We have had many challenges to face in 2020.

Which to tackle first?

Without the traditional wisdom of a reliable business or political roadmap to guide us, where to turn for inspiration?

The daily media onslaught continually reminds us that politics, at all levels, is broken, and business leadership has been displaced by the “corporate social responsibility” brigade, far removed from their prime task of “building an enterprise”.

We see constant calls for politics to be fixed and for capitalism to be fixed, however, might I suggest that both these blockbuster items are not the problem?

Both politics and business have the capacity to “mug us” unexpectedly as we travel through life, but, as Ayn Rand said, “they can only do to you, what you let them do.”

Therefore, the problem may be us. We, as individuals, have set unachievable expectations for both politics and business. We have allowed a blurring of “what is the correct role for government” and “what is the correct role for business”?

Everything that falls outside these role specifications are things that we should be doing for ourselves.

We should adopt a position of “responsible individualism”.

If we do not, and if we allow governments (taxpayers) to take over any tasks that we (or business) should be doing, we do so at great risk! This gives government and politicians the opportunity to claim the many success stories that rightfully belong to the initiatives of individuals.

Ron Manners AO is the Executive Chairman of Mannwest Group and the founder and Chairman of the Mannkal Economic Education Foundation.