Economics Uncovered

Economics is a social science which, at least in theory, offers a wide array of mechanisms for managing the planet's resources and meeting the needs of its inhabitants. But just as the use of language is rarely neutral, so the various organizational and wealth-redistribution models proposed throughout history tend to conceal the fact that they are rooted in certain ideologies, worldviews woven into the variegated fabric of personal and collective decisions. What for some are basic tenets of individual freedom—the freedom to accumulate wealth or follow certain patterns of consumption—for others represent inequalities, high costs of varying nature, as well as threats to future generations.

The vocabulary of economics has become universal. Talking about or making use of economics is no longer a privilege reserved for the temples of knowledge or priests of the market. Necessity or alibi, technological progress and global communication have created a world where economics determines our daily behaviour. Each camp deploys its favourite arguments of persuasion or coercion, while often failing to reveal the hidden springs and potential side effects.

Understanding economics, discovering how it works in each place, learning to distinguish its mechanisms and applications and determine whether they serve the greater good or exacerbate personal inequality, appealing to growth or wondering how far is too far—all of these actions are essential to developing survival strategies, preserving and restoring ecosystems, adopting environmentally-friendly modes of production and consumption, and transitioning to renewable energies. Economics also serves—or should serve—to universalise all human rights without discrimination, to meet our needs for freedom and political participation, for food, healthcare, education, culture, work and housing in a wholesome setting where the environmental costs of our actions are taken into account.

This exhibition offers a thought-provoking exploration of several paths by which we can reach our most cherished goals as individuals or as a society. The itinerary also unveils mysteries and crannies, hidden or latent, in the fulfilment of our personal and collective ambitions—in a word, economics.

The texts and maps included in this exhibition are based on the content of the Atlas de Economía Crítica published by Le Monde diplomatique (Spanish edition).

In connection with the show, a lecture series will be organised in October and November 2017.

Curated by: Le Monde diplomatique (Spanish edition) and Fundación Mondiplo