IN SEARCH OF REALITY XV


Suggestions for a Change-Over





A Study in Thought





by





Marius Heuff

@M.Heuff

Chapter 1

Content

Practical suggestions for the change-over to a world community.
The problems of cynicism and superficial enthousiasm.
The careful debate.
Consequences of a deep, permanent and deliberate economic recession.

Let us try to give a few practical suggestions for the laborious and monumental tasks ahead of us, if we want to avoid a catastrophic collapse of existing social structures. We have to outline a series of practical steps, if we want to direct the forces of human existence towards global justice and a situation of essential equality.

It would be a meaningless platitude to start lamenting, that such a change is not easy. We have to find this ill-defined and elusive attitude, which lies between a hopeless pessimism about the enormity of the contemplated task of changing the world, and a surge of ecstatic enthousiasm for the principles outlined before. The latter is likely to lead to a flurry of attention, and, perhpas, a quick and hasty attempt to start the Great Reformation. Neither attitude will be able to accomplish much, in spite of the fact, that either response is more natural and logical than this elusive, middle-of-the-road approach with its tenacious realism.

Yet, the pessimistic and optimistic reactions may well contribute to a preparation of the more profound evaluating and planning actitivities that are required, if a measure of success is to be realised. Actually, how can we expect anything else, but an initial response that is severely critical, or, even cynical, pointing to the frequent reformation attempts of historical times. There have been many reformers before in the history of mankind, and, the failure of so many philosophical and religious attempts to improve the world, has engraved a strong sense of doubt, that human nature, or human history, can be changed by man`s good intentions.

These attitudes are logical, but they show two common misconceptions. On the one hand, it is erroneous to conclude, that we can not change the course of history. Many decisions have been made in the past, often by one man, which have changed the course of history, decisively, on many occasions, whenever a major battle was won or lost. On the other hand, we do not really try to change human nature at all. We are only trying to understand human nature better than it has been understood before, and, we are trying to realise the potential of human nature, more fully, than has been possible in the past. We make these efforts in the firm belief, that we can manipulate the conditions of our existence to our satisfaction, whenever we know, exactly, what we need and want.

In the early phases of recognising a valuable idea, the emotion of beauty, associated with an experience of recognition, is likely to lead to a flash of enthousiasm and a somewhat simplistic eagerness to get-on with the job. This results always in disappointments and a loss of faith in "The Cause", whenever difficulties mount, and hope is shattered as the expected results do not materialise.

However, it is true, that we can only learn the need for perseverance, after we have experienced the agony of a dashed expectation. Indeed, we need these contrasting attitudes of doubt and enthousiasm as a basis for discussion, and, the exchange of hopes and doubts should prepare the way for a solid intellectual or conceptual foundation, that will, eventually, make the slow, persistent and massive changes possible. Slow and massive changes are going to take place in any case, but, unless we understand ourselves, and, unless we know what we want, we will have no significant input into these changes.

The attitude of pessimistic doubts about the possibility to establish a harmonious world community, will be a valuable, cautionary damper on the quick enthousiasm of the early convert to such ideas, and, the infectious enthousiasm of a young and exuberant generation that recognises the validity of these ideas, will be the energy and lubricant necessary to make a balanced approach to a new world order, a reality.

What sort of changes can we expect to take place? Can we expect these changes to give rise, eventually, to a reasonable level of harmony between individual people, as well as between the societies of mankind and their natural environment? It would be naive to try to speculate about a specific chronology of events, or, to attempt a precise forecast of these changes, because it is not possible to foresee all the factors that are playing a role, nor is it possible to guess the relative strength and importance of these factors and force-fields.

The changes may take so many forms, and may go-on, simultaneously, in such a large variety of events, that it would be nearly impossible to generalise, or, even, enumerate all the changes that may occur. We should not forget that societies and their environments are always in a state of flux. Societies and their peoples are always changing, because they are always subjected to force-fields of one kind or another. However, the rate of change, as well as the nature of the changes that are taking place, may vary widely, from one moment to another, as well as from one location to the next.

One of the most important changes that will take place, whenever societies are indeed moving towards a state of global integration, is a widespread agreement about, and a general acceptance of, a particular way of looking at ourselves, together with a set of practical behavioural guidelines promoting a genuine feeling of justice and equality amongst a large majority of the people.

Before we can expect such a widespread agreement, extensive discussions will have to prepare the way for an overall understanding and acceptance of these ideas. These ideas may not have been formulated with as much precision and cohesion as is needed. Nevertheless, most ideas, that will, eventually, become part of a globally acceptable philosophy, have been around for a while, even, if they have been disjointed and scattered, here and there, over a large number of ideologies and beliefs.

We are trying to bring these ideas together, and, we hope to show, that these ideas can be translated into realities. We hope to show, that these ideas can function as a useful and realistic guidance pattern for our individual and collective behaviour. These are the aspects we are concentrating upon in this essay.

Let us assume, that a gradually increasing awareness of the importance of these concepts and ideas will, indeed, lead to a stimulating debate. The debate will be, first of all, between those, who feel that most of these ideas are worth considering, and those, who reject many of them as erroneous. Rejection of these ideas will, probably, be based on a combination of various sentiments; partly, because they are considered naive, and, partly, because the ever increasing government involvement evokes a feeling of aversion in those, who are less than totally convinced that governments can, and should, involve themselves so intensely with matters of individual human existence. Many people will feel threatened, in particular those, who are successful and ambitious, and, who have worked hard, played hard, and, probably, connived hard to reach the goals of wealth and power they were after.

Many successful people are likely to be horrified about the ideas we have proposed, because these concepts undermine one essential certainty and security successful people tend to take for granted; nl, the unquestionable truth of the statement, that human nature flourishes only in a competitive environment, and, that all human achievements occur as the result of a long and, often, ruthless struggle.

Let us not underestimate these people. They represent a powerful and significant segment of the population. They have been brought-up with the ideas of free-enterprise, and, this group of struggling individualists will look upon the concepts of increasing equality and transparence with an emotion of discomfort, as well as a mounting suspicion that "big government" is given, once again, a dictatorial mandate.

To those of us, who see some merit in the ideas that have been discussed, I would like to sound a warning. Let us not fall into the trap to consider those, who oppose and denounce these ideas, as our "enemies". It is such a natural temptation to do so, but, if we allow ourselves to be emotionally stimulated into a dislike for those, who reject our ideas, we will only go back to the same age-old patterns of behaviour, where conflicting ideologies lead to polarised attitudes and mutual incriminations, as we try to succeed by force. This should be avoided at all costs.

There will be many criticisms of the concepts and ideas we have outlined before, and, we should take these criticism very seriously. We should consider them in detail, in order to see, whether or not we have overlooked important considerations; whether or not we have failed to discuss these ideas with sufficient clarity to avoid misunderstandings. Over a period of years, continuing debate and communication will formulate, slowly, specific plans for action, which small groups can start to carry-out in consultation with each other. In this way, an idea can become a globally accepted philosophy, and, it can be translated, eventually, into a practical plan for a deliberate program of change.

It is important to acknowledge, that a frugal lifestyle of harmony and justice will bring-about severe disruptions of the economic momentum we all rely upon, and, such an economic disruption will mean severe social tensions and hardships, as we try to adjust to the needs and pressures of the future. The moment we hear our opponents say, that these ideas, if implemented, would cause massive unemployment, we have to agree with them, and, we have to be able to answer, with concrete proposals, how we would lessen the impact of the hardships caused by a deep economic recession.

If we are told, that our national sovereignty and local initiatives are going to suffer, let us answer, that we are prepared to sacrifice a measure of local or regional sovereignty for the sake of an efficient and non-corrupt world-government. If we are told, that we are relinquishing our hard-won liberties and are sliding into a bondage to the State, let us explain, again, patiently, why human liberties and obligations, as well as the mechanisms of development and differentiation, are only possible within the guarantees and shelter given by a just and equitable social environment. Let us repeat the arguments in favour of integration and compromise, of transparence and trust, and, let us recall the horrors of conflicts and wars.

If someone tells us, that we live in a utopian dream-world, let us answer, that our critic lives in a real nightmare of war and pollution, and, if we are told, that human nature will always assert itself in a competitive struggle, let us point out the many misconceptions we still have about human nature.

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Chapter 2

Content

The permeation of ideas; early work in small groups.
Diagnosis before change.
Computerised information of a global inventory.

Debate, reflection and discussion, as well as the refinement and correction of many ideas, will be the initial phase that can lead us to a new world order. Large communication`s networks, such as global radio and television broadcasts as well as computer networks, could be used to promote a discussion of these ideas, and, such discussions may, eventually, bring agreement about the way we see ourselves and the way we want to live.

A global penetration of these ideas, as well as the remarkable efforts needed to make a discussion on a global scale possible, will provide vast amounts of work for those, who are anxious to channel their energies into concrete activities. The desire to do something is a natural result of youthful enthousiasm and idealism. In addition to the hard work of communicating effectively, many local groups can begin to compile the information of their particular environment, which will be needed to build-up a comprehensive inventory of natural and human resources. These small action-groups should also document the type of social structure that exists locally, including the degree of harmony and justice, as well as the tensions of disparity and conflict. There will be sufficient work for everyone who wants to participate, without, necessarily, embarking upon ill-advised and counter-productive adventures of an over-zealous reform.

As a general principle, we can say, that the activities of small groups should be directed in such a way, that a thorough understanding and familiarity is reached about the overall objectives as well as the prevailing circumstances. Local activities should fit into a pattern of development that encourages the emergence of a global community. For example, an inventory of human resources should include an assessment of the level of education and insight, as well as the implementation of individual human rights and the provisisons for individual and collective security.

These small action-groups, scattered all over the world, could start to file reports about the level and content of the local cultural guidelines and educational programs, the spread in living standards between the wealthy and the poor, as well as the rights and obligations of individuals in their particular social environment. They could document, how well the law is being applied, and, how fairly the members of society are being treated by their leaders; how much corruption is going-on, and, what kind of government is in power, Indeed, what are the cultural traditions and local beliefs upon which a social environment has been based? What are the common belief structures, and, how do people perceive their realities? What are their aspirations and expectations?

Again, it becomes clear, that, before we try to make any changes in even the most glaring deficiencies or inconsistencies that are obvious to an outsider, we will have to understand the "local culture". We have to understand the attitudes of the people and the needs of the community. What we have accepted as desirable, as the optimum way of life for us, or, as the only way to make changes, may be completely alien or incomprehensible to another community. Our well-meant, but misguided attempts to bring enlightenment or our particular brand of social salvation to an apparently deprived or backward community, without thoroughly understanding the beliefs and aspirations of the people, is a mistake and an injustice, leading to tensions, anxieties and unhappiness, as well as a severe set-back for the goals of global integration.

Let us concentrate, therefore, certainly in the first few decades, on compiling truly informative and expert summaries of the numerous societies and ethnic groupings living on our planet, so that we can all form a clear and comprehensive picture of the world as it exists, now. We should, then, be able to get comparative studies about the way people, all over the world, live, think, produce, consume and inter-react. We should be able to find out, to what degree the earth`s resources are being depleted, polluted and exhausted, and, what kind of Constitutional Guidelines the various governments make use of; how miserable, poor and oppressed some people are, and, how opulent and wealthy, others.

It is obvious, that all these data have to be handled by a network of information-gathering centers that are linked together via a network of computers. Only then, are we able to ask all kinds of specific questions, and receive detailed answers, at the touch of a computer terminal. Then, we can use this comprehensive data-base of categorised information as a foundation for future discussions and decisions. This objective is already a gigantic task that will require a lot of work, as well as a vast complex of sophisticated instruments, which will, eventually, be linked into a global network of communication-channels, enabling each one of us, anywhere in the world, to obtain accurate, unbiased and up-to-date information.

Of course, human judgement will determine the input into the computer network of information gathering and distribution, and, this input will have to be changed and up-dated continuously. By "unbiased", we mean, that we can get a picture of the world`s human and natural resources, area by area, and, we can obtain quick and accurate analyses, comparisons, correlations and projections, which will give us, finally, a truly comprehensive foundation for the diagnosis of the ills of mankind. Then, we can begin to chart the therapeutic measures necessary to obtain a healthy, world-wide standard of justice and well-being.

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Chapter 3

Content

The ideals of objectivity, competence and completeness in the gathering of information.
The slow decline of secrecy in social events.
Voluntary restraints in consumer demands.
Difficulties with public ownership.

Obviously, complete and accurate information, means, that it is not slanted by omissions, or biased in its selections or interpretations. It means, that no group, or individual, can use the information to obtain an egocentric benefit through blackmail or unfair manipulations. The availability of large amounts of objective facts or data, will allow us to discuss problems far more rationally compared to a situation, where we have to rely upon impressions, rumors or local beliefs and interpretations.

If we would, indeed, be able to build-up an accurate, comprehensive, global inventory of our living conditions, as well as the varying institutions of government, (including inequalities in living standards, as well as the rates of consumption and pollution that are taking place), we would have few difficulties shaping an informed and effective way to correct injustices and disparities, because a solid diagnosis suggests its own therapy by logical extrapolation.

Let us not underestimate the enormity of the task ahead. Even the construction of a computer network allowing us to build-up such an inventory of knowledge and information, may well take many decades of persistent efforts and persuasive arguments, in order to convince the various governments, all over the world, to embark upon, or help with, the construction of such a computerised inventory of human and natural resources. The benefits would be mind-boggling, and, our national or regional governments would benefit greatly from the availability of such information, because the tasks of planning and governing would be so much easier, and, the increased efficiency and benefits of government operations would enhance their prestige and confidence a great deal.

As a result of these activities, we should, already, see a lessening of secrecy in government transactions, and, if government activities and decisions become, in turn, part of the information banks of our computerised networks of global information, it should help everyone in a position of responsibility, including our own governments and leaderships, to streamline decisions and activities into a greater degree of efficiency. By gradually reducing the practice of, and reliance upon, secret dealings, the trust of the people in each other and their governments will slowly rise. Governments will also become a lot less expensive to run, and, these computerised data-banks will facilitate expert government influence and control over programs and projects that are of interest to the society as a whole.

This inventory of globally accessible knowledge and information should include the natural and human resources of the more important commercial enterprises and industries. By removing the existental anxiety for job security and making the spectre of unemployment less dreadful, we will facilitate a smooth trimming of the inefficient and redundant bureaucracies in governments, industries, labour unions and managerial personnel; in short, social mechanisms will be more efficient, wherever they are taking place.

At the same time, there has to be a solid public awareness of the need to reduce wasteful lifestyles and gluttonous consumptive habits, and, such an awareness may already prepare us for the economic changes that are coming. By voluntary restraint, as well as the boycott of all superfluous articles and services, people in affluent nations may well start to create a change in this economic momentum upon which we still rely so heavily at the present time.

Governments will increasingly intervene in the economies of their freely enterprising nations, and, this practice will prepare them to become more efficient and familiar with the skills needed to run industries and services effectively. The emphasis by private corporations on profits will shift, gradually, to a much broader field of concerns, where the long-term needs of society start to take precedence over the short-sighted objectives of immediate financial gain.

Eventually, large, privately owned corporations will cease to exist as enclaves of capitalist objectives, and, they will blend, smoothly and gracefully, with the many institutions of government serving the public, until we realise, at some time in the future, that the debate between private versus public ownership has ceased to be relevant. Just like the individual, the corporation will flourish with a greater degree of diversification, if it can operate without the continuous existential anxiety of financial profitability, but, it will have to acknowledge its allegiance to society, just like the individual, who recognises where his rights and security of existence come from.

Again, let us not underestimate the difficulties to guide an economy through public ownership. Unless we have a good idea where we want to go, and, unless we, as the people, make sure, that our leaders have the technical abilities and expertise to run the business of government effectively, (and guide the economic mechanisms without corruption), we will only see an enormous increase in the level of incompetence and redundancy. This would be a powerful argument in the hands of those, who would like to dismantle the networks of social organisation and interdependence, and, who would like to revert to individualistic, competitive and freely enterprising activities.

Serious failures, hasty decisions and ill thought-out actions, will seriously harm our efforts. We have to know, with a great deal of precision, what the results of our actions are likely to be, and, if we are not sure, we better think and study again. However, once we have made a clear diagnosis, and, after we have agreed amongst ourselves about the objectives to be obtained, we can chart, confidently, a course of action, and, we can put, patiently, the machinery in place for making effective but careful changes. Let us work, persistently and tenaciously, in order to reach our objectives with a sense of realism.

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Chapter 4

Content

Contradictory hopes and beliefs in consumerist societies.
Egocentric power-plays of social sub-groupings.
Increasing expectations and financial enslavement.
Inflation; the limits of rising living standards.
A scramble for the final resources.
Consequences of the depletion of resources and the exhaustion of the buffer capacity of terrestial eco-systems.
Confused stimuli in Capitalist societies; spend and conserve.

Let us look, for a moment, at the remarkably contradictory hopes, beliefs and expectations we have, especially, as members of an affluent society. We expect our level of consumption to rise continuously, regardless of need or quality of life. Our societies are fragmented by large, special-interest groupings, such as unions, lobbies and professional organisations. Through a process of "collective bargaining", unions negotiate every few years a new labour contract in the hope to catch-up with "inflation", which is a chronic and, sometimes, disastrous devaluation of the currency of a society. However, unions, or any group with the power of a monopoly, are also tempted to take as much as they can get from the "economic pie" by using the power of collective "strikes", or work-stoppages. These work-stoppages or "industrial actions" are directed, increasingly, against the society and its institutions, rather than against privately owned corporations and industries.

Some countries have adopted legislation that provides for an automatic adjustment in the level of wages and salaries, whenever the cost of living rises as a result of inflation. While such a technique does not address the basic reasons for the devaluation of a currency, (and has a tendency to make inflation worse), it is one way to protect the most vulnerable segments of society, the lower middle classes, from the ravages of inflation. This policy tends to reduce the spread between the various social strata, and, it reduces the temption to grab an unfair advantage by the power to strike at the heart of society and paralyse the essential functions of an important government bureaucracy. However, we tend to forget the non-unionised workers, the elderly, and others, who are living on small, fixed incomes or pensions, as well as all those, less powerful members of society, who get squeezed in the powerful confrontations between big business, big labour unions, and big government.

Rising debts of governments, corporations and individual consumers alike, rising wages for the working people, rising salaries in governmental and industrial bureaucracies, rising demands for an increased power to consume, are rampant in every segment of a restless society. All these forces lead, inevitably, to price increases, reduced competitiveness on the world markets, and a reduction in the value of the currency, as the international money-markets start to lose confidence in the economic performance and financial wisdom of a society that is ravaged by inflation.

For a while, productivity can be raised by increasing automation and more efficient assembly-line techniques, but such an intensification of the methods to increase worker productivity, leads to unemployment, as well as dissatisfaction with the job the factory worker has to carry-out on the assembly line. In spite of the higher productivity of the worker, the rising ranks of the unemployed still have to be clothed and fed by society, and the corporations need a large and freely spending public in order to keep their cash-flow going.

Governments tend to benefit, at least initially, from a process of inflation, since the taxable returns progressively increase, as people move-up the income ladder. Secondly, governments gain financially, because government borrowing is repayed with a currency that has less real value than the currency that was borrowed.

Bureaucracies tend to proliferate rapidly, as more and more agencies are needed to administer the various government programs of public works, local development programs, welfare and unemployment insurance schemes, as well as the ever burgeoning bureaucracies of health and education. Government spending, spurred-on by the people`s demands and the campaign promises of elected politicians, always rise more steeply than the growth of the nation`s economy and tax-revenues.

Since the government relies heavily on tax-revenues to finance its cumbersome bureaucratic machinery, as well as its many spending programs, it considers, with dread, any sign of an economic recession and a high rate of unemployment. Such developments lead to a reduced revenue for the public purse, and public discontent always blames the government for not doing enough, yet, seldom, if ever, is the clamor of public discontent a voice that is coherent in thought and direction. Almost always, it becomes a cacaphony of divergent demands, which coalesce, occasionally, into a vituperative abuse of a common scapegoat, who is then considered to be the source of all social ills. Unfortunate, indeed, is the politician, or the ethnic grouping, who happens to become such a target for public anger and frustration.

In addition to tax-revenues, governments can also put "new" money into circulation via their central banks; in other words, the governments can "print money", almost at will, and, there is always a constant influx of money into the economic machinery of a nation. The idea is, that it is permissible for the money-supply to rise in view of a sustained growth of the country`s economy. The money is then backed, not anymore by a reserve of gold being held in the bank`s vaults, but, it is backed by the community; the collectively produced "gross national product" of a society. It is hoped, that a judicious and carefully controled rate of money coming into circulation, will help to stimulate a sustained rate of growth, and yet, prevent prices from rising too rapidly, or, the currency from devaluating too quickly.

As long as it is possible for an economy to keep growing without much of an effort, and, as long as we can add to our national wealth by relatively easy harvesting techniques of natural resources, (or, if we can keep cheap raw materials coming-in from the lesser developed nations), then, we can, indeed, let the standard of living rise for most people, without the need to work harder, and without the need to cut-back in another direction of consumption.

However, we are becoming increasingly aware of the fact, that those easy ways to sustain economic growth are being exhausted. The availability of easily mined resources is quickly diminishing, and the lesser developed nations are resisting, ever more vigorously, the economic exploitation they have been subjected to by the affluent nations.

The increasing impoverishment of the terrestial eco-systems, as well as the contamination of lakes, soil and river systems by industrial waste, the devastation of fertile soil by short-sighted agricultural techniques, the rapid exhaustion of petro-chemicals and other easily obtained energy-supplies and raw materials; all these developments show us, clearly, that the period of easy economic growth has ended for good.

However, in the affluent West, a generation or two of affluence has led the people to rely heavily upon the desirability, and wisdom, of a consumerist lifestyle. Values are, most often, expressed in the degree of affluence we hope to reach, while we climb the ladder of social prominence and economic achievements. Our expectations have been fueled by the continuous exposure to advertisements, and the practice of living on credit The twin developments of rising expecations and credit-buying have been stimulated by commercial interests. As a result of the habit of living on credit, or, rather, on the anticipated earnings of tomorrow, rather than what we have earned today, corporations, as well as individual members of the public, have become dependent for their survival upon economic growth. Unless we keep the money coming in, we are going to lose all our possessions, as well as our way of life. This is the reason, why many of us have mortgaged our future for the sake of affluence, now.

We would, literally, collapse in our world of credits, mortgages, loans and large production outputs, if the wheels of the economic machinery would slow-down to a painful recession. Therefore, all governments and most individuals in the affluent societies, (which are nations that depend for their way of life upon a continued economic expansion in a free-enterprise system, or, rather, a mixed economic system); all affluent nations are placing a priority on economic stimulation. At the same time, they keep an anxious eye upon the phenomenon of inflation, trying to keep it within generally acceptable levels. Too large an inflation-rate in the economy of one of the members of an integrated world economy, tends to disrupt the gigantic, interrelated financial interests that are now being developed by loans and investments.

The expectation to recover from self-induced financial burdens and social tensions by a never-ending spiral of economic growth and consumerist demands, is a philosophy that has been elevated to a religion by a world-wide worship of the god of affluence. Yet, growth in one direction has to be paid for by a reduction in the level of consumption in another direction, unless we collectively decide to deplete the earth`s resources at an ever increasing rate in order to maintain the momentum of economic growth.

The practice of "neo-colonialism" applied to a type of growth that was obtained by exploiting someone else`s resources, while not actually governing or "owning" this society. This practice is, finally, on the way out. The lesser developed nations are becoming more aware of what has been happening. Their populations are becoming more vocal in demanding a fair share in the quickening pace of human consumption, and it is logical, that we see, at the present time, a frantic scramble for the remaining frontiers of the earth`s natural resources. The petro-chemical and mineral wealth of the less accessible regions of the arctic and antarctic, together with the continental shelves, as well as the resources of the open seas and the deep sea-beds, are being claimed by the coastal States in a feverish expansion of territorial jurisdiction. As a result, the wealth and resources of the oceans are becoming a target for competitive strife.

How long can we keep dreaming about satisfying all our rising economic expectations? We are trying to grab an ever larger slice of a static, non-expanding pie, and, the implications are, simply, that internal competition for what is left of the economic pie, will quickly heat-up to the point of belligerent confrontations. We will see, not only, conflicts between nations, but also, a violent strife between groups within society, who are demanding, ever more stridently, a "just" part of the economic pie.

We see, already, how the militancy of many groupings is rising, as the prospects for almost automatic increases in the standard of living are rapidly diminishing. This militancy is fueled by an intense suspicion, that other segments of society may be gaining an unfair advantage. Mutual suspicion is rapidly mounting, as the secrecy of businesses and governments tends to undermine the public trust by hints of corruption and vague indications of incompetence and mal-practice.

Yet, we still pray to the gods of economic recovery to restore social order and sooth the people back into their dreams of economic prosperity, and, we advocate, at the same time, an increase in production and consumption, as well as attitudes of moderation and conservation. We tell the people that time is running out for our wasteful habits of luxurious living, yet, in order to stimulate this old war-horse of economic expansion, once again, we keep telling the same people to keep spending everything they earn, and, even, the income they have not earned as yet.

There is a deep dichotomy, a schizophrenia in our modern societies, where the confused babbling of economists, government officials, concerned conservationists, politicians, corporation managers and union leaders, are all telling us the same basic contradiction; "spend more, but conserve, stimulate the economy, but keep inflation down". How can we keep sitmulating the economy, if there are limited possibilities for real growth, and, if we infuse more money into the economy than is justified on the basis of the rate of real growth, how can we avoid inflation?

Our objectives remain confused, therefore. We have not been willing, so far, to face-up to the reality, that we have to abandon our attempts to always stimulate the economy. On the contrary, we have to deliberately decelerate our economies and our living-standards to such a level, that we are not depleting the earth, anymore, beyond the level that can be sustained indefinitely, and yet, we have to ensure that all human beings enjoy a basic, frugal, but healthy standard of living.

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Chapter 5

Content

The possibilities for a wise and frugal management of resources.
Wasteful transportation methods; planes and big cars.
Unnecessary products and job redundancies.

Once we have compiled comprehensive inventories of natural and human resources, we should be able to project, accurately, the rate of depletion of these resources. Most likely, we will have to throttle back our consumption to such a degree, that, even a thousand years from now, there will still be large amounts left of those precious, non-renewable resources. This means, that oil and gas should not be used anymore for heating or internal combustion, Within a few decades, we should only use these petro-chemicals as a source for making durable goods, and not the cheap, throw-away plastics of today.

Generating electricity by burning oil is the height of wasteful folly, but, even the internal combustion engine of the private automobile and the wasteful jet-engines of air-planes, have to be phased out. Look at this enormously expensive network of air-lines around the world? Who needs all those planes? Why should we continue to use these fast flying machines to transport us? The need to travel for business will diminish significantly with the recognition, that business transactions can be concluded much more efficiently with tele-communications. The renewed emphasis of economies all over the world on the conservation of energy, will reduce the need for air-transport to a remarkable extent.

Who needs to travel by jet anyway? For a holiday? These extra-vaganzas are on the way out, as the need and desire for a more frugal lifestyle will become generally accepted. Many air-lines, planes, large air-ports, as well as all the expensive empty seats of this luxury business, will largely disappear. Sure, there will, eventually, remain a genuine need for some form of air-transport, but it will certainly not be the same form of air-travel we see now, with its wasteful consumption of precious fossil fuels and the pollution of the air with exhaust fumes and loud noises. The end is coming for all the support industries of the flying business, each with their own reasons for expecting, and hoping, that the public will be willing, and able, to take to the air in ever larger numbers; to go where, to do what?

The lifstyle on the North-American continent has been dominated by a luxurious and wasteful use of all kinds of consumable goods, in particular energy, based on the combustion of fossil fuels. Slowly, this lifestyle is changing, at least, to some extent, but the adjustments are painful, because so much of this all-important economic momentum is based on a maintenance of the status-quo, with its giant auto manufacturers and their supply-industries. The change towards more fuel-efficient cars is coming, but we are a long way from reaching a level of energy-consumption that is equitable in global terms, and could be sustained almost indefinitely.

The consumption of fossil fuels by the automobile is horrendous and almost completely unnecessary. Whether the future world-community will be able to allow private ownership of a motorised vehicle for personal use, remains to be seen, and, questions like these will form the basis for an on-going, world-wide dialogue to determine, what degree of affluence the peoples of the world will be able to afford.

In many areas of the world, the private car will not be necessary, as we are able to develop efficient and comfortable public transportation, especially, when a sufficient population density makes the development of public transportation economically justifiable. It is likely, that more efficient batteries for electrical cars will open-up the possibility to use small electric vehicles for private transportation, for shopping or for travel to and from work, in particular, when a cold climate and long distances make the use of bicycles impractical for long periods during the colder seasons.

We may also be able to develop small but clean-burning internal combustion engines that do not have to rely upon fossil fuels. It certainly is technically possible to substitute gasoline and other fuels originating from natural petro-chemicals, with a fuel that comes from a renewable resource. Energy conservation, as well as the conservation of all the variables of our environment upon which we depend for our existence and well-being, will be a necessary attitude of concern, especially, if we want to bring stability and harmony to the societies of mankind.

At no time should we see a resurgence of large automobiles; those heavy gas-guzzlers, which are still so prevalent on the American continent today. They function as a symbol of pride and waste, of status and folly. In the transition period, we should markedly reduce the number of car-models, so that we have a few economical, mass-produced automobiles to choose from. These small cars will represent good value for money, are durable enough to last a lifetime, and, they will be easily repaired by the interested and somewhat knowledgeable owner.

If we do not have to contend, anymore, with the perpetual need for high production levels and the existential anxieties of manufacturers and car-dealers, locked in deadly competition for the money of the consumer, we should be able to develop a few, well-engineered cars that serve the needs of the people, rather than the insatiable appetite of the economic colossus, and, we would be able to avoid, to a large extent, the problems of smog and air-pollution, fuel rationing, ever more expensive repairs and operating costs, as well as the severe drain upon our resources to produce and run these cars.

If we take a close look at the myriad of unnecessary products and services that are now on the market in our affluent societies, we see, clearly, that a really general return of the public taste to a simple, healthy, frugal and wise life-style, would leave a very large percentage of the workers, managers and industries, out of work. A return to sanity is often a painful process, but we know, that we have to make a change into this direction, if we want to live beyond tomorrow. The severe upheavals that will inevitably result from a dramatic shift in lifestyle and consuming habits, will require a competent and compassionate leadership to make sure, that hardships are born equally, and, that justice is upheld.

An ever increasing government control over the economy with its many industries and corporations, is an inevitable trend and may turn-out to be a beneficial development for us all, if we make sure, that our leadership is capable to handle all these complex problems. Yet, the bureaucracies themselves will become much leaner and more efficient, and this means, that unemployment in the industrial sector can not be solved by putting people into jobs that are, in essence, redundant or superfluous.

The problems of unemployment can only be solved by accepting the principles of near self-sufficiency, (as we will discuss later in this essay), together with the concept that work is a privilege; not a right or a duty. Besides, the increasing problems of pollution, contamination and environmental control, will open-up many opportunities for people to be meaningfully employed in the service of society, but, the idea to profit handsomely from such activities will have to be firmly discouraged.

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Chapter 6

Content

The problem of unemployment in the frugal society.
Return to the country-site and self-sufficiency with some assistance.
The importance of education and the flow of information in the "new society".

What are we going to do with all those people, who have lost jobs in a society that is, finally, acknowledgeing the fact, that most of these jobs had already lost their significance a long time ago? It is absolutely necessary to provide every member of society with basic guarantees for a decent existence, regardless of the ability to find work, before such changes can take place with a measure of fairness and social acceptance. A minimum income is necessary to dull the edge of existential anxiety, and, to make this transition period possible and humane; a period, here, compressed into a few paragraphs, but, in reality, requiring, probably, the lifetime of a few generations.

The disappearance of a large part of presently existing business and bureaucratic institutions, reduces the need for people to be clustered in large cities, which has complicated our modern way of life and has made life far more expensive than is necessary when people return to the country-site. If there is no need for people to fight the rush-hour traffic on their way to work, the need for, and use of, automobiles would be markedly reduced.

By re-settling in the country, many people would be able to construct a simple home for themselves, probably, with the help of a few people of the local community, and, with some financial assistance from the government. Such a policy would encourage nearly universal home ownership; not the ownership of luxurious estates, (which are, so often, show-cases of private debt and Capitalist prestige), but a simple, functional, yet private domain for the citizen and his family, where he can relax and chat with his friends and neighbours.

People in the country-site will help tilling the communal gardens, as well as their own, because they will realise, better than ever before, that even the basic necessities require a certain effort, in spite of the fact, that most of the rural communities will receive some assistance from the larger society in the form of energy-supplies and basic commodities.

People will free themselves from the senseless drudgery of their bureaucratic or factory existence, but they will soon become bored, unless effective local organisations help the unemployed victims of the former societies of affluence to re-orient themselves to the new outlook and way of life. People are being helped to see life on earth in a balanced perspective of scientific concepts. They will be supplied with many details of our contemporary realities and awarenesses, as well as a philosophical overview of the nature of human existence, and, perhaps, a feeling of religious fulfilment about the meaning of our human existence.

Education will be the key to success for transforming the affluent societies of today into a viable world-community, because the superfluous adults will have to find a new meaning in the drastically shrunk world of production and bureaucracy, while the younger generations have to learn how to continue and consolidate this process of transformation and the never-ending search for long-term viability. For those, who are willing and able, countless opportunities will arise to participate in shaping the new world-order. After an initially bewildering period of adaptation to the rapidly changing circumstances, the newly found values, as well as the renewed sense of direction, will lead to a concerned attention to the many problems of safeguarding our existence.

Soon, people will be able to participate in monitoring certain aspects of air, water or soil conditions, because our vigilance against further environmental deterioration will assume an enormous significance. Others will be able to take part in local projects that are designed with the guidelines of the new society in mind, or, people can be helpful in building this gigantic network of communications we are going to need for education and decision-making.

There will also be a net-work for the distribution of electrical power, (almost certainly based on high-voltage transmission lines of electrical energy obtained from solar funaces), as well as road-ways and a rail-road system with electrically energised locomotives, forming transportation links on a continent-wide scale. These networks of transportation, power and communication links will form a system of social "blood vessels". They form the arterial supply-lines and neural communication-links of a new, globally integrated society of mankind.

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Chapter 7

Content

Difficulties of the transition period.
Economic sense, and the possibility to guarantee universal implementation of basic human rights.
The injustice of inherited wealth and power.

However, let us not indulge, here, in speculations about the nature of a future society. We will discuss these aspects later, when there appears an appropriate moment to do so. Even then, we prefer to speculate about trends and developments that may take place whenever we have the collective will to choose viable options, rather than to predict what is actually going to happen in terms of specific events. Let us concentrate, for the moment, on the difficulties we will encounter, as well as the precautionary measures we will have to take, once we start to change, seriously, towards a lifestyle of global equality in a frugal, but essentially healthy standard of living.

We have to deal, first, with an important question, that will arise in the mind of every reader, who has followed our arguments, so far. The question is this; if the business world collapses into a deep recession as a result of the voluntary or forced withdrawal of all kinds of consumption, the tax-revenues for government expenditures will also be severely reduced. How, then, can we expect such a financially crippled government to provide a basic income-security for everyone, in particular, since such a large percentage of the people will be without work, or, at least, will not be participating directly in the production processes that are necessary to maintain a standard of frugal health? We have to answer this question in detail.

Let us acknowledge, that such a fundamental change in our social order and way of life, will, indeed, result in a dramatic lowering of the standard of living for everyone in the affluent world. Our goal will be, initially, to ensure, that no-one in society starves, and, that everyone will be reduced to a similar standard of living. A basic guaranteed income, means, that every member has the right to live within a specified minimum standard of consumption, but, at the same time, every citizen may be called-upon to contribute to society according to his or her abilities. This is an age-old principle of social organisation, which has allowed many societies in the past to rise after a devastating war or a natural disaster.

After this initial period, when we have learned, once again, to live within our collective means, we have to be careful and make sure, that the existing equality of existence and the pioneering attitudes of confidence and hard work, are not forgotten, again, as soon as the next generation is able to take it a little easier. In practical terms, this means, that we have to control, carefully, the range of living standards we can allow ourselves, because we can only prevent the ever-present danger of class-divisions, if we channel ambitions, and the ability to work hard, into other avenues than the accumulation of private assets and spending powers.

While it is understandable that anxious parents would like to see their children benefit from the fruits of their life-long efforts, I feel, strongly, that any social structure that sanctions, by law or custom, the possibility for a member to transfer to their offspring a significant amount of wealth, lays, once again, the foundation for social stratification and class-divisions. Equality of opportunity, means, just that, and, this principle will be violated, from the start, if some children can start their rise through society with the inherited advantage of having wealthy parents. What is more fair, than to start life in society with an equal opportunity of material benefits? This is something we can regulate, and decree, (with the help of the laws of society), and, it conforms to the natural principle of essential equality, which applies to all creatures who have been born as healthy members of their species. Only in the human society, with its cultural and legal regulation of property rights, do we see this anomaly, that children may be born with a great material advantage, just because of the good fortune to have been born from successful and wealthy parents.

We can not ensure complete equality of opportunity and capabilities for every human being, because we can not regulate, nor should we try to regulate, the different genetic endowments people are born with. Already, the offspring of the successful members are likely to have a genetic advantage; by having been born from successful parents. In addition, they receive, in our contemporary societies, better opportunities for education and social contacts by virtue of their social position at birth. Why, then, should we add to these substantial advantages, the advantage of inherited wealth?

Even a quick survey of historical precedents will reveal the almost universally disastrous results from a situation of inherited wealth. Very rarely, are rich heirs equal to their parents in ability and industry, and, a family may consider itself fortunate, if the following generations are able to just hold-on to their privileged position. Often, the decay of mental and moral strength, (which comes, so often, with inherited wealth and privileges), leads to disgusting manifestations of a diseased human mind. There is no reason at all to transfer the hard-won privileges of successful parents to their children, and, there are a number of very good reasons, why all possibilities of inherited wealth and prestige should be resolutely abolished.

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Chapter 8

Content

Limitations in the spread between poverty and wealth.
Control over corporations and their profits.
The need for careful ideological preparation by persuasion.
Motivations.
The world-wide distribution of electrical power.
The consequences of deflationary policies and necessary adjustments.

Let us return, now, to our main concerns. The differences in income between people should be within carefully designed limits, and financial well-being, or "affluence", should never become a reason or motivation to work. Then, we will eliminate the sequestration of unnecessary assets by those who are wealthy, and, by taxing progressively any individual, or corporation, who does accumulate assets beyond what is needed, we will mobilise significant financial and material resources that can be re-distributed by a competent leadership.

Many corporations are now almost inaccessible and inscrutable in their fortresses of secrecy, and, they should be examined and scrutinised, carefully and openly. Enterprises that survive the economic demise of the affluent society, will come under government control, in order to ensure, that their operations are beneficial to the society at large. Their profits, should be completely disclosed, as should the income of everyone else in society. There is no reason, why our incomes and financial assets should remain a secret. Openness in financial status and the possession of assets is going to be a major weapon in the fight to restore mutual trust, and, the painful transition to a frugal society may, then, become a reality, without the need for revolution and bloodshed.

If a society decides to replace the forces of supply and demand with a system of providing goods and services according to the needs of society, the leadership and the governmental agencies will have to take full responsibility for the planning and guidance of all economic activities, and, the leadership has to make sure, that competence, efficiency and accountability are maintained in the many industries which have then lost, by and large, their existential anxiety to remain alive. Private profitability as a spur to performance in work is going to be replaced by a pride in common objectives, as well as the well-being of us all. Regardless, how irrealistic and naive such an attitude may seem in our times, the alternative to a development in this direction of common concern, away from private profitability, will lead, inevitably, to crippling strife, chaos and destruction on a very large scale, indeed.

If we are able to acknowledge, that the care of our parents and the support of our families have been crucial factors in giving us the opportunity to become successful members of society, why, then, should we not be able to recognise, that the care and support provided by society to each individual youngster, will allow these young people to develop their abilities and unfold their personalities and potentials? If we grow-up with the feeling or intuitive judgement, that our parents have been selfish and negligent in their care towards us, or, if we come to the conclusion, that they have been confused and inconsistent in their attitudes and behaviour patterns, we will feel no affinity for them. We will not be grateful and generous towards them, and we may, even, despise them.

Our attitudes towards the society and its leadership will not be any different. If we feel, that the leadership is selfish and incompetent, we can only feel a sense of suspicion about any government intrusion in our lives, but, if we could feel a sense of genuine gratitude and allegiance to the society we grew-up in, and gave us the possibility to become what we are, we will be confident and enthousiastic for any opportunity to contribute to society and its leadership.

This means, then, that the acceptance of Socialist Ideals has to be earned by the social leadership, before the transition to a society of equal opportunities can take place with full consent of the people. If a large segment of the population remains suspicious and sworn to boycott and sabotage, the fragile and intricate atmosphere of trust and interdependence will not be viable. We see, then, invariably, a polarisation of opinions and attitudes, leading to severe confrontations and armed conflict. We have to accept the fact, that we can not bring the attitudes of mutual trust and understanding with the force of arms, and, we have to accept the fact, that it is futile to enforce upon a society, changes it is not ready to accept.

You may ask, again, how it is possible to get people to work efficiently and with enthousiasm, if the principle of private profitability has been eliminated, and, I tell you, as I have done before, that it is erroneous to see man`s main motivation or ability to work hard and efficiently, as a desire for profit. We have seen, before, how healthy and active young people are a veritable bundle of surplus vitality, begging for a chance to channel their energies into socially acceptable avenues.

If this energy can be channeled by giving them, first, a solid background and insight into the problems of mankind, and, if we give them, then, the responsibility to start working on a few of these problems, I am sure, that such a generation of well-motivated people will consider work to be a privilege. Once the basic anxiety of having to make a living has been eliminated, the members of society will recognise, that society is the real life-giving institution upon which their existence and security rest, and, they may become well-motivated in doing something for this society, in particular, when people realise, that they have a say in the direction of social development, as well as an existential interest in keeping society functioning properly.

We have touched upon the need to reduce our energy consumption, not only, by cutting-out wasteful habits of driving big cars, generating electricity by burning oil, and burning oil to heat our homes, but, in particular, by eliminating those numerous unnecessary industries and their products which clutter our modern societies. Nevertheless, certain energy-requirements will always exist, and, the most easily distributed form of energy is high-voltage electrical power. However, the source for such electrical power will have to come, primarily, from large solar furnaces, set-up in desert areas, where steam-turbines generate millions upon millions of kilo-watts to be distributed over large areas, and, where the condensed steam may help to irrigate dry desert areas. We have to keep a watchful eye upon unforeseen changes in the balance of climatological force-fields, when we prevent large areas of the deserts from being heated by the sun, but it is likely, that we may, indeed, convert large amounts of solar radiation directly into electricity without running the risk of severe climate changes.

Probably, we will have to supplement such a primary method for energy-production with other sources of energy, such as nuclear fusion, hydro-power, tidal power, wind and wave action, etc., but, each form of energy-production will create its own problems, including problems of waste-disposal. The only safe disposal of long-lasting, intensely radio-active waste seems to be to transport such waste to the surface of the sun, but the energy requirements for such a system of disposal may be prohibitively large.

If a marked reduction in economic activities does, indeed, take place, we will see, in addition to the massive upheavals of unemployment and bankruptcies, that the relative value of many products and commodities will change dramatically. As a result, the value of money may also become unpredictable. Certainly, if our leaderships become far more responsible in their fiscal management, and, if they finally abandon the erroneous idea that the money-supply and debt-load can be increased almost indefinitely, we will see, that inflation will come to a halt and the value of money may increase sharply.

Many adjustments and corrective measures will have to be taken during these turbulent, transitional phases, in order to ensure, that the level of justice keeps rising, and, that wind-fall profits for any particular segment of the population are dealt with, immediately and fairly. We keep coming back to the conclusion, that our leaderships and government institutions will require all the information they can get in order to react, swiftly and appropriately, to the many changing aspects of individual and collective existence. It does not seem appropriate, here, to try to be more specific about the adjustments that may have to be made. So much will depend upon what is going to happen, in what direction social evolution is going to take us, and, which problems seem to be the most pressing and important at any particular time.

The general principles have been outlined. We know the direction of our adjustments to change, because we know, now, to some extent, what circumstances and attitudes have to prevail in order to retain viability. Within a few generations, the thought of maintaining human viability on a massive, collective scale, will always be close to our conscious awareness, and, the time has passed, for good, that we could exploit and consume, thoughtlessly; with the innocence of a natural abundance and a childlike unconcern about the consequences for the future.

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Chapter 9

Content

The balance between individual variability and private assets.
Private assets as a tool for the development of the personality.
The need for competitive debate and meditation.
Human freedoms and the scope of variability.
The importance of vigilance against complacency.

Perhaps, the time has come to explore, more in detail, the relationships between individual variability and the ownership of private assets. Let us discuss, first, the concept of variability in the functions and characteristics of individual members, and, let us see, to what extent such a variability would be possible under the protection and guidance of a large and well-organised society. Secondly, we should explore the degree of private ownership and privacy in our individual existence, which are necessary for the harmonious personality development and behaviour patterns of people, who have to live within a closely-knit and crowded social environment. We have mentioned, before, that a properly organised world-wide society would allow the individual an undreamt margin of freedom, together with unimaginable opportunities to realise his or her potentials, as well as adequate private property and shelter. All these features are so necessary for individual unfolding and a contemplative awareness about the essence of our existence.

We certainly could not expect such a global society to remain viable, if we failed to provide the individual human being with an opportunity to develop the philosophical wisdom and insight necessary to evaluate and understand these complex social phenomena on a world-wide scale. Unless we encourage contemplative insights with wide-ranging and generalised conceptual structures, nurtured in the quiet surroundings of a pressure-less solitude, as well as the invigorating debates of people who are genuinely interested in each other`s points of view, we will surely lose the intellectual and emotional capabilities to guide a world community of mankind in wisdom and tolerance; with strength and flexibility.

Man needs the nourishing contacts with his fellow human beings, just to become a personality; to learn a language; to learn to behave in an acceptable manner, and, we have sketched in the past some of the conditions necessary for the harmonious development of childhood and adolescence. We know, that we need certain conditions in order to become a viable and contributing member of the social environment. Yet, at the same time, we need, also, a measure of privacy. We need a place, where we can be alone, for a while; where we can relax and think, in order to digest our experiences and unwind.

The need for privacy and solitude for meditation, differs greatly from one individual to the next, but most people would certainly need a certain degree of private shelter to lead their daily existence, to bring-up their children, and to be themselves. Certainly, people are very similar, in essence, but, we are, nevertheless, unique personalities. We all have slightly different patterns of belief and behaviour, and, we all differ, somewhat, from our friends and neighbours in the way we think and live.

Even in the most harmonious and idyllic societies, we will have to recognise the need for a certain degree of temporary solitude and private shelter, in order to become fully confident and mature people. This means, also, that we all need a certain number of objects or possessions, which we can call our own. These objects and possessions will function as aids to develop our potentials and talents, to house us in comfort and privacy, or, they function as a source of relaxation and enjoyment. Therefore, it would be totally erroneous to conclude, that people, living in an equitable world society, have to lead lives with a drab and undifferentiated mass-existence; where it would hardly be possible to distinguish one personality from another.

To what degree personal property can be allowed for the purpose of relaxation, enjoyment and personality development, will always be a major topic for review, because we do not want to fall, once again, into the trap of class-rivalries and envy. We should always keep in mind, that it is not necessary to be wealthy to be happy, and, certainly, we should be careful to avoid a return to power and influence through the availability of private wealth.

I would certainly favour the ownership of some sort of an individual shelter for each family. The type of shelter would differ markedly, depending on climate and geographical location. I would also favour a complete freedom for the individual to spend the fruits of his labours, or, the many forms of social assistance, in ways of his own choosing. What is more natural than for some people to spend their income on sport`s equipment, small luxury items, such as a radio or a television-set; perhaps, we want to spend our surplus earnings on some special clothes, jewelry, or a musical instrument. Others may like to save-up for books, records or travel, which should, eventually, be possible on a world-wide scale, but, without luxurious frills, such as expensive resort hotels, air-travel, and other consumerist trappings that tend to make travel at the present time an excercise in ostentatious self-indulgence, rather than an educational experience.

We may be able to create a paradise-like play-ground on earth for all members of mankind, enabling them to develop themselves and learn about the essential characteristics of human existence, but, if we neglect the responsibility to maintain a high level of awareness and a robust viability of the many, complex structures that lie behind such a seemingly limitless paradise of human potentials, we will be witnessing, once more, the beginning of the end.

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Chapter 10

Content

Then need to channel youthful energies into meaningful or even dangerous challenges.
The folly of student sequestration in Western models of education.
The possibilities of education.
The importance of collective attitudes.
Doubts about the possibility to implement voluntary changes in large-scale social developments.

Personal liberties will be remarkably extensive, and personal differentiation will be endlessly varied, but restraints and responsibilities will always be there. At no time, can we afford to abrogate the need for a deliberate choice of our behaviour patterns, and, from time to time, a major set-back will shake us out of an unavoidable complacency. We are so used to change and challenge, that the status-quo, regardless, how comfortable, becomes quickly dull and dangerously boring.

We are, still, so easily trapped by our instincts to direct our energies into a fight, or, to take-up a challenge. This is such a common occurrence, that we will have to provide plenty of action and excitement, or, even, real dangers for the young and healthy members of society, otherwise, the generations growing-up in a well-established world-order, will become bored and self-destructive. I am convinced, that we will have no difficulties to keep our young people, not only, well-educated and well-trained, but also, well-occupied; either by demanding sports or hard physical labour. There will always be plenty of chores, in order to provide for the necessities and keep our enviroment clean. From a very early age, we will involve our children into the meaningful activities of our existence, and, we should not allow the younger generations to be sequestered from society during their education, as is, so often, the case in our contemporary educational systems.

If education is conducted in a sequestrated environment, we will miss a great, and, perhaps, unique opportunity to guide the impressionable adolescent mind towards an appreciation of the values as well as the requirements of human existence, especially, as he or she begins to form objectives and goal-patterns. The young adolescent may select, subconsciously, an orientation that channels his energies towards the needs of others in society, or, he may become frightened and defensive, as he fails to understand the meaning of life. Then, the energies are channeled, increasingly, into egocentric behaviour patterns.

The quest for property, wealth and power, which is so prevalent in our affluent societies, is the product of a perverted culture, where the common good is thought to be served by an attitude of hard work, the gathering of a personal fortune, and the pious adherence to a misunderstood Christianity. It is indeed curious, how an entire culture, over a period of several generations, has come to the conclusion, that the success which comes with a competitive atittude, is God`s blessing for a Christian way of life. The philosophy that equated the mechanisms of social success and the acquisition of material assets, with the concept of a Divine Blessing, laid the foundation for an attitude of near limitless consumption.

There is no doubt, that we can educate our children and the following generations in a significantly different way of life. We can bring them up in a different philosophy; a broader way to look at ourselves and the world. Let us go back to our search for ways and means in which we can soften the impact of our collective existence on the terrestial eco-systems. We can do this, as soon as we embark on a program of deliberate economic slow-down.

In the end, it all comes back to our attitudes. If our attitudes towards ourselves change, and, if our attitudes change towards the world we live in; if we develop a greater measure of concern for the millions of people who are barely surviving, these economic changes will come and they will come quickly. After all, the only master the economy knows, is the will of the people, and, if the people want to live a more sensible and just lifestyle of essential equality in a state of frugal health, the economic face of the earth will quickly change as well.

However, is it possible for our societies to extricate themselves, voluntarily, from the web of consumerism in which they have entangled themselves, or, is it necessary for a real catastrophe to bring us to our senses? Will it be possible for reason to prevail over short-sighted and short-term advantages, or, will we keep laughing at the idea of voluntarily lowering our living standards? Will it be possible for us to see the common-sense of trying to live within our means on a global scale, or, are we going after the largest possible slice of the pie of material wealth, as long as we can? Will we persist in our egocentric attitudes without giving a damn about the rest of us?

It is very doubtful, that a voluntary change in the direction of our economic momentum is indeed possible, and, I believe, that only a major calamity, natural or man-made, will be able to make us realise, that we can not continue our present way of life, ignoring the rest of the world, as well as the demands of our terrestial eco-systems.

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Chapter 11

Content

The need for a complete freedom of information.
The profession of news broad-casting.
Safeguards against incompetence and a deliberate bias in news reporting.
The absolute right to express opinions.
The verbal counter-attack.
The fallacy of forcefully suppressing ideas.
Competence and incorruptibility, resulting from social transparence.

Complete freedom to seek and receive any kind of information we want, is an absolute necessity to maintain a general sense of trust in public institutions, and, to support the belief, that all people are treated equally under the laws of society. There can be no exception to the rule, that any individual may scrutinise the information-content of any computer, and, that everyone has the right to listen-in, primarily, via the electronic media, to all transactions, conferences, Court proceedings and decision-making processes that are going-on throughout the world.

It will obviously be impossible for anyone individual to monitor or to be informed about more than a tiny fraction of everything that is going-on. In order for the average citizen to grasp a generalised outline of the events that are happening in society, we need a body of competent, well-trained professionals, who compute, digest and summarise news-worthy events and provide in-depth analyses by relating the news to historical perspectives and background information. Such a body of professional news-commentators, editors, consultants and others, specialised in certain topics of concern, (as well as the all-round news-reporters who report the actual events as they are taking place), all these people should be able to work completely independently from any consideration of financial gain, influence, prestige or favouritism. Nevertheless, such a body of professional news-casters will have to adhere to a strict code of ethics by making every effort to be scrupulously unbiased, and, to avoid any suggestion of an over-dramatic emphasis, or a facile half-truth.

Every institution, including the mass-media, should be accountable to the public, and, their work efforts should be completely open and transparent. It should be possible for ordinary people to scrutinise the events and influences that are leading to the final product; the selection and presentation of the news, together with its supportive commentaries and background analyses. No area of concern or public interest will be closed to the scrutiny of the news-casters, but, neither should the operations of the news-casters be closed to scrutiny by anyone else.

Sure, it will be difficult to avoid prejudices completely, and, it will certainly be unavoidable to reflect current opinions, but, this unavoidable bias of generally accepted opinions and viewpoints can be counter-acted, at least, to some extent, by scrupulously relating events that are taking place in the present, to a well-balanced interpretation of the historical background.

Seen in this light, news broad-casting, as well as the entire field of publishing, becomes an exciting profession, with the lofty mission of helping people to become more aware of their social and cultural heritage, and, by functioning as a watch-dog against the ever-recurrent temptation to violate the moral and ethical codes of conduct for the sake of egocentric gains.

Deliberate, erroneous or impetuous accusations of wrong-doings should be considered an infringement upon basic human rights, because slander and false accusations are an injury to someone`s dignity. Besides, it should not be necessary to make false accusations because of the plethora of information that will be available to everyone. However, we have to balance, here, the conflicting interests of free speech and thought on the one hand, and, the harm done to someone`s character, reputation or interests, on the other. Only, when it can be clearly demonstrated that someone`s rights and interests have been harmed, only then, should a verdict of false or deliberately misleading accusation be considered, which is punishable under the laws against slander.

Regardless, how embarrassing certain information may be, government institutions should, at all times, be prohibited from censoring the press or controling the flow and content of information. Nor should they be able to threaten individuals and groups of people, who are engaged in the gathering of embarrassing information. Opinions that are critical of the leadership, government institutions, or, of any prominent personality, are protected by the right to free speech and can not be suppressed by any means, as long as the criticisms do not infringe upon basic human rights. Even the criticisms and disagreements that strike at the very foundation of social institutions, individual convictions and generally agreed-upon social codes and morals, should only be counter-attacked by verbal means.

Erroneous opinions should be counter-acted by serious and extensive arguments or, even, with the help of specialised studies, discussions, scrutiny and re-evaluations, but, we should, at all times, refrain, as a society or as an individual, from expressing our disgust, disagreement or hostility towards such apparently erroneous opinions, by resorting to the use of violence, restrictions of liberties, or, retaliations of one sort or another. The only weapon against a stinging criticism is the verbal counter-attack.

Let us never forget, that a forceful opinion, regardless, how alien or erroneous it may seem to us, may touch upon a kernel of truth. Perhaps, it is a crude and distorted attempt to focus the attention upon some aspect of our societies, government institutions or philosophical convictions. Perhaps, all these areas could stand a measure of re-thinking, or, some degree of refinement in function or definition. Any attempt to suppress embarrassing information or dissenting opinions will lead to a break-down in mutual trust, and, we should never forget the obvious and logical conclusion people come to, whenever they see such a suppression of criticisms taking place. The inescapable conclusion will be, that there must be some truth in the accusation, or, that there must be something wrong, or, that something is being hidden from public view.

I believe, that it is essentially impossible for a press-corps, operating in freedom and unhindered by financial objectives, to misuse, deliberately, their powers, or to influence, systematically, public opinion in one direction or another. Any concerted effort to influence opinion, should be detectable by scrutinising all the conferences, activities and communications taking place within the organisations of the press. The press would certainly have to make very strenuous efforts to hide such a conspiracy, and, the ability for any outsider to listen-in, at any time, to the internal dealings of the press, would make such a conspirational action for the press just as difficult as it would be for any other grouping within society.

With the help of computerised information, linked into a global network of electronic media, it should be possible to operate and function in society with instantaneous and world-wide access to all sorts of information, and, we should have virtually eliminated the vexing problems of corruption and incompetence. The impact of such an achievement upon society would be beyond our contemporary imagination. It would be an incredible accomplishment, if we could eliminate, indeed, these hitherto considered unavoidable evils of every large and complex society.

It would be relatively simple to spot corruption and inefficiency in any government function, if we have instantaneous access to a world-wide network of computerised data, and, if we could "drop-in", so to speak, at any time, whenever people are gathered to discuss a problem, or, are in the process of making a decision.

However, the degree of awareness the average citizen could and probably would develop about the nature and function of his society, would be the most important contribution to the survival ability of the society as a whole. The better we understand the functions of our society, the less we will take for granted the beneficial circumstances we have become accustomed to.

It may be somewhat naive to expect everyone in the future global society to become a little philosopher, but I see no reason to doubt, that there will be a general level of understanding and awareness, which would seem, at the present time, to be reserved for a few, privileged individuals.

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Chapter 12

Content

Political systems.
Restrictions of the rate of social change.
Constitutional Safeguards of social structures and the direction of their development.
An outline for world government.
Mechanisms for Constitutional Change.

"What sort of political system will be functioning in such a global federation of the societies of mankind?", you may ask, and, we would, again, have to refrain from too detailed a speculative imagery. It is easier to outline what it will not be, because so many of the systems we see in use, or, in "abuse", at the present time, are flawed by incompetence, insensitivity, or, outright corruption and tyranny. A future leadership will have the ability to inform itself, swiftly and accurately, about any aspect of reality, and, it will have been chosen, periodically, by the people. It will function in an almost continuous contact with the people through referenda, or, the sampling of public opinion in the form of expertly conducted "polls".

We will certainly need many people who will devote their lives to an exhaustive and comprehensive study of society, its history, as well as the many specialised aspects of human existence we can observe in the diversification of individual people. Some of these people will become the Scholars of the State, while the politicians are, primarily, concerned with a continuous examination of, and reaction to, the practical problems of the moment. These practical problems require attention as they come into the focus of our conscious awareness through one event or another.

I can not agree with a political system, where each Party can have a totally arbitrary program for the development of society. These "platforms", or manifestos, spell-out the measures a political Party would take, if it would be voted into power. We see, then, a chaotic see-saw of policies, as alternative Parties come to power in succession. The structure, function, goals and objectives of a society will have to be determined, carefully, and, they have to be protected against too rapid a change by Constitutional Safeguards. These Constitutional Safeguards, or Guidelines, should describe, not only, the rights and obligations of the members of society, but also, the fiscal and developmental policies of the nation, its leadership and bureaucratic structures, as well as the level of consumption or the standard of living which is considered to be possible and responsible within a specific social environment.

The detailed structures of all government institutions, the way of life for ordinary people and their officials, the level of openness and the system of justice, the distribution of energy and other necessary commodities, goods and services; the availability of information and education, as well as the possibilities for individual development in sports, arts, study, etc., all these aspects should not be subjected to a radical change on account of a change in popular support for one political Party or another. These aspects of social organisation have to be enshrined in the Constitution.

If we visualise a global federation of societies, it may be possible to divide the world population into approximately twenty or so large Regions, each with several hundreds of millions people. Each Region would have a Legislative Assembly with a thousand members. These members have been chosen from a number of candidates for each of the one thousand districts into which the Regions have been sub-divided. Within a district, representing roughly equal numbers of people, a variety of candidates or political Parties could campaign for public support and the winning candidate would, eventually, represent the entire district and all its people in the Legislative Assembly of the Region.

These Assemblies will function, largely, as watch-dogs for the people, scrutinising the actions of the governing bodies, while representing the concerns of the public. These Legislative Assemblies will discuss and deliberate the problems of society, the actions and legislation proposed by the leadership, as well as the advisability of proposed Constitutional changes. The executive, political leadership of the Regions will have been chosen, partly from the Legislative Assembly, and, partly, by direct elections within a Region.

In addition, I would propose, that each Legislative Assembly chooses from the elected representatives, or, through direct Regional elections, one Regent. The twenty Regents, one from each Region, form, then, the top executive council, overseeing the totality of the global social structure. These elected Regents may function for a period of up to five years, and, they will have an immense staff of well-trained professional people to advise them about specific problems. The task of the Top Executive Council is, primarily, to deliberate and propose Constitutional Changes, and, to investigate complaints and frictions arising between major areas or Regions in the world.

Just like the meetings at all levels of government, all deliberations, discussions and attempts at solving problems by the Top Executive Council, will be completely open to scrutiny, and, the practice of secret diplomacy or secret dealings will have been abolished completely. No more, will there be one image to be presented to the public, and another to the parties involved in the process of negotiating differences of opinion or points of friction.

Changes to the Global Constitution are only possible, if all Regions agree with a two-third majority of their Legislative Assemblies, and, if the executive Council of Regents approves these changes unanimously. In this way, we will prevent rapid changes and hasty decisions, but we have, of course, not touched upon the problems associated with the creation of such a world-federation of governments, nor, have we given any specific ideas about levels of power, the enforcement of laws, or the policing of the many local disputes or points of friction.

Obviously, the formulation of a Global Constitution that is equitable for all the members of mankind and allows, at the same time, for a smooth transition period towards a federated world-community, will be a task to which a large number of scholars, thinkers and experts will have to devote many years of their productive lives. This fusion into a world-federation should come, only, after national boundaries have already blurred into larger Regions, and, after many countries, all over the world, have experienced parallel developments, with a convergence of political ideologies, bureaucratic institutions, and a standardised system of leadership elections.

Prior to embarking upon the ambitious goal of instituting a truly unified world-government, let us try to accomplish an effective penetration of these ideas into the many independent societies that exist at the present time. Hopefully, this will be followed by the gradual transformation of existing governments and individual lifestyles into a form that prepares the way for the future assimilation of all areas into a federated world-community. This means, that the totalitarian or pseudo-democratic regimes still in existence today, will have to change into a direction that assures a free flow of information, an openness in government transactions, the formation of a popularly elected leadership, a representative Legislative Assembly, and the introduction of basic human rights.

The affluent Western nations will have to abandon their erratic course, and, they will have to bring-in far more extensive Constitutional Guidelines to enshrine, not only, individual rights, but also, the course of social, fiscal and economic development. The aflluent nations will have to accept a deliberate policy of curbing consumerist attitudes in order to facilitate a more equitable division of the world`s resources.

A gradual lessening of consumerist attitudes will bring-about a far more effective control over social events by a stream-lined, more efficient and more informed government. There will be more control over industrial developments, as well as trade and financial transactions, and, the management of resources will have come, once again, under the jurisdiction of a democratically elected leadership. Public ownership of existing industries will increase, the private profit motive will gradually disappear from all production processes, including the information industry. The press will become really professional and free, and, our fragile democratic governments in the affluent societies will have to lead the way by increasing access to all kinds of information through the systematic computerisation of information and inventories. Then, we all become more aware of each other`s needs, as well as the problems of our societies. Then, we will understand the need to reduce corruption and inefficiencies, in order to enjoy a high level of confidence and mutual trust.

Underlying all these changes is the establishment of a basic security for every member of society, in order to make the large shifts in employment patterns possible. The fundamental principle of a basic security for all members reflects the idea, that security in a social context applies, not only, to the legal rights of property ownership and personal safety or freedom, but, it applies, just as much, to the right to be free from hunger or disease, if at all possible.

At a later stage, the various Constitutional frameworks of the contemporary societies can be stream-lined and equalised even further. The modes of government become, then, quite similar throughout the world, and, people from all over the world, may, eventually, have essentially similar rights, similar responsibilities, as well as similar levels of education and well-being.

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Chapter 13

Content

Internal shifts of bureaucratic man-power.
The evolution of bureaucracies and academic institutions according to the pressures of natural selection.
Existential considerations of the research community.
The need for a philosophical articulation of the overall collective will.
A careful orchestration of the efforts of research and development.

We have mentioned, that a nation or Region in the global society will have to delineate, not only, a philosophical outline for its social organisation and the direction into which it wants to develop, but, it should carefully delineate the function and structure of the various governing bodies. We have to guard, carefully, against the unbridled proliferation of each and every bureaucracy, and, this means, that, any expansion or change in government structure, will have to be a carefully regulated and scrutinised process. We have speculated, how the unlimited accessibility to information and the possibility of constant scrutiny will help to keep incidences of corruption and incompetence to a minimum. Yet, the addition of government structures may well be defensible on intellectual grounds, and, public scrutiny alone, may not be a sufficient safeguard against unnecessary bureaucratic expansion.

We should describe, therefore, in significant detail, as a Constitutional Guideline, the structure and function of the many arms of government, and, we should encourage internal shifts of man-power, from one department to another, as a means of coping with varying work-loads. This will make the bureaucracies more flexible, and, it provides also a broader basis of experience and exertise to its members. Besides, it will help to prevent a stifling monotony for people who are locked into the same work-environment, year after year.

We have to limit, Constitutionally, the growth of all bureaucracies, but, we like to single-out, here, for special attention the bureaucracies of our academic institutions. Universities tend to adopt the attitude that their quest for academic excellence is above questioning, and, certainly, the occasional academic worker has proven to be a genius with a great significance for society or mankind as a whole. However, we have already entered an era, where the major developments in science and technology are now the result of carefully prepared and orchestrated team-work.

The development of academic research has always been remarkably similar to the mechanisms of natural evolution, because, in both examples, there seems to be a "blind force" at work, exploring all "possibilities of existence". The viability of such a "blind thrust to investigate" has been greatly increased by the liberal availability of grants and bursaries, and, as a result, an ever increasing number of people have become dependent for their existence on the continuation of research grants.

We have created a whole society of researchers, who are all anxiously engaged in efforts to maintain their academic viability, and, as a result, ever increasing sums of tax-payers money are being siphoned-off into the existential requirements of such a society of research workers. The academic researcher has always tended to exploit all possibilities of research, whenever he saw them; whenever findings suggested further studies and experiments. Now, we have an enormous proliferation of more or less independently operating researchers and their institutions, cluttering the science-magazines with a gigantic variety of all kinds of detailed studies, whose quality and relevance are often difficult to determine.

It is time to remove the existential anxiety from the professional researcher, and, it is time to remove the aura of prestigious mystique that surrounds this elite of the academic world. Incidentally, it should be noted, that we may apply the same description to the proliferation of business ventures under a free-enterprise system, and, we are all familiar with the consequences of such an unbridled entrepreneurial development.

As we have outlined, we need a carefully guided, computerised system of education for the acquisition of basic knowledge in every field of human endeavour, (where teachers act as seminar leaders), but, we also need to delineate, as a philosophical outline, in what fields we want to carry-out research. If we agree upon a certain number of avenues for exploration, we will organise a world-wide protocol for a coherent approach to a certain problem or question, after we have scanned all available information and consulted every expert opinion on the matter.

This protocol, or blue-print for coordinated action, will organise a large number of institutions, universities, academics and technical personnel into a highly efficient task-force that carries-out, simultaneously, interlocking and mutually relevant investigations. Such a structured and deliberate, philosophically coordinated approach to research, will give us results much faster, much more efficiently, and far less costly, than the hit-and-miss methods we use today, where academic prestige, existential anxieties and job-hunting ambitions tend to mingle in a jungle of contradictory trends and results.

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Chapter 14

Content

The apparent horrors of ever increasing governmental influence upon individual existence.
Emotionally coloured reactions, based upon experiences with contemporary governments.
A new vision of the role, function and essence of government.

In these sketches about the social developments of the future, we see, as a necessary prelude to the formation of an equitable world-order, the structure and function of governments and their institutions taking-on an ever more prominent place within society. Governments seem to regulate all our transactions. They seem to determine our standard of living and delineate what we can and can not do. The ubiquitous presence of government will make many of us suspicious or outright rebellious against such ideas, and, many will dread the developments we have sketched, here. They will be considered an evil, omni-present harness of restraints and regulations.

What happened to the freedom of human existence? Where is the privacy of the individual, if we create a society, where computerised data and knowledge are available at the touch of a computer terminal? These feelings and thoughts are quite natural, and, the contemplation of such a Socialist utopia would indeed be horrifying, if we failed to see, that this same government is also guaranteeing the liberty, freedoms and rights of the individual, including the right to free speech and worship, the right to a decent existence, the right to health, privacy, education and individual differentiation.

Such feelings of oppression and horror about the universal presence of, and interference from, government agencies, is also based on our widespread and, often, legitimate mistrust of the motivations and competence of our contemporary governments. Whenever government officials, bureaucrats, or elected representatives, are able to abuse their positions of power and privilege for their own benefit, we naturally develop an attitude of suspicion and cynical distrust. Whenever we see corruption, nepotism, incompetence or sheer injustice operate in the name of the people, we lose all confidence in government, even, in the ability of man to create a government that is just and efficient.

It is natural that we feel a separation between "us", the public, and "they", the bureaucrats, who have been able, one way or another, to secure a position of power and privilege, and, who are, so often, seen to abuse their positions in a flagrant attitude of egocentric advantage-taking and elitist nepotism. Such governments are a mockery of what governments can and ought to be.

We know, now, some of the many reasons, why different leadership systems and governmental bodies of the past, and the present, have, so often, failed miserably in their tasks to provide just and efficient leadership to the peoples of their societies. We have discussed the technical possibilities to avoid a stagnating incompetence and a crippling corruption. We have seen, how many leadership systems, still, try to function without anything like a set of Constitutional Guidelines, or, a Parliamentary form of control over the functions of government or executive leadership. We have seen the excesses of autocratic and dictatorial rule, but also, the chaos and incompetence of faltering democracies.

We have seen the excesses and horrors of mob-rule, just as we have witnessed the excesses of personal power, leading, almost invariably, to cruelty and erratic abuse. Can we really hope to succeed, where others have failed dismally? Can we really hope to avoid erratic swings in the direction of governments, and yet, avoid a stifling sterility in dogma and traditionalism? Can we really accomplish a successful blend between a competent and efficient, small-scale leadership on the one hand, and a coherent input from a large and diverse public on the other? Can we really expect such a blend to result in a balanced and well-informed, orderly process of government? Can we avoid the almost inevitable alienation between the rulers and their subjects; the governments and their people? Can we really avoid all these problems, and, still, create a decisive, yet sensitive government for the people and from the people? Can we hope to maintain public order and still leave room for individual freedoms?

The simple answer to all these questions and doubts is, that we have to succeed, and, we have to keep trying, until we succeed. We have to abandon our useless speculations about the odds against succeeding, because the alternative to success is unimaginable chaos. We have discussed, how the possibilities of computerised data-banks will help us to arrive at sound and sensible judgements, by having finger-tip access to an enormous variety of well-ordened data, coherent information, as well as broad, historical perspectives and relevant precedents. In addition, a computerised monitoring of all functions of government, and, of every relevant event within society, creates the possibility of an instant check on the competence and integrity of everyone and everything around us.

Computerised information, presented in a palatable and easily absorbed, but accurate format, is going to be the backbone of globally relevant educational and administrative systems, where the standard of insight and understanding of the average human being will reach levels we can hardly imagine at the present time.

Finally, the careful and equitable regulation of all interhuman transactions will lead to a degree of equality in basic rights and living standards, which will make a truly global feeling of trust and concern possible for the first time in history. Within this basic framework of essential equality and human dignity, the individual will have State-protected rights and State-given opportunities to develop a large variety of individual potentials and inclinations; again, on a scale, and, to a degree, which we can hardly visualise in the enclaves of existence we call our national political entities; where we vie with each other for the basic necessities of life, as well as the essential security of existence.

In an atmosphere of trust and security, there will be a general awareness of the fact, that the regulating systems, we call government, are, in essence, the life-blood of our existence; for society as a whole, as well as for each one of us, individually. We may come to depend on these regulatory bodies, as much as the individual cells of our body depend on the overall, regulatory systems and organs of the multi-cellular organism in order to ensure their function and continued existence.

In an atmosphere of trust and security, we will realise, that our governmental organisations are the embodiment of our global cultural heritage, and, we will realise, that the primitive, subconscious functions of culture in the older, fragmented societies, have been consciously transformed into a system of regulatory mechanisms, which has been carefully thought-out and shaped over a time-span of many generations.

Within the computerised data-banks of our society resides, then, the sum-total of our efforts, of the past and the present, and, we know, now, that we will be completely lost without this heritage of knowledge, insight and achievements.

We should be able to acknowledge, that government and cultural heritage will have become synonymous, and, we will realise, that our most precious cultural heritage will be this complex web of checks and balances, regulations and functions, which fuses the whole of humanity into a living, breathing, metabolising, carefully conserving organism of wisdom and moderation. Government will not be seen, anymore, as an instrument in the hands of the privileged and the powerful, but, in future societies, every member will feel close to his government, because, he knows, that his existence and happiness depend on this government, but, he knows, too, that his government will listen to serious objections and criticisms, just like a concerned parent.

Life and government will fuse into a harmonious and adapting, supra-individual entity, and, the greatest potentials of the human mind may then be realised, as the gravest threats to the continued existence of mankind may have been overcome. Sure, we will have our disputes, squabbles, or, even, outbursts of violent conflicts. We will seek refuge in legal actions against each other, and, time and again, our suspicions will be aroused, that something is wrong or hidden from us; that someone is trying to deceive us or take advantage of us.

There will be frequent disasters, either natural or man-made, and they will remind us about the fragility of human life, of all life, and, they will remind us, that none of our cultural and technological safeguards grant us eternal existence. The time will come, that many people will look back, longingly, to the good old days of individual competitiveness, and some people may denounce, in shrill tones, the blessings of their existence. Time and again, we will have to fight hard against complacency, and, we will have to remind, generation after generation, about the fatal results of complacency and ignorance, as well as the dangers of boredom and egocentricity.

It will take only one generation of defectively or improperly instructed members of mankind, to jeopardise the continued existence of the whole of mankind. Many times, we will fear, that the collapse of the global society is near, and, that we will see the world-community fall apart into a chaotic collection of warring factions, and, many times we will be amazed at the rapidity with which man is able to forget the experiences of the past.

However, we are not there, yet. We still have to make a start into the right direction. We still have to start disseminating practical and fruitful ideas, which may give us the machinery, the attitudes, as well as the ideological background, to lay the foundations for a new world order.

Where are we now, and, where will we be, fifty years from now? Who knows, what calamities will have to take their toll, before we are able to guide the course of human history by our collective intelligence? Who knows, how much longer large scale corruption, incompetence and oppression will be able to parade as a mockery of leadership amongst the peoples of the earth? Who knows, whether or not any progress towards equitable human living conditions will be made in the next few decades?

Will we only witness a gradual hardening of nationalistic attitudes, leading the way to major confrontations and nuclear terrorism? We may well have to witness a far greater degree of destruction and social chaos, before the forces of reason and reconstruction will be able to gain the upper hand. We may still have to witness an even more painful decline in the collective will, sliding into disorder, destruction and death, before the peoples of the world come to their senses, and are, hopefully, able to start, once again, the process of rebuilding.

Let us not underestimate the massive destruction and chaos, as well as the enormous loss of vitally important cultural and technical guidelines, which would result from a conflagration of stupidity, greed and folly. Even, if the human species survives such a disaster, at least, for a while, the cultural code and guidance-patterns for regeneration may have been irretrievably damaged or lost, and, the miserable remnants of humanity may sink into oblivion amongst the surviving lifeforms on earth, desperately struggling for a continued existence, after having lost their most valuable assets for survival; the collective cultural code of knowledge and insight.

The prospects look gloomy, even, if a sudden flare-up of nuclear war does not push us into total collapse and chaos. A rapidly accumulating contamination of the terrestial eco-systems, or, the exhaustion of vitally important natural resources, may leave us bewildered and impoverished within a few generations. We may, then, have lost the ability to wage a nuclear war, but, we may, also, have lost the ability to draw a breath of fresh air. It is none too soon to consider, seriously, the dangers that lie ahead for the future of mankind, and, these dangers become so obvious, whenever we extrapolate the present trends into their inexorable consequences.

However, reality has a habit of not conforming to the predictions of the human mind, and, reality may find itself in a far healthier and more optimistic condition, a few generations from now. If such is the case, some drastic changes will have taken place. Some enormous events will have changed the course of history, as it seems to unfold itself at the present time, and yet, in the perspective of history, these events may not look as exceptional, or unusual, as they would seem to us, now.

We may be fortunate enough to witness the beginning of a change into the right direction; away from an obsession with egocentric anxieties and a gluttonous consumerism, and, we may be seeing the beginnings of a change towards an enlightened equality of existence, characterised by a sense of freedom, as well as a sense of well-being, insight and profound gratitude.

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Summary

1. Practical suggestions for the change-over to a world community.
   The problems of cynicism and superficial enthousiasm.
   The careful debate.
   Consequences of a deep, permanent and deliberate economic recession.
   
   
   
2. The permeation of ideas; early work in small groups.
   Diagnosis before change.
   Computerised information of a global inventory.
   
   
   
3. The ideals of objectivity, competence and completeness in the gathering of information.
   The slow decline of secrecy in social events.
   Voluntary restraints in consumer demands.
   Difficulties with public ownership.
   
   
   
4. Contradictory hopes and beliefs in consumerist societies.
   Egocentric power-plays of social sub-groupings.
   Increasing expectations and financial enslavement.
   Inflation; the limits of rising living standards.
   A scramble for the final resources.
   Consequences of the depletion of resources and the exhaustion of the buffer capacity of terrestial eco-systems.
   Confused stimuli in Capitalist societies; spend and conserve.
   
   
   
5. The possibilities for a wise and frugal management of resources.
   Wasteful transportation methods; planes and big cars.
   Unnecessary products and job redundancies.
   
   
   
6. The problem of unemployment in the frugal society.
   Return to the country-site and self-sufficiency with some assistance.
   The importance of education and the flow of information in the "new society".
   
   
   
7. Difficulties of the transition period.
   Economic sense, and the possibility to guarantee universal implementation of basic human rights.
   The injustice of inherited wealth and power.
   
   
   
8. Limitations in the spread between poverty and wealth.
   Control over corporations and their profits.
   The need for careful ideological preparation by persuasion.
   Motivations.
   The world-wide distribution of electrical power.
   The consequences of deflationary policies and necessary adjustments.
   
   
   
9. The balance between individual variability and private assets.
   Private assets as a tool for the development of the personality.
   The need for competitive debate and meditation.
   Human freedoms and the scope of variability.
   The importance of vigilance against complacency.
   
   
   
10. The need to channel youthful energies into meaningful, or, even, dangerous challenges.
    The folly of student sequestration in Western models of education.
    The possibilities of education.
    The importance of collective attitudes.
    Doubts about the possibility to implement voluntary changes in large-scale social developments.
    
    
    
11. The need for a complete freedom of information.
    The profession of news broad-casting.
    Safeguards against incompetence and a deliberate bias in news reporting.
    The absolute right to express opinions.
    The verbal counter-attack.
    The fallacy of forcefully suppressing ideas.
    Competence and incorruptibility, resulting from social transparence.
    
    
    
12. Political systems.
    Restrictions of the rate of social change.
    Constitutional Safeguards of social structures and the direction of their development.
    An outline for world-government.
    Mechanisms for Constitutional Change.
    
    
    
13. Internal shifts of bureaucratic man-power.
    The evolution of bureaucracies and academic institutions according to the pressures of natural selection.
    Existential considerations of the research community.
    The need for a philosophical articulation of the overall collective will.
    A careful orchestration of the efforts of research and development.
    
    
    
14. The apparent horrors of ever increasing governmental influence upon individual existence.
    Emotionally coloured reactions, based upon experiences with contemporary governments.
    A new vision of the role, function and essence of government.

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