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Hello! I am French, I wrote the english text below. If there are anygrammar faults please let me know. Moreover, this is a summary of a text about the future of our standard of living. I don't know whether, in a summary, I can use "we" instead of "human beings" or "mankind" (?) Thanks for your answers!



This text is taken from the collected writings of John Maynard Keynes, vol. IX: Essays in Persuasion. It was published in 1972 by MacMillan but was first presented in 1928.
John Maynard Keynes (1883-1946) is one of the greatest economists of the twentieth century. With his General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money, it is safe to say that he revolutionized economics. His short term theory about the crucial role of the State in the stabilisation of the economy reached academic and political circles. "In the long term, we all dead". That is why, during economic depression, we must not wait a long term recovery; the State must intervene immediately to improve the economic situation.

However, just the once won't hurt, in his text entitled Economic Possibilities for our Grandchildren, Keynes "take wings into the [distant] future". What will be the level of our economic life a hundred years hence, that is, in the twenty first century? With his text, presented in 1928, Keynes gives a very optimistic answer. In all probability, mankind will reach "the economic bliss".

At first, the thesis and the argument of the author will be presented: thanks to technological improvement, in the twenty first century, human beings will solve their economic problems; they will not have to work anymore to survive. Subsequently, we will suggest a commentary of this text. We will show the inadequacy between this writing of Keynes and the economic situation in today's society. Then, we will wonder about the reasons of this inadequacy.





I – Economic possibilities for 21st century (or "the economic bliss")



According to Keynes, the twenty first century will be the beginning of "the economic bliss". But beyond economic matters, this revolution will have great social and cultural consequences.



A – Why mankind will solve its economic problem?



Since the sixteenth century, the economic situation of our society improves. Indeed, the progress of the science and of the technical innovations (above all during the industrial revolution) is the cause of a great economic improvement. The capital growth exceeded and keeps on exceeding population growth. The capital growth firstly affected industry but will also affect agriculture in the twenty first century. Consequently, this technological improvement made and makes our standard of life progress.

If the population growth is not too high, if there are no wars, if we trust progress of science and if the capital growth by head keep on growing, in the twenty first century (and for the first time of human life), "mankind [will have solved] its economic problem". In other words, we will not have to work anymore to survive. That is the machines, the capital that will satisfy our absolute needs (that is our basic needs as eating, covering up etc.). This situation will have important consequences.



B – The social and cultural consequences of "the economic bliss"



In the one hand, we will have to devote most of our energy to non-economic purposes. We will have to use our freedom newly acquired by doing things useful for society.

With the technological improvement, we will have to share as widely as possible the little work we still will have to do.

In the other hand, this economic revolution will lead to great cultural changes. Indeed, by solving his economic problem, human being will be able to leave his old, immoral values based on avarice and cupidity. Instead, he will create new moral values built on wisdom and virtue.