[P2P-F] Fwd: Introduction to Socioeconomic Democracy

Sat Nov 12 07:50:13 CET 2011

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Rob George <georgecsds at aol.com>
Date: Sat, Nov 12, 2011 at 12:26 PMRob George
Center for the Study of Democratic Societies <http://www.centersds.com/>
~~~~~
We respectfully desire to introduce you to Socioeconomic Democracy, an
advanced socioeconomic system which can and eventually will significantly
help to realize your, and eventually all humanity's, legitimate thirst for
universal justice, democracy, peace and well being.  We commit to being
available to you for any assistance, clarification, further general
development, and specific application you may desire and request.

We further emphasize that there are many required changes to existing
politico-socio-economic systems.  One is the definition of money and
wealth, and another is the distribution of same.  Happily noting that there
are a number of thoughtful contributors in our group to the first area of
necessary improvement, this particular discussion considers the second.

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 brutal
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, unionize 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; the impossibility of unlimited
growth on a limited planet; the so-called "Offshoring of jobs and
personal/corporate profits; the unconscionable Acts of Empire; the obscene
acts of unconscious politicians and on and on, all add to the confusion and
deadly conflict of humanity.

Unexpected (by some) or otherwise (by others), and certainly right on cue,
the enigmatic (to some) and perfectly understandable (to others), global
#OWS respectfully and emphatically struggles to present and facilitate the
necessity and inevitability of Fundamental Global Change.
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 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.

Memorably expressing his mixed emotions regarding the troubling topic, Sir
Winston did indeed observe "[T]hat democracy is the worst form of
government except for all the others that have been tried."  From Aeons
before Churchill to this day, humans and their ancestors have grappled with
the virtues and vices of tyrannies and "class warfare" imposed by
individual dictators, small groups of elites, sizable minorities, and large
majorities.

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 <http://www.centersds.com/>
Coordinador, Nonkilling Economics and Business Research Committee
     http://www.nonkilling.org/node/7

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