[P2P-F] Fwd: Introduction to Socioeconomic Democracy

Fri Feb 4 11:25:06 CET 2011

fyi:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Rob George <georgecsds at aol.com>
Date: Thu, Feb 3, 2011 at 6:05 AM
Subject: Introduction to Socioeconomic Democracy
To: michelsub2004 at gmail.com, jevans at nonkilling.org

 The purpose of this Introduction to the work of the Center for the Study of
Democratic Societies is twofold.  First, it is to inform (or acknowledge
agreement with) you that there are indeed rational, just, democratic, and
peacefully realizable solutions to the world’s increasingly painful, unjust
and unnecessary societal problems.  Secondly, it is to invite you to
participate in the democratic resolution of these unnecessary interlinked
problems.

As John Kenneth Galbraith laconically observed, “The conventional view
serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking.”  Yet the mishmash of
conventional views, both amateur(ish) and professional(ish), is increasingly
being seen and acknowledged to be the root cause of society’s needless and
costly pain.

The incompatible clamor for reduction of national, state, regional and
municipal monetary debt, while insisting upon the provision of increased
necessary governmental services for the already rich or hapless poor; the
demand for reduced local crime and killings with “cost-saving” and
"deficit-reduction" police layoffs, while tolerating/advocating increased
global crime and killings with mercenary/military-industrial buildup; the
plethora of unearned bonuses of nearsighted Banksters and unconscionable
bludgeoning of necessary Budgets; the crescendo of cries for “unregulated”
personal profit possibilities attempting to drown out the chorus seeking
safe working conditions in dangerous, life-threatening and life-killing
employment; the demand for more jobs, while neglecting the onslaught of
economically efficient (and profitable, for whom?) technological
advancement; the truly sad yet farcical salary conflicts between private and
public sector wage earners, unionized or otherwise, surreptitiously
encouraged by the economically comfortable who, equipped with "theoretically
justifying economics texts" care about the welfare of neither; the
increasingly familiar statistic that the “top” 1% of most any population
controls more wealth than the “bottom” 90%, serving as a point of pride for
a non-thinking citizenry of a laudably self-interested society espousing a
contempt for a meaningful minimum wage; the increasing quibble between those
who claim raising the retirement age and those who suggest reducing the
retirement age can "help" solve the “lack of jobs” problem, while neither
side considers either the advancement in automation or the rape and
reduction in natural resources, and on and on, all add to the confusion and
deadly conflict of humanity.

Clear and unambiguous definition of these and numerous other critical
matters is, of course, essential, if meaningful progress is to be realized.
The definition of Socioeconomic Democracy, an advanced, fundamentally just
and democratic socioeconomic system follows.  It is on the basis of this
definition of Socioeconomic Democracy that a straightforward
politico-socio-economic Platform can be and has been articulated.  It is
further the case that this Democratic Socioeconomic Platform has been
adopted by a presently existing political party and is now being considered
for adoption by numerous other peacefully progressive political parties
about the globe.

Socioeconomic Democracy is a theoretically consistent and practically
implementable socioeconomic system wherein there exist both some form and
amount of locally appropriate Universally Guaranteed Personal Income and
some form and amount of locally appropriate Maximum Allowable Personal
Wealth, with both the lower bound on personal material poverty and the upper
bound on personal material wealth set and adjusted democratically by all
participants of that democratic society.

As described at length elsewhere, Socioeconomic Democracy both creates
economic incentive and provides necessary monetary funds to cause
significant reduction in an almost surprisingly diverse array of unnecessary
yet painful and deadly individual, societal and global problems.  These
problems are produced by currently inadequate, inaccurate and/or
inconsistent assumptions, theories and practices of contemporary economics
and politics.  These unnecessary problems can be eliminated by a thoughtful
and resolute application of meaningful democracy.

These intimately intertwined problems include (but are by no means limited
to) those familiar ones associated with: automation, computerization and
robotization; budget deficits and national debts; bureaucracy; maltreatment
of children; crime and punishment; development, sustainable or otherwise;
ecology, environment, resources and pollution; education; the elderly; the
feminine majority; inflation; international conflict; intranational
conflict; involuntary employment; involuntary unemployment; labor strife and
strikes; sick medical and health care; military metamorphosis; natural
disasters; pay justice; planned obsolescence; political participation;
poverty; racism; sexism; untamed technology; and the General Welfare.

A successfully functioning Democracy requires, by definition, at least a
majority of informed and thoughtful citizens participating in the political
process in a wide variety of ways, ranging from essential theoretical
developments to myriad practical activities.  Those interested in
contributing, in any sense, to the further development and realization of
the ideas and benefits presented here, which are applicable throughout the
world, are urged to get in contact with us, when you are ready.  We further
wish to reiterate our desire and determination to collaborate with all other
individuals and organizations committed to all the other necessary aspects
of the general survival and healthy developmental challenge confronting the
human race.

The following are a few relevant links connecting to material describing the
evolution and exposition of the theory and practice of Socioeconomic
Democracy:

1) Center for the Study of Democratic Societies
     http://www.CenterSDS.com <http://www.centersds.com/>

2) Socioeconomic Democracy: An Advanced Socioeconomic System
     http://www.centersds.com/thebook.htm

3) “A Democratic Socioeconomic Platform, in search of a Democratic Political
Party”
     http://www.centersds.com/dsep.html

4) “Socioeconomic Democracy: A Nonkilling, Life-Affirming and Enhancing
Psycho-Politico-Socio-Economic System”
Global Nonkilling Working Paper #4|2010
     http://www.nonkilling.org/node/20

5) “Socioeconomic Democracy: A Nonkilling, Life-Affirming and Enhancing
Psycho-Politico-Socio-Economic System”
Also appearing in PelicanWeb’s Journal of Sustainable Development
     http://www.pelicanweb.org/solisustv06n10page2robleygeorge.html

6) A list of the historical development of the ideas of Socioeconomic
Democracy, as presented by this writer, starting in 1968, is available at
     http://www.centersds.com/biblio.htm

7) A Biography of this writer is available at
     http://www.centersds.com/bio.htm

Sincerely,

Robley E. George
georgeCSDS at aol.com
 Director, Center for the Study of Democratic
Societies<http://www.centersds.com/>
Coordinador, Nonkilling Economics Research
Committee<http://www.nonkilling.org/node/7>
SocioEconomic Platform Policy Adviser, Canadian Civil Rights
Party<http://www.raphael-louis.socialgo.com/groups/profile/8>

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