The big problem is Western governments stopped actually doing anything sensible around 20 years ago. Maybe the advent of the internet and instant, short-term soundbites, attention grabbing 'policies' that never worked or materialise, from one election to the next it's been all about headline grabbing and satisfying a public that has developed an ever-diminishing attention span. Want this now, want that now, if don't get it kick up a stink. Energy should have been sorted long term. The ageing population the same. The £6 trillion pension liability [UK], should have been addressed. The trendy approach to food production across Europe. The almost collapse of the [uk] health service. The huge debt mountain of Western democracies. The almost complete cessation of service delivery in the [UK and other nations] civil services and public departments. And it hasn't even begun..