Any thoughts about a resource based economy (RBE)?

[dfgrbac]

Since I noticed this group is for discussion of economic issues, I wonder if any discussion on a resource based economy has taken place here? It seems to me we are having serious problems controlling the monetary based capitalistic system. From the beginnings of our nation there has been a constant stress between the needs of the average citizen and those who are wealthy enough to control major businesses. Wealth has a huge advantage when it comes to influencing politicians unfortunately. Any gains politically for average Americans are always being attacked by those want to channel more money in their direction. I see this as a major flaw in capitalism.

In my lifetime the excesses of "The Gilded Age" produced the crash of 1929, massive unemployment, and poverty resulting in equally massive protests often violent. Franklin Roosevelt's Administration responded on behalf of the people with strong governmental regulations to bring all this under control. And for the most part, these regulations worked well for decades - until Reagan's Administration began their total destruction - "Get the government out of our way!". Alas, we have a new gilded age with super-rich and massive unemployment or underemployment, the underemployment being people working beneath their capabilities. This resulting in the dismantling of the middle class.

Economies are meant to serve the needs of the people in general and not function just for those who have wealth and consequently power. But if one pays any attention to the daily news, it is obvious that most of the bad news we read about has direct connections with money in one form or another. Of course making laws to regulate businesses and industries can again bring this cycle under control, but business should actually be functioning to provide for the common good anyway in a properly functioning economy. And the wealthy who own these businesses will always be working to increase their profits rather than the common good.

Comments?

[NYC_SKP]

1. I reject it as a pie-in-the-sky utopian techno-vision.

Judging from the promotional materials I've seen.

I'd sooner adopt the tenets of the Georgia Guidestones.

http://www.thegeorgiaguidestones.com/Message.htm

[dfgrbac]

3. The End of The World??

I looked at the link to Georgia Guide Stones. It talks about the end of the world - really?

I'd rather plan the success of humanity than its demise. The universe is a violent place, so the end of the world could happen at any time. But that is beyond our control. The kind of economy we use is totally under our control. We are irresponsible to ourselves if we don't use the best plans we can conceive.

[danriker]

2. It is not consistent with human nature.

Human beings like competition, wealth, comfort and power. In this system, as in all systems operated by humans, some humans make decisions that affect other humans. Inevitably, some humans accumulate more power than others and most use it for their own benefit. No system can guarantee an equitable distribution of resources, or wealth, or comfort because some humans will control that distribution. It is not automatic. So, there is the possibility of some kind of central dictatorship, or a "dictatorship of the proletariat." There will be some coercion, more under some systems of government and less under others, but under none will there be equitable distribution, and there may be enormous reduction of personal freedom inherent in such a system.
Despite all its flaws, what capitalism can do, and has done, when it is properly regulated, is to create an atmosphere of incentives that cause many individuals to dramatically exert their beings, in invention, in organization, in promotion, in just hard work, to improve life in many different ways. And because this system can be so decentralized and still function well, it makes it possible for most people to achieve decent lives, and to enjoy substantial personal freedom. However, it isn't always properly regulated, and if not properly regulated, it will spiral out of control with increasing consolidation and elimination of competition, much greater concentrations of wealth and enormous disparities of wealth and income. We are in one of those cycles right now. Such cycles have existed in the past, and they have been broken. There is no reason why this one cannot be broken as well.
The system you reference is far more frightening to me, and I think far more dangerous to human freedom, than the flawed one we have now.

[dfgrbac]

4. Human nature is malleable, not cast in stone.

We humans are intelligent and can modify our behavior through reason. But we are all products of our environment and cultures. These experiences and teachings create our world views, biases, and traditions. Unfortunately our primitive pasts have sent us in many different directions through migrations creating multiple cultures across vast distances over hundreds of thousands of years. These differences make it difficult for us to homogenize our cultures to function as a whole. We need to learn to function for the good of all humanity since we are all in the same boat (the Earth). In reality everyone of us has the same needs and common interests. And we all have the same threats and dangers from nature - some of the dangers extreme. So to survive we absolutely need to learn how to live together in peace and harmony. We can do that with education and respect for each other.

When it comes to the equitable distribution of resources, we have or can create the technology to handle that. Transitioning to a resource based economy will cause some stress because it is such a different way of thinking. But that can be relieved with education and understanding. Eventually intelligent machines will determine resource needs for all purposes and the proper distribution. After everyone becomes comfortable with the RBE, government will most likely shrink to simply ensuring the protection and nurturing of our planet and our new culture. We will create a cooperative culture demoting competition to minor sports and eliminating it from other general activities. We will all experience maximum freedom without limits. Crime will be gone since everyone will have what they need just for the asking. I am describing a dynamic system that has the capacity to change as needed. There is nothing statically fixed or utopian about it.

There is no way capitalism can do that. Think about it.