How can you?

I too worry that there might have to be a strong tyrannical government to overcome the decades of anti-wealth-sharing propaganda that has good people like you accepting harmful ideas. Dematerialism has no way to create such a government; so, it must seek another, presumably democratic, way. Tonight I ran into a computer pop-up that said merely “Press here to get rid of ads” This shows that the purveyor knows I may not like the ads which offend my taste and which promote destructive consumerism. If I press that radio button, they will immediately charge my google account, though they don’t say so. An honest person might be ashamed to say “I will not annoy you with ads if you pay me”; so, instead, in the normal exercise of capitalism, he charges me according to dishonest and deceptive practices. How can you support an economy that inculcates such wicked deeds?  In my passages on axiomatic morality, we are left with a dilemma as to how to formulate morals or laws; but it's probably safe to say that any system that is chosen will discourage dishonesty and deception.

How to eliminate political corruption

 Hi Carroll, it’s me again. I do not support the Democratic or Republican parties or, for that matter, any other party. I suggest that we need a new Constitution as our present Constitution has never been satisfactory. It was written with injustice in mind. Now, I should not have to explain fractal government, democracy or demarchy, as I have written sufficiently. By now you should have read Dematerialism: . There is a link to my discussion of physically based vector currency. I expect that you will apologize to me for assuming I am the victim of some sort of indoctrination. I wish to emphasize that although I have thought of everything, I hope that others will do their share of creative thinking and discover even better ideas than those proposed by me.

Characteristics of new political economic system

 Pure democracy. The representatives of the neighborhood councils to which everyone belongs should be chosen by sortition (like juries). County councils composed of representatives of every neighborhood should choose a representative to the state council by sortition. The function of the popular vote is recall of representatives that do not carry out the council’s mandate.

The means of production are owned by workers cooperatives who are capable of selecting their own managers according to who exhibits the most talent. Managers do not receive higher pay.

In fact, a new monetary system is needed, the sole purpose of which is to ration excess resources equally without weakening sustainability. Each person is entitled to an equal share wheteher he works or not. However, he must replace only himself by procreation, assign that right to another, or not reproduce in order to share the community sustainable dividend.

That’s enough for now. In the meantime, familiarize yourself with the term chrematistics. (See the Wikipedia.)

This system prevents the rise of demagogues. A workman should own his own tools. All power resides in all people. Now work out the details. Quit whining about socialism, communism, syndicalism have this or that problem. Think about how to fix the problem. If something doesn’t work, figure out why and fix it. We have no choice. Systems that retain private profit are doomed and must be replaced. Think about what you want and how to devise a system that achieves it. That goes for conservatives too. Please realize you are not going to get rich or make a killing in the stock market. That’s over. Stock markets cannot be allowed to live on. They are nothing but gambling dens in which the house takes all. Pundits and radio talk show hosts that preach endless growth and hatred are not your friends.

Enough Is Enough

 What the world needs now is to produce fewer objects (except food). We no longer need to worry about “no one will work”. For example 2% of the people work in manufacturing. Even when outsourcing is repatriated that number probably will not exceed 4%. Men will compete for those jobs even though they entail no salary in the old-fashioned sense. People will compete for prestige, even though everyone needs to be effective to be happy, they can be happy doing what they please, which is, after all, the purpose of education.

Note

The importance of the ratio of Energy Returned over Energy Invested cannot be overstated; however, different researchers have included different items in the energy invested term. This may be satisfactory depending upon the use to which the concept is to placed; but, only the method recommended on this blog results in a ratio that can be used to determine sustainability of the technology*. 

 

* To establish sustainability, it is necessary to include some items in the energy-invested term that are normally not thought of as investments. For example, the cost of sequestering such carbon dioxide as will be produced by the energy technology under investigation should be added to the energy-invested term because sustainability requires that our society survive (until astronomical events intervene). In this thought experiment, the living expenses of every citizen who is working to keep the energy flowing and his dependents must be added to the energy invested. If his contribution is something like playing the cello in an orchestra, it may be a little hard to see the connection; but it is relatively easy to distinguish freeloaders, especially those who do nothing the purpose of which is not to get a larger piece of the pie for himself, his family, his friends, or his employer.  The cost of living of freeloaders expressed in energy units must be taken from the net energy, EX, not added to the energy invested, EI. This will be made much clearer in terms of a scientific thought experiment.

Sine Qua Non

Inasmuch as we are at the limit to growth or near it, we are now forced to adjust our lives merely to survive. Here is a rough list of the minimum that we must do.

Solve population problem.  Population de-growth is most important.

Economic de-growth is necessary too as follows:

Put an end to predatory imperialism and render assistance to those nations that need economic growth and to which a modicum of our shrinkage should go to compensate them for our misdeeds until a new equilibrium is established, after which the entire world should strive for  nearly equal sustainable economic performance globally.

Close stock markets, which will have become zero-sum games at best.

Ban fractional reserve banking.

Government must cease telling lies, which means no more propaganda especially in schools.  Instead explain to students why major changes are absolutely necessary.

Solve inequality crisis.  Replace fiat currency with resource credits distributing equal shares of the sustainable community net harvest or production with proviso about replacing oneself only, transferring that privilege, or not reproducing.   Devise reasonable way to discourage cheating.

Establish true democracy such that all the power is held by all of the people.  Prevent the rise of demagogues and natural leaders.  Sortition and fractal government are suggested.

Since reaching the limit to growth means that economy behaves like game of Monopoly, one person might own everything.  G. B. Shaw explains why anything approaching this is undesirable. So eliminate private profit by mutual coercion mutually agreed upon.  Make it easy for addicts of acquisition to quit by removing mechanisms by which they could indulge themselves.

Solve energy problem.  Establish steady state stockpiles of vital resources and regulate draw down of residuals from which the stockpiles are maintained as described in article on sustainability.

Solve resource scarcity problem. End consumerism.  In particular, end automobile culture, advertising and marketing.

Prevent pollution. Prevent waste, including waste of talent and beauty.  Prevent wage slavery.  

Establish true renewable energy technology.

Devise methods to achieve the aforementioned.