This article, was presented as a paper at the 4th International Conference of ASECU. The introduction makes selective reference to the various indicators used to measure economic and social prosperity. The chapter, Cooperation and competitiveness, offers an account of the complementarity of the two concepts and the extent to which they are interchangeable. The chapter, Can the countries of SE Europe become competitive?, examines the weaknesses of the economies of south-eastern Europe, as well as their potential strengths in terms of competitiveness. The final chapter, Regulation of globalization, and globalization of responsibility, explains the reasons why the globalization of capitalist markets/economies needs to be subject to rules (statutory regulation), and describes the need to pursue and achieve a 'global morality' binding on behaviour.