Some Nuts and Bolts
Over
the past decade we at Sena Foundation, and now at Quicksilver Times, have called for radical, fundamental changes to
our economic, social, political, and spiritual institutions. It’s been a hard
sell. Seems like folks are either overwhelmed by the thought of such massive
change or dismissive of the need altogether. And there are a significant number
who just, “Hi diddle, diddle, the sky is not falling… all the live long day.”
There
are so many facets to what needs to be addressed, to how we even begin to examine
practical methods of defining and designing alternatives to hopelessly outmoded
and mortally broken systems.
But
here is a place to begin.
Capitalism
must go.
We as
a species can no longer accept an economic system based on rewarding greed, no
matter how jerry-rigged and befouled with additions and addendums to assure us
it’s fair. The fundamental concept is wrong. Basic concepts of Capitalism such
as, “What’s allowable? – Everything that’s legal,” and “Everything is legal
until you are caught,” are unacceptable.
To
justify Capitalism by suggesting that the only alternative is Socialism or
Communism is spurious.
Communism’s
failure does not suggest that Capitalism is less inappropriate.
At the
heart of the failure of both systems is greed and denial. The discussions
concerning those issues will be the subject of another blog post. They are also
a fundamental focus of a new book, White
Man Dancing – Grief God, and the Unified Theory, which is now finished and
will, hopefully be published in the coming weeks.
For
now, I ask for suspension of disbelief so that we can examine what would be
needed in a system to replace Capitalism.
1.
No Interest
Every
spiritual teacher of every major spiritual path has rejected charging interest.
No one
should make money just because they have money. You work, you produce, you own
the results of your production. We don’t need interest. It creates nothing.
2.
World Community
The
time to pretend that we live in a world of self sufficient Nation-States is
over. For one worker to be protected, all workers must be protected. Playing
one worker off another has always been a primary method of oppression. Now, in
this new millennium, every worker on the planet deserves protection. It’s not
such a revolutionary idea. We, the workers have the power. We need to learn how
to globally and equitably exercise it.
3. Rights
of the individual.
Life,
liberty, and the pursuit…. all well and good. Created Equal…with definitions of
course. Meritocracy…yes but more complicated than it seems.
Beginning with specific fundamentals –
A. Education.
Every child must have the opportunity for as much education as their ability allows. All education must be free. In addition, schools must be appraised. Placement in the highest rated schools will be offered to the most qualified students.
Minimum wages must be sufficient to allow one worker to own a home, provide food, transportation, and necessities for her/him self and/or his/her family.
C. Healthcare.
Every citizen must have the right to free
health care. Period.
D. Retirement.
Every citizen must be provided with a retirement commensurate with the standard they have created for themselves during their working life.
4. Population
Control.
To
even contemplate the creation of a just, balanced system there needs to be a
method to control the unlimited growth of population. Finite resources of every
kind require the limitation of population to a balance between population and
resource.
Overwhelming?
Impossible? Certainly understandable feelings. Especially since every issue
raises so many questions and real, concrete problems. Especially since this
bare beginning only suggests the incredible complexity of attempting such
changes. Practical Myopic Vision is needed. Too complex? If we created it, we
can change it.
Ask
Mother Jones…
love,
bill
love,
bill
