Our Socialism v. Capitalism Schism
Why are we split on our economic theory? Does there need to be a huge gap in incomes and wealth? Is a worker and citizen utopia possible? Is there a third-way economic paradigm to rebuild our society on? These are questions I have tried to answer for the last decade. Luckily, I have found all the answers to overcome America’s economic theory schism. Thanks… Thank you… Yes, thank you…
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Okay, maybe praising my accomplishments is premature. That said, what I have developed could be the answer. To begin, here are three preparatory considerations I decided would best clear the slate for creating a new economic paradigm. 1) Remove every part of all economic theories. 2) Decide what is not working, drop it, or revise it, put in the new paradigm elements. 3) Finally, reinstall everything that still works. It must be done in this order to avoid contaminating the new paradigm with incompatible elements.
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Everything must be removed first because it is too easy for us to prejudiciously determine that everything still works from our preferred concept of capitalism or socialism. So after removing everything, we assess what either side sees as incompatible, whether we personally see it that way or not. None of these items are put into the new paradigm until those issues are resolved as much as possible. Each old piece must be legitimately workable in the new system.
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Below, I showcase two major issues that are hotly contested by each economic ideology and also have civic components, unions and regulations. In each, I have stripped out the incompatible elements, and transformed the whole into something better.
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Note: I use a wide open definition of capitalism and socialism that represents the entire spectrum of American beliefs, which is every extreme to everything in between. Americans define capitalism from basic “free” markets and competition, to its formal dictionary definition, or laissez faire capitalism with monopolies and robber barons. For Americans, socialism may mean democratic socialism where the government funds elements like health insurance, education, social security, infrastructure, and other welfare programs, to the state owning and running everything. Some on both sides fear the authoritarian potential of the other, and how society will be managed in these schemes overall.
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The stripping away of ideologies is hard for most people to do. Although it seems to be something I am good at, since I consider myself nobody’s true believer. Yes, I have ideals that ground me, but I am on a more extreme part of the flexible spectrum than most like me who still have a decent grounding. Of course, you can assess my take on reality yourself as I proceed.
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Broadening the definitions of socialism and capitalism is done for a couple of reasons. I want to be realistic about the solutions that are possible. Each side of the spectrum has beliefs that must be faulty, otherwise it is unlikely enough oxygen would remain to forge any workable solution, even within your own economic beliefs. Therefore, some elements must be removed, as well as others not being completely removable in future rounds, or ever. We may also need to allow some “negative” elements (from our perspective) to remain because they can be combined into even more vital structures in a new system.
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Initially removing everything from the current economic system is important because it provides room to create things that would never be considered with any current model elements in place. Additionally, this is a conceptual process. In a real transition, complete destruction of, or immediate disruption to, the current model is improbable. As one would imagine, any such drastic occurrences could alone exclude the likelihood of those changes being made.
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As alluded to in the previous paragraph, the new system must be a transitional plug and play type installation. Fully stopping the train of the economy for such a transition is likely impossible, especially with COVID already tragically doing the same. As you can see, there are probably many other logistically difficult issues to consider, which will eliminate the possibility of some changes initially, or forever. Though I believe much of all our goals are still possible to achieve.
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Absorption Limit, & Unionizing Rethought.
Here I will warn the true-believer, hyper-capitalist leaner that in this transition, I am not at all concerned about the top 1% in wealth and income. That group will be able to deal with the changes, no matter what is thrown at them. Therefore, the 1% will not be the focal point of the overall concept, nor will its specific worries be absorbed. While I do apologize somewhat if I led you on, or your sympathizers, I do not feel for you. Sorry.
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Now I can talk about labor unions, which were an inspiration for this next section. Yet my capitalism influences were also needed to solidify the concept. Unions are an economic travesty in capitalist circles. Negative parts of their history have been used by capitalists to overshadow the great value they brought to workers in their jobs, and in boosting the civic participation of members. As with most any process change, you get the good with the bad. That said, if you assess the good and bad effectively, it is possible to get to an even better place.
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And that is what I have done. Labor unions require organizing and the membership derived from it to be successful. These efforts can take years, even decades to flourish. Even then, the fruits will never reach into a majority of households, and for sure not the household of nearly every worker, and citizen in America. A new system would need to do this seamlessly, and almost instantly. Organizing must become obsolete to garner the results workers throughout the country require.
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This removes at least one complaint about labor unions from capitalist leaners, dues. Member dues are not needed because membership is a given, and collective bargaining is eliminated by the hiring structure. For workers, it makes possible services never dreamed of before.
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Nationwide services drawing from a massive nationwide bank of worker and job data, making possible instant job acquisition, guaranteed placement, and an end to all unlawful discriminatory hiring. Workers choose their jobs rather than employers choosing workers, removing the capacity for negative hiring discrimination. Employers are guaranteed employees with the verified skills for the job they choose. Arbitrary credentialing is lessened due to the skill set verification in the system. The size and scope of the system puts workers in more control of their future than ever. Higher pay is a benefit of this power.
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The system I am proposing puts both capitalist and socialist leaners in the drivers seat. Economic centrists may be even happier, but of course as centrists, they cannot show more happiness, or they would not be centrists. That is why I am anti-yoga. Keeping centered is a creepy place to be. Anyway, working together as a non-partisan entity we can do more, even if some of that work will also be done with centrists.
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The system itself, due to its size, our input, and other functions, will also help protect jobs from going overseas, being downsized, or threatened in any low-wage monopolistic way. Citizens will get the best jobs first in their skill set, but immigrants will fill any gaps, or increase in jobs created by the system. The system will avoid causing stagnation in industries so competitive companies can make viable progress. The focus of system advocacy will be small to medium sized companies not as much large multinational corporations with little concern in paying Americans good wages; and they can do their own advocacy and lobbying. Although jobs will be available on the platform from all companies in America.
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Regulations Reformed, & Civics Without Politics.
This new system is mostly devoid of election politics. There are two main objectives. One focuses on everything related to workers, and job development, and placement. Second, is the civic responsibilities element, which include many areas. But in this short essay I cover mostly its potential for improving regulatory oversight while also streamlining the regulatory bureaucracy, and curtailing any extraneous regulations.
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The capitalist sees government regulation as bad, or at least problematic. The socialist leaning is concerned about the abuses of corporations. Dropping everything in our laps is the best way to solve it for both sides. Make citizens responsible for oversight. No supposed, zombie bureaucracy riding roughshod, but a local-nationwide network keeping an eye on everything at once, the environment, bad-actor individuals, and corporations. With technology, in many small and some major ways, we have the ability to blur the line between our government and the individual citizen.
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Representative government is a good thing, as far as it goes, but with 330 million residents, representation is a mass of disconnection. Each US House Member represents 760,000 of us. One representative would need to meet with 45+ households an hour to do it in eight hour weekdays, over a two year term. How do they have time to make sure every regulation is the exact one we need, or do not need, and do everything else we expect from them?
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We all know there are needed regulations like stopping for stop signs, and no dumping dangerous, death loads of chemicals into our local rivers. But can you or I really say for sure we do not need more regulations, without knowing exactly what they are? And if yes, can I make those decisions for you. Should I trust your possibly ignorant-of-the-facts, or hating-government representative do it for me? Did you know there are about 1,500 new chemicals developed every year in the U.S.? How many would you drink, or let your child drink? While what Congress does now, and how they do it, could be improved, a better system can be set up so we only need to trust ourselves, and the knowledgeable advocates we directly approve of and select in a consensus manner.
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Paving Way For 99% Improved Economic System.
Just the above two elements, a better job delivering platform, and a robust and direct civic participation approach, pave the way for a much improved economic system for the 99%. We can also clean up Washington, DC by stripping away much of the local, and personal-to-us work of representatives. This is made possible because workers and the corporations would be able to go head-to-head, with similar power dynamics, which creates a whole new foundation for what Congress works on. The system greatly reduces their economic concerns and regulatory responsibilities.
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The economic theory schism that plagues our current and future can be effectively transformed to better fit our general sensibilities. While there will be some job transitions required by the changeover, that will only be a temporary situation, since the system gets those people rehired, and it is rebuilt to make sure no such thing is required again. Think of the transition as moving from tired vehicles to a “driving” experience like Luke Skywalker’s floating X-34 landspeeder. Never again be stuck changing a tire in traffic.
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Yes, in this analogous scenario tire makers, those who replace or fix flat tires, concrete companies, and road builders will negatively impacted initially, but even they will want the new vehicle without tires. Imagine all the benefits of tireless vehicles, including ending expensive and environment destroying road building. No more delays, traffic jams, and other. The jobs platform concept is a similar advancement.
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Though the system will fight to keep viable jobs, when someone does lose a job in the future, workers be scheduled to fill another job that fits their skills, or be trained or educated to move to another similar job, or a better job. One “tireless” example of the jobs platform is it should end most of the unemployment insurance program as it is currently set up. First, because its speed of transition is significant for many workers, and where jobs are not in the pipeline, an enhanced transition function will be available.
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If the platform sees no jobs available within 6 to 12 weeks (as an example), training or education transition will be facilitated, and it “becomes” any unemployed time; so no more searching for the right job that is not out there. Maybe a short paid vacation before and after your learning upgrade, vacation length depends on your previous length of employment. Otherwise, if the job you really want is available right away, and you do not want to miss out on it, you can transfer immediately, or as soon as it is available.
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Expanding and contracting to fit the employment needs of the time, the jobs platform prevents bureaucracy bloat because it is built to find and fill jobs, so it self corrects. This same system can also be applied to every government agency job placement: local, state, or federal. Imagine the efficiency and savings! With all that extra money going into our new civic system and jobs platform, or into whatever else we see a need for, which can include lowering our taxes. This is another way the concept is both a civic and a jobs solution. At this point, many are wondering what exactly the “system or platform” is.
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Well, it has two main elements, people and technology. People are required to make the whole transformational movement a reality, to build the civic system and jobs platform, provide oversight once created, then run and maintain it in a volunteer capacity, and a smaller percentage in a paid manner. The technology links every element together so both system and platform work seamlessly. The volunteering is set up to fit your skills, knowledge base, and whatever else motivates you. For example, I now work on my local planning and zoning board. There could be a switchover to put those duties on the civic system.
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Regulatory oversight, as in monitoring of unethical and illegal practices, and damage to the environment, is shifted to the civic system. Regulations are passed by Congress, but only after our approval, or due to our influence. Some group of regulations may be eliminated because our oversight will make it impossible for individuals, and companies to get away with their former offenses.
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The technology will provide us with the ability to watchdog every entity in the nation. It is not about Big Brother snooping, but what our consensus decides is best, and where there is no personal data intrusion. The detection of improprieties will be done by pattern recognition, and/or other non-personalized techniques. Every citizen knows what the rules are, and can review practices at any time, there is no clandestine activity. Anything beyond our investigative purview is handed off to the proper authorities. Think of the monitoring as a superhuman, yet ethical investigative reporter.
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What we get is a federal system monitored and facilitated locally. This is what many would call the best of both worlds. Through this technology, each of us can see all the intricacies, and mechanisms that power our government structure in multiple ways. Rather than Neo and The Matrix, or SkyNet from Terminator, where the government or some huge corporation controls us by some invasive technology, we control our nation from our living rooms using our custom-built technology. Each one of us will have our eyes, and hands on the controls.
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How Would This “System” Do What It Does?
How does the system work, exactly? How is it not intrusive? What do you mean we control the system from our homes? I will try to answer these questions as concisely as possible. That means much will still be unsaid because this essay is not meant to be a detailed blueprint. Basically, you, I, and anyone in the 99% will develop it, algorithms to ease of use, and decide on its rules*, bylaws*, and the functions it will control. The system will be parallel to the commercial internet, or connected piggyback to the current internet in a parallel form, piped into every home, at top speeds.
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Everyone will have high level access at one point in their lives, otherwise, various levels depending on the work you do on the system. Some percentage will be local, state, and national representatives chosen at random for a certain period of time. Representatives will include those who have specific expertise, and others who will have a witnessing, monitoring, and/or question asking role. To provide as ethical as possible standards, one idea may be for states to watchdog other states, cities to watchdog other cities, including their politicians, and, various other checks on the system. These responsibilities would be randomized, and changed over time to avoid capture by non-system influences.
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Suggestions, and criticisms will be constantly routed through the system so nothing is missed or ignored. Any disputes within the system, will be dealt with on a rank voting basis, to make sure these ideas or concerns get heard. Within a short time, each will be answered, and additional hearings scheduled if there is further need. If someone or group is still not satisfied, traditional political avenues can still be taken, or the current court system can handle issues in their purview. For example, if less than 1% of system participants have the same concern, and the system has dealt with the concern in a multiple review process, the person would need to take their concerns off system.
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*I suggest that the general algorithmic rules including random selection of individuals for system roles, referendum voting, and other, be formed around the ideas of John Rawls, refined by Micheal Sandel, from his latest book, The Tyranny of Merit: What’s Become of the Common Good? This will be to avoid any type of errant idea or coalition from harming or undermining another coalition inadvertently or purposely. All agreed upon during member sign up.
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The jobs platform should have both in person and online interfaces. Most people after familiarizing themselves with the system, will likely do everything online. However, to ramp up as fast as possible, there will be mobile action units deployed to reach out to people wherever they are in need of jobs. Local people will be trained and employed to help implement the jobs platform. If requested, any family member, age thirteen or older, in a household up to a certain income level will be provided with a free or reduced priced handheld device that can access all the civic and job functions. Otherwise, a hack-proof app would be available online.
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Additionally, a massive library of quick tutorials will available to walk participants through any of the service offerings, advocacy/civic roles, and system rules. Again, most everything in this essay is a conceptual example, nothing is finalized until after all U.S. participants have been invited, and given a certain amount of time to officially sign on, and participate.
The Conclusive Big Reveal.
There is something much bigger hidden in plain sight. Rather than merely a new economic theory, consider this advanced system a democratic responsibility facilitator because of its comprehensive potential. We can have the biggest and best, “small” government ever. It would be a 330 million people collective, yet individualistic in many ways, non-bureaucratic, government agency, working as smoothly and effectively as humanly — assisted by technology — possible.
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While this system will not make laws, sign treaties, activate the military, or launch missiles, if Congress and the president only had those duties and a few more, we could keep a better eye on them as well. At the same time we can make this economy our economy, and not the economy of dark money politicians, meritocratic elites, and massive corporations.
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We will do it by effectively combining the ideas from every part of the economic theory spectrum, ridding ourselves of other ideas, and keeping what still makes dollars, and sense. We do not need to give up our individual freedoms, or our united values. Corporations should not be crippled by the people or government, but they must do what is ethical, and not do what is unhealthy. We The People must also open our minds, and put some sweat into making transformation possible through a collective movement.
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by Richard The Chwalek
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To learn more about the comprehensive nature of the We The People system, and how it provides individual Americans more control over their own future, get my ebook, Our Democracy Requires An Update: A Transformational We The People System.
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