@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Date: Mon, 4 Dec 1995 13:24:29 -0800 Sender: •••@••.••• (John Lowry) Subject: Re: cj#326> re: right to be here >It is no longer a matter of "wishing," but of sound economics. The >foolishness that passes for finance capitalism simply doesn't work to create >an effecient and workable distribution of resources, and everybody can now >see that we are headed for a disaster of unprecedented proportions. > >John > >John, > Agreed. But, what next? Does this obvious failure lead >automatically to corrective evolution? Are you issuing a call to action? >Please clarify. > >-rkm > Richard, I did issue a "call to action." It says 1) discourage absentee ownership through a tax on "excess" wealth, 2) reintroduce responsibility into corporate governance by federalizing the charter of large, interstate corporations and requiring that their governing bodies reflect the full spectrum of "stakeholder" interests, and 3) prepare coming generations for their responsibilities in this world through a program of mandatory service begining part time in high school and continuing full time for 2-3 years after that. The program is called "Plan B, for managing civilization; a manifesto of progressive vision and honored values, intended to build cause for celebration, and have a party." It is located at: http://www.mcn.org/mencomnet/community/personals/jlowryplanb.html But the response has not been overwhelming. Nevertheless, it is a plan that would work, because it is based on some economic "truths" that we have forgotten (and this reletes to the message that was garbled): *The creation of wealth is an ethical endeavor. What happened when we forgot this is that wealth -- "the general prosperity" -- declined. *Capital is intellect. Land goes fallow without proper care. Machinery creates havoc without proper maintainence and careful handling. A pile of cash loses value without the support of a stable and productive political system. *Profit is mutual benefit. While the root meaning of "profit" changed in many dictionaries around 1970 to "gain" or "advantage," this one-sided interpretation of commerce is not sustainable and accounts for the 500% inflation we have had since that time. The classical definition of profit as "mutual benefit" reflects the sane and proper view of how individual economic transactions, in a "free market," end up furthering the common interest. As even George Bush put it, "the purpose of private enterprize is not personal gain, but public good. John @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ ~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~--~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~ Posted by Richard K. Moore <•••@••.•••> Wexford, Ireland (USA citizen) Editor: The Cyberjournal (@CPSR.ORG) See the CyberLib at: http://www.internet-eireann.ie/cyberlib See Cyber-Rights library: http://jasper.ora.com/andyo/cyber-rights/cyber-rights.html You are encouraged to forward and cross-post messages and online materials for non-commercial use, provided they are copied in their entirety, with all headers, signatures, etc., intact. ~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~--~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~
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