According to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the European Union leaders are attempting to resolve the economic crisis in the Eurozone by strengthening the European Investment Bank.

“Countries can already use EU structural funds more flexibly to help small and mid-sized businesses,” she also said. In other words, getting loans will become easier, hoping to boost economic activity. At the same time, she said that “In return, the States must meet strict conditions to the budgetary stability,” thus forcing countries into austerity. (Source: Best Finance Blog)

These contradicting suggesting only demonstrate Europe’s bewilderment when it comes to resolving the crisis. In truth, no one will be able to suggest new and viable financial policies, much less a program for resolving the crisis.

The cause of the crisis is not on the level of economy or finance. It stems from a much broader problem in human relations. The social crisis we are facing—protests, violence, depression, collapsing educational systems, colossal divorce rates, drug abuse, and the most acute problem currently in Europe: unemployment—can be cured only by uniting above all differences.

It’s not enough to tell countries with troubled economies what they must do and condition loans upon implementing the suggested measures. Those countries whose economies suffer today are precisely those countries whose citizens bought their wealthy neighbors’ products to the point of insolvency. The solution, therefore, must be one of mutual sustainability and mutual responsibility, rather than wanton consumerism. The age of consumerism has exhausted itself in many of the Eurozone’s countries, and now it’s time to implement a new economic paradigm—one of sharing and mutual assistance.

The global economy made many countries rich and many other countries destitute. Yet, it also made those countries irreversibly connected. Now, as a connected EU, Europe can rise or fall. If they choose to fight the crisis together, they will win, and the entire global economy will benefit. But if they choose to abandon the troubled countries once they are in trouble, it will have horrendous repercussions on Europe, and possibly on the rest of the world.