[P2P-F] Fwd: Introduction to Socioeconomic Democracy

Sat Nov 12 13:16:29 CET 2011

Coincidentally with recent replies
- I feel like emphasizing on an excerpt from this email :

" *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*. "

On Sat, Nov 12, 2011 at 7:50 AM, Michel Bauwens <michel at p2pfoundation.net>wrote:

>
>
> ---------- 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
>
>
>
>
> --
> P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net  - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net
>
> Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss:
> http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation
>
> Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens;
> http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> P2P Foundation - Mailing list
> http://www.p2pfoundation.net
> https://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://lists.ourproject.org/pipermail/p2p-foundation/attachments/20111112/af22eb43/attachment.htm 