fyi:<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Rob George</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:georgecsds@aol.com">georgecsds@aol.com</a>></span><br>
Date: Thu, Feb 3, 2011 at 6:05 AM<br>Subject: Introduction to Socioeconomic Democracy<br>To: <a href="mailto:michelsub2004@gmail.com">michelsub2004@gmail.com</a>, <a href="mailto:jevans@nonkilling.org">jevans@nonkilling.org</a><br>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span> <br>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">The purpose of this Introduction to the work of the Center
for the Study of Democratic Societies is twofold.<span>� </span>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.<span>� </span>Secondly, it is to
invite you to participate in the democratic resolution of these unnecessary
interlinked problems.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">�</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">As John Kenneth Galbraith laconically observed, �The
conventional view serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking.�<span>� </span>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.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">�</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">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. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">�</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Clear and unambiguous definition of these and numerous other
critical matters is, of course, essential, if meaningful progress is to be
realized.<span>� </span>The definition of
Socioeconomic Democracy, an advanced, fundamentally just and democratic
socioeconomic system follows.<span>� </span>It
is on the basis of this definition of Socioeconomic Democracy that a
straightforward politico-socio-economic Platform can be and has been
articulated.<span>� </span>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.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span>�</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">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.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span>�</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">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.<span>� </span>These problems are produced by
currently inadequate, inaccurate and/or inconsistent assumptions, theories and
practices of contemporary economics and politics.<span>� </span>These unnecessary problems can be eliminated by a thoughtful
and resolute application of meaningful democracy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span>�</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">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.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span>�</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">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.<span>� </span>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.<span>�
</span>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.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span>�</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">The following are a few relevant links connecting to
material describing the evolution and exposition of the theory and practice of
Socioeconomic Democracy:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">�</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">�</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">1) Center for the Study of Democratic Societies</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span>����
</span><a href="http://www.centersds.com/" target="_blank">http://www.CenterSDS.com</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span>�</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">2) Socioeconomic Democracy: An Advanced Socioeconomic System</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span>����
</span><a href="http://www.centersds.com/thebook.htm" target="_blank">http://www.centersds.com/thebook.htm</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span>�</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">3) �A Democratic Socioeconomic Platform, in search of a
Democratic Political Party�</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span>����
</span><a href="http://www.centersds.com/dsep.html" target="_blank">http://www.centersds.com/dsep.html</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span>�</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">4) �Socioeconomic Democracy: A Nonkilling, Life-Affirming
and Enhancing Psycho-Politico-Socio-Economic System�</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Global Nonkilling Working Paper #4|2010</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span>����
</span><a href="http://www.nonkilling.org/node/20" target="_blank">http://www.nonkilling.org/node/20</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span>�</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">5) �Socioeconomic Democracy: A Nonkilling, Life-Affirming
and Enhancing Psycho-Politico-Socio-Economic System�</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Also appearing in PelicanWeb�s Journal of Sustainable
Development</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span>����
</span><a href="http://www.pelicanweb.org/solisustv06n10page2robleygeorge.html" target="_blank">http://www.pelicanweb.org/solisustv06n10page2robleygeorge.html</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span>�</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">6) A list of the historical development of the ideas of
Socioeconomic Democracy, as presented by this writer, starting in 1968, is
available at</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span>����
</span><a href="http://www.centersds.com/biblio.htm" target="_blank">http://www.centersds.com/biblio.htm</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span>�</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">7) A Biography of this writer is available at</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span>����
</span><a href="http://www.centersds.com/bio.htm" target="_blank">http://www.centersds.com/bio.htm</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span>�</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span>�</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Sincerely,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span>�</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Robley E. George</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span><a href="mailto:georgeCSDS@aol.com" target="_blank">georgeCSDS@aol.com</a> <br>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Director, <a href="http://www.centersds.com/" target="_blank">Center for the Study of Democratic Societies</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Coordinador, <a href="http://www.nonkilling.org/node/7" target="_blank">Nonkilling Economics Research Committee</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">SocioEconomic Platform Policy Adviser, <a href="http://www.raphael-louis.socialgo.com/groups/profile/8" target="_blank">Canadian Civil Rights Party</a><br>
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