Can Europe Have It Both Ways?

Europe stands at a crossroads.

On one side: a competitive economic model rooted in capitalism — focused on profit, growth, and market dominance.

On the other: urgent calls for a social contract that guarantees wellbeing, justice, and inclusion — and a Green Deal aimed at regenerating our planet and securing our future.

But can Europe truly have it both ways?

The Problem with “Competitiveness”

Our current idea of competitiveness is deeply tied to capitalism’s drive for:

• Maximizing profits
• Outperforming rivals
• Prioritizing growth over wellbeing

This logic has shaped a competitive social contract — where social policies are measured by their economic “efficiency” rather than their ability to foster community, care, or dignity.

Why This Undermines the Green and Social Deal

Because when competitiveness drives the agenda:

• Profit beats planet: Green initiatives become negotiable or sidelined.
• Social justice takes a back seat: The focus shifts to productivity, not people.
• Wellbeing is sacrificed for short-term gain: The social contract frays.

The result? A fractured Europe struggling to deliver on its promises — both social and ecological.

So, Can Europe Have It Both Ways?

Not without rethinking competitiveness itself.

What if we reframed it as:

“The collective capacity to meet human needs within planetary boundaries while building shared wellbeing and ecological resilience.”

This regenerative competitiveness would prioritize:

• Cooperation over domination
• Community wellbeing over corporate profits
• Long-term resilience over short-term growth

A New European Vision

Europe can lead by example — moving beyond zero-sum competition toward a collaborative, life-centered economy.

This means:

• Democratizing economic power
• Embedding ecological limits in policy
• Designing social contracts that value people and planet equally

Only then can the Green Deal and Social Contract truly reinforce each other — creating a just, sustainable future for all Europeans.

Europe’s choice is clear: continue the old race or redefine success for a thriving, regenerative future.

Govert van Ginkel

This article is written by Govert van Ginkel. Govert specializes in Nonviolent and Effective Communication and is active in this field as a trainer, speaker, coach, and mediator. More information about Govert can be found here. The current training offer can be found here