Madam, - The present banking crisis shows once again that unless institutions within society act ethically and responsibly these edifices, no matter how grand and impregnable they appear, come crumbling down. The present crisis is can be interpreted in terms of social Darwinism, where only those institutions survive which serve the interests of the community at large. The seemingly unstoppable capitalism of recent times is a man-made institution and as such can wither away as quickly as it emerged.
We now have an opportunity to create a new model of organising the resources of the world to favour not just the few but all citizens equally.
However, narrow nationalism and fear of offending powerful commercial interests still thwart the possibilities of a new and lasting world order. - Yours, etc,
BRENDAN BUTLER, The Moorings, Malahide, Co Dublin.