge of the project A European Hope full of confidence.  
 
   
Reference
(1) Köhler H (2005). http://www.bundespraesident.de/Anlage/original_622851/Redebeim- Arbeitgeberforum-Wirtschaft-und-Gesellschaft-in-Berlin.pdf
(internal translation by the Global Marshall Plan Initiative).  

Source:
Johannes Rahe 2008
Johannes Rahe is owner of a medium-sized company in Germany. He is an active supporter of the Global Marshall Plan Initiative and the European Idea, due to the responsibility for further generations.