New Magna Carta

As readers will be aware, this year marks the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta. Nicholas Beecroft, author of Analyse West: a Psychiatrist Takes Western Civilisation on a Journey of Transformation reviewed in a previous issue, now provides the sequel in terms of his vision and strategy for rejuvenating Western civilisation in terms of beliefs, values, goals and steps to achieve them. His starting point is that we do not have the choice to keep things as they are but we do have a choice about how we respond to this time of upheaval. The default scenario will probably involve further manifestations of extremism and authoritarianism - we need to do better than that by asking a series of fundamental questions and co-creating a new future on that basis. While acknowledging the shortcomings of Western civilisation, we can also build on its strengths.

Each of 26 chapters begins with a series of questions and is broken into recommendations that are discussed in some detail. He begins from individual psychology and the way we see ourselves, moving on to values and worldviews and a vast number of issues that concern us. Among these are power and leadership, immigration and citizenship, the nature of truth and judgement, the future of religion, sex and gender issues, community, energy, medicine and health, security, freedom, rights and responsibilities, governance, media, democracy, finance and economy, environment and sustainability. In other words, the full spectrum of interrelated issues. All our challenges are magnified by the need for a transition from local tribalism and nationalism to a global humanism. Many of his proposals are eminently sensible, and readers can have their own say by visiting the website above and making suggestions for the next edition. The book is a very good stimulus for creative and constructive thought and a strong antidote to powerless cynicism.