In this article I will discuss the notion of ‘property’, and propose a solution for how the institution of property can be changed in an Equal Money System.
Currently property is a form of control that we have created because our society is based on fear and more precisely fear of loss. This means that we have accepted ‘property’ as a means to ‘protect’ ourselves against each other, because of the underlying belief that there is not enough for everyone. Interestingly the word property sounds like poverty – because that is exactly what we have created. A system of exploitation where a small group is able to through the concept of property use and abuse the majority of human beings on this planet, where, mind you half the world exists in actual poverty and 20.000 children starve to death every day.
Yet is the belief ever questioned that ‘there isn’t enough’?
Isn’t it striking that those areas in the world that are experiencing the most dramatic poverty are often also those who are the largest exporters of Food in the world ?
So, clearly – there is something not working in our system.
This is why we propose an Equal Money System – as it is seen that the current economic system is gone out of hand and is no longer able to be adjusted in any beneficial direction. As we can see daily in the news: it is only getting worse.
An Equal Money system is based on the premise that money is merely what we agree it to be. An Equal Money System is a new socioeconomic system where the value of money will be based on the Equal Value of All Life. This means that practically speaking money will no longer be the supreme holder of value – but instead we all agree that instead Life should be valued and supported and not money for the sake of money.
What this practically means is that money will become a tool of distribution and access that will equally be made available to all. In other words: everyone will have Equal Money from birth till death, so that everyone’s practical needs are always met and no one need to experience any form of material lack ever again. This is a mathematical problem that can be worked out once it is acknowledged that there are in fact more than enough resources in the world as is confirmed by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
This is just to give you a basic understanding as to what it is we are accepting in the current system and what is in fact possible, if we would agree on some new principles to guide decision-making.
So, let’s now turn to property and what property will become in an Equal Money System.
In an Equal Money System there will no longer be property as we currently know it. Here I suggest we replace it with the notion of ‘allocation’. Currently you are through money able to buy an item and then claim this item as yours. Within this you have the ‘legal right’ to dispose of your item as you please, since it is your ‘property’. Hence you are never really accountable for the way you handle that which is given to you, because as the ‘owner’ you are ‘the boss’ and your item is your slave. In an Equal Money system such inequality and abuse will no longer be acceptable, as with ‘allocation’ you are no longer the ‘owner’ of that which is given to you. Instead you become the caretaker, where you understand that there is equality between you and that which is under your care and that you must now look after the item as your child to be entitled to use it.
Let’s take housing as an example. In terms of housing, no one will ‘own’ the house they live in, as everything belongs to the earth, just as your body belongs to the earth. So, to be ‘allocated’ a house will then mean that you are given the care of that house and that you are now (alone or with others) responsible for the house. Allocation thus means an agreement between you and that which you are allocated, to take care of it in the best possible way so that it can be handed to the next person in an optimal state, just as it was given to you.
Obviously allocation will imply a great level of responsibility, which implies not only the willingness but also the practical skill to in fact be able to handle a household and to maintain a physical house. In other words there will be actual training required and practicals to be able to assess whether a person is actually ready to be allocated a house. This can be done with a system of licenses where for all kinds of items you require to have a license. In the example of housing the license could be incorporated in the general education curriculum, where for last year ‘students’, a housing area would be made available with houses for them to live in during the last six months of their year, to learn how to practically take care of a house and to through direct experience learn all the aspects that must be considered within utilizing a house. The readiness of the ‘student’ can then easily be assessed through assessments with feedback – after which a final assessment can be given after a few months to see if the suggestions and the feedback have been applied. Then the ‘student’ receives the license and is then entitled to be allocated a house.
This solution can be applied to any form of allocation, such as allocation of specific high tech materials – which require specific knowledge and maintenance, but also the allocation of animals: where you must prove your ability to take responsibility for that particular animal with full understanding.
Licenses will thus play a major role in an Equal Money System – as the licenses will be the measurement of your practical responsibility skills. Regarding the basic points that would form part of everyone’s requirement, such as housing, modules with licenses would be able to be implemented in the normal curriculum. Hence a normal curriculum will become actual ‘life-training’ – instead of merely the absorption of knowledge and information and to then be sent out into the world with no practical preparation whatsoever.
Allocation through a licensing system is but one of the many points that would drastically change the face of this world.
Fear will no longer exist in relation to you having the right to exist in this world, as Equal Money will facilitate the peaceful coexistence of all human beings – all being equally entitled to be part of this world and explore Life.
This is a quote taken from Jose Graziano de Silva’s submission program – who has now taken the office of Director General in the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
“During its 65 years of life, FAO can claim to have contributed to a remarkable growth in food output. Average per capita food availability has risen by 40%. Enough food is now being produced to meet the needs of all of the world’s population that has risen in the past 65 years from 2.5 billion to almost 7 billion.
This success in expanding food output, however, has not been enough to overcome hunger. One in seven people in the world – almost one billion people – face hunger every day of their lives, and almost 3 billion more are affected by malnutrition, including health-damaging malnutrition caused by over-consumption of food. In other words, over half of the world’s population suffers from not eating properly. People are hungry, not so much because of lack of food availability, but mainly because they cannot afford the food they need for a healthy and productive life.”
The statement is clear: there is enough food for everyone – but everyone doesn’t have enough money to buy food.
The solutions in Graziano’s program indicate that he is not considering a change in the economic system as a way to change this situation.
So, I will place some perspectives here for anyone involved in governments, NGO’s or international organizations, that should by now be part of your consideration. The points I will discuss are the Basic Income Grant (BIG) and the Equal Money System (EMS).
Simplistically, BIG is a system based on redistribution of money – where the redistribution is done within the bounds and parameters of the current economic and monetary system. Under the BIG system every person in the world has the right to a basic unconditional income to cover all their basic needs. As can be seen from the quote taken from Graziano’s program – (“People are hungry, not so much because of lack of food availability, but mainly because they cannot afford the food they need for a healthy and productive life.”) – this would in effect give everyone access to food and end hunger in the world.
The decision to implement such a social program – would be a political matter that requires world consensus. Yet, with half the world already being malnourished, it will not be too hard to find a majority who will demand equal access to basic needs, through a BIG system.
An Equal Money system goes completely beyond that – and involves a total transformation of social, political, and economic structures. Here the monetary system itself is replaced with a new monetary system – where money is no longer based on debt – but is simply made available as an abundant resource so that any project that is best for all can always be ‘sponsored’. Under Equal Money every person in the world is supported from birth till death – to never in their life experience any form of deprivation.
These are practically feasible solutions for this world one should investigate – if one is really serious about creating a better world for All.
It should be clear by now that within the bounds of the current economic system – there will not be any change forthcoming that can stand the test of time. Hence why we propose that BIG should be used as a means to transition towards an EMS. The collapse of the current economic system is inevitable and world hunger will only escalate as long as one try and find solutions while trying to honor this system. With half the world being malnourished – we can say the current system is a holocaust and should therefore no be honored.
I suggest one investigate BIG and EMS in considerable depth – you may be astounded at the simplicity of it all, and how come you never even heard about it.
In an Equal Money System ‘politicians’ as such will not exist – but there will be positions that need to be taken where a certain level of responsibility is required. These positions will be filled based on democratic elections – and the best way to describe such a function would be that of an ‘administrator’ rather than a ‘leader’. An important aspect of such a function is that one will only be allowed to do it for 1 term – which would be 1 or 2 years, after which a new administrator is elected to take over your function, after which one will not be allowed to pose as candidate for administrator again. This is to make sure that there is never any possibility for misuse of power – and it also makes clear where the focus must lie: on the principle, not on the personality.
Remember that in an equal Money System everyone will be supported from birth to become a fully self-responsible and effective living being. Hence there will be no requirement for leadership as it exists today – because that is in fact based on separation where the majority have abdicated their responsibility towards their reality and towards the whole world to a select group of people, to have them be responsible, and who are then given carte blanche to abuse in the name of ‘the common good’.
In an Equal Money system great responsibility will be expected from everyone – because only when taking responsibility for oneself and one’s world – can one really be an honorable being. Therefore the current system of politics and entertainment is a system that promotes dishonor, limitation and slavery. To give away one’s responsibility is an act of fear – because one is unwilling to face that self- is in fact responsible. Is it then such a mystery that in today’s world everyone blames the politicians and the elite? Blame is much easier than taking responsibility – and it also indicates that self is still unwilling to take responsibility and will divert all attention from this fact through blaming another.
In an Equal Money System such behavior will not be accepted – and all will be supported to face their inner demons and learn to take responsibility for themselves and their reality. What is currently being tested and explored within the Desteni I process is already showing that it is possible for a being to take directive charge of themselves and their lives – and that one can learn how to stop ones self-obsessed way of existing and that it is possible to live in a way that is considerate of others as equal as self.
In an Equal Money system there will be no separation between ‘politicians’ and ‘the public’ – because everyone will simply be empowered to take responsibility wherever they can. This will in turn make the media as it currently exists obsolete because the media has mainly existed as a tool or a medium that stood in between the public and the politicians – a tool that does not exist for the purpose of providing clarity and clear communication, but to divert attention and hide the real important issues.
In an Equal Money system the administrators will not have to be worried about what the media will say about them – as the media will no longer be an institution based on manipulation, gossip and profit, but instead be a collaboration of people, based on real interest and passion, on how to organize and disseminate information locally and all around the world. Within this the emphasis will be to allow for all perspectives to equally be heard and equally be accessible. This will be done through giving everyone in fact equal access to the same technology that allows for such communication to exist. The way to do that is by giving everyone Equal Money from birth to death. No more marginalization.
What must be considered within this is that ‘free access’ to goods and products does not come without responsibility. In the current consumerist system everyone with enough money can give themselves access to a product or technology – without any self-responsibility of the ‘consumer’ being required as such. Thus, someone can buy a product, without taking full responsibility for it, because after one has acquired ‘ownership’ of the product, being the owner implies that one can dispose of the product as one pleases, which implies that one have ‘the right’ and the ‘free choice’ to for instance be careless with it or to use it in an abusive manner. This kind of abuse will no longer be tolerated in an Equal Money system, because it extends to all areas where a sense of ‘ownership’ exists: it will bring with it ‘the right to abuse’. This is also clear in relations between parents and children for instance, where the parents perceive the child is in a way their property. This point however will be developed in more depth in another article. Let’s for the moment return to the point of politicians.
In an Equal Money system a ‘politician’ will simply be a servant – a guardian of the system – who makes sure that in the first place the Equal Money System keeps running, so that everyone is at all times supported, and secondly ensures the administration of all the collective decision making processes on how the system can be improved.
Practically this means that he or she will have to administer online forums that are accessible to all and anyone. In these forums suggestions will be shared in a structured manner so that each participant is able to asses whether what is said is best for all or if it requires improvement to be able to stand as a the solution to a problem or as a viable alternative to an already existing approach. This means that there will be communication regulations one have to adhere to, to make the process as effective as possible. For instance one will have to explain the problem, why or where the current solution is not yet best for all – and how the new solution is superior to the old one in that it solves more problems and is more beneficial to all participants.
Hence one must understand that all political decisions will be made in complete openness where the process of how a decision was made can completely be traced back in all its steps.
The role of the media in this regard will be limited – as there will be no more ‘secrets’ to reveal or hidden plots to expose. Hidden politics will simply not be allowed. Everything must always immediately be shared in a public forum so that there is full transparency at all times.
If you are interested in a future where everyone has an Equal say and where all Life is Equally valued – I would say don’t wait and join us.
Starvation is currently accepted as one of the conditions of humanity’s earthy existence. It is presented as being part of being here.
“This earthly existence is simply too tough to manage – and there is simply no other way but to abuse each other for at least ‘a majority’ to be able to ‘prosper’”.
What is not realized is that all the conditions that are perceived as being the limitations and harsh conditions of “this earthy existence” are actually the result of deliberate choices made by human beings – and how we as humanity have decided to manage our existence as a group.
For instance: the earth grows plants and vegetables that are nutritious to human beings – yet the cultivation and distribution of these foods are then a point that is the responsibility of the human being.
It is a well known fact that in terms of food availability – there is more than enough recourses to support every being on the planet.
Yet the systems we have put in place to facilitate the cultivation and distribution of the recourses are not based on the intention to support all beings equally – but on how these recourses can be used to give some an advantage over others, because fundamentally the belief is accepted that life is a struggle and one must abuse in other to survive.
Therefore through the current money system humanity has set up and created its own excuse as to why it’s is impossible to stand together as a group in which all are equally taken care of, because we have made sure that in its foundation humanity stands divided, using fear and competition.
In a way that is why the Equal Money system is feared and opposed so extensively whenever it is being presented and explained. Because if the current system is removed and replaced with a new economic foundation based on equality and all-inclusivity – then each one will be able to see that there is no need to continue the way they currently exist – and that change is actually possible.
Technically speaking it is already within our reach to end mass-poverty and starvation on Earth. This is merely a matter of numbers and logistics and doesn’t require a new scientific discovery. All it really takes is a political decision and the determination to pull this through on a world scale –meaning: it would require co-operation on all levels of decision making. This includes government and corporate. Therefore in order for an equal system to be set in place and implemented a co-operation must exist on the government and corporate level worldwide. Together with this a major adjustment is required in the monetary systems: money must be completely stripped of its current functionality and given a new functionality: to be a an empowering medium that enables humanity to facilitate a global system based on equality and Human Rights – instead of it being a tool to enslave through debt.
The proof that Equal Money will End starvation and poverty is that there exist food surpluses everywhere around the world – this includes the regions where people are actually starving. Therefore as soon as the point of equal distribution is given proper direction through an equal money system – you end starvation, because Equal Money for all means: equal access for all!
The only way this can work is if it is agreed upon by all of humanity that profit is harmful to life and that instead now money will be designed to support Life.
This is the Equal Money System: an equal income for all Human Beings on earth, from Birth till Death, so that no one ever need to worry about ‘survival’ – and instead we can start focusing on how we want to live together.
“Anyone going to college essentially is gambling… Once again, from an investor’s point of view, right now – the way the dollar is, the way inflation is going up, and the way the job market is – a college education just isn’t a good investment… and not a good return on your money.” — Gennady Litvin, Dept & Bankruptcy Attorney
The interview explains very clearly how at the moment the American economy is in an alarming state of crisis because half of last year’s college graduates are still unemployed to this day. This is because the job market is tightening up to such an extent that even people with qualified degrees can end up on the streets or jobless and in great debt. The US has an allowance for banks to lend money to students as college money – though these amounts are exorbitantly high. One girl speaks of having 60.000 US dollars in debt – a boy mentions even 90.000 US dollars.
Clearly these students have been duped – and have merely been used as ‘human resource’ to make money for the universities and the banks.
So yes, an entire generation will be lost – and the future ones even more so as long as the current system is ‘kept’ as the ‘best way to exist on earth’ – which is now in a crisis of which many have already said it cannot be fixed and will eventually collapse. The numbers are quite obvious and speak for themselves. Some have dared to speak of a ‘recovery’ – US debt is now at 14 trillion US dollars – that is 6 trillion more than last year – and Europe has now 3 countries that have gone broke under the Euro and many already speculate about who will be the next to ‘fall’ – to me it looks like the system is crashing down in slow motion.
Understand – there will be no solution coming forth that will actually stop the direction in which the world economies are headed – and thus the situation will only get worse.
There is no sufficient understanding of what is causing the problem – as is proven by the many predictions of recovery done by the greatest experts – and there is no willingness to look at what would actually benefit the majority of human beings – which is supposedly the principle of democracy, therefore democracy doesn’t exist.
So, the solution is simplistic – one need to ‘think radical’ and be able to deal with reality: currently half the world (more than 3 Billion people) are living in poverty with 1 Billion on the brink of starvation every day. This atrocity used to be justified by saying that the economic system is beneficial to the West and creating wealth for the West… Though as the example in this interview is demonstrating this is no longer the case – soon we will all be losers under the current system. So, it’s time the former elite make up their mind as to what kind of world they will be creating for their children and their children to come.
At the moment the picture looks pretty grim – and there are crisis in many areas: from financial to ecological to humanitarian – though which all tie together.
The point is that such play-outs can be avoided and are not a necessary path for humanity – though that will require great effort and willingness to stand together as a group that care for each other. We’ve suggested that it is time an Equal Money system be considered as a solution to the current crisis – because within such a structure all of humanity can be integrated as one group of equals, where every single child born is immediately supported through the system of equal unconditional income.
This will transcend all borders.
End all wars.
End all exploitation.
End the struggle for survival.
Everyone will be equally supported and cared for – do you believe that is materially impossible?
Look at what infrastructure, logistics and money are put in play for causes of war – and think again.
Thus – do your research on equal money, what it actually means and stands for and become part of the solution.
Soon there will be a number of Books published dealing in greater detail with the outlooks of the system, so stay tuned.
The System is designed in a polarity of have’s and have not’s through a money-system based on Debt, and the environment you are born into in is what determines your life, be it wealth or poverty – the current system is like a casino, where one’s faith depends on luck only, with winners and losers. Many justify the inequality through ‘natural selection’. But they forget this casino-reality with its casino rules is a Human creation based on Human agreement – and thus not ‘natural selection’. If natural selection really existed then Humanity would already have existed as equals all over the world, working together as one to support each other, because then they would be an effective specie.
Poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick and not
being able to see a doctor. Poverty is not having access to school and
not knowing how to read. Poverty is not having a job, is fear for the
future, living one day at a time. Poverty is losing a child to illness
brought about by unclean water. Poverty is powerlessness, lack of
representation and freedom.
Poverty is a call to action — for the poor and the wealthy alike — a call to change
the world so that many more may have enough to eat, adequate shelter, access to education
and health, protection from violence, and a voice in what happens in
their communities.” (World Bank)
To address the problem, the World Bank set out a Poverty Goal, which is the following:
“The poverty goal calls for reducing by half the proportion of people living
on less than a dollar a day by 2015. A reduction from 28 percent in
1990 to 12.7 percent in 2015, would reduce the number of extreme poor
by 363 million.” (World Bank)
What is actually being said here?
What they’re saying is they are going to ‘make sure’ that 363 million
more people will be able to ‘live’ on 1 dollar a day, instead of less
than 1 dollar a day?
By their own statistics more than 3 billion people (almost half the world population)
is currently living on less than 2,5 dollars a day! (Globalissues)
They continue:
“While there has been great progress in reducing poverty, it has been far from
even, and the global picture masks large regional differences.
Poverty in East Asia—the world’s poorest region in 1981—has fallen from nearly
80 percent of the population living on less than $1.25 a day in 1981 to
18 percent in 2005 (about 340 million), largely owing to dramatic
progress in poverty reduction in China. The goal of halving extreme
poverty between 1990 and 2015 has already been achieved in East Asia.
Between 1981 and 2005, the number of people in poverty has fallen by around 600
million in China alone. In the developing world outside China, the
poverty rate has fallen from 40 to 29 percent over 1981-2005, although
the total number of poor has remained unchanged at around 1.2 billion.
$1.25 a day poverty rate in South Asia has also fallen, from 60 percent to 40
percent over 1981-2005, but this has not been enough to bring down the
region’s total number of poor, which stood at about 600 million in 2005.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, the $1.25 a day poverty rate has shown no sustained
decline over the whole period since 1981, starting and ending at around
50 percent. In absolute terms, the number of poor people has nearly
doubled, from 200 million in 1981 to 380 million in 2005. However,
there have been signs of recent progress; the poverty rate fell from
58% in 1996 to 50% in 2005.
In middle-income countries, the median poverty line for the developing world
—$2 a day in 2005 prices—is more relevant. By this standard, the poverty rate
has fallen since 1981 in Latin America and the Middle East & North Africa, but
not enough to reduce the total number of poor.
The $2 a day poverty rate has risen in Eastern Europe and Central Asia since 1981,
though with signs of progress since the late 1990s.”
It’s obvious the World Bank is unable to solve the problem and is merely playing on
numbers to cover things up.
How is one supposed to eat and drink and have shelter and education
with 1 or 2 dollars a day?
The Economic System
What if the World Bank, and the economic system it represents were
actually part of the problem?
In the current system inequality is in fact a requirement for the system
to be able to function. Specifically: poverty, unemployment and
starvation are required, because people existing in such conditions are
the ones that can be exploited for profit, having no choice but to
surrender themselves to the working-conditions set out by the employer.
They are unable to make any demands, because if they don’t accept the
conditions and do the job, someone else will and they’ll simply be left
to starve. Human beings have become irrelevant numbers. When so many
people are forced to accept such debased conditions (here are the World
Banks 1,25 and 2 dollars a day) – this will put pressure on all the
wages of everyone in the world. So the more extreme poverty exists, the
more extreme exploitation can be maintained.
The way we’ve organized our world is based on the premise that one must be able to
buy one’s right to exist, because only through money can one support
oneself to live. Parents buy that right for their children – and social
welfare is exactly the same principle. What we’re implying through this
agreement is that Life is worthless and merely a recourse to be
exploited by the system.
Never do we consider that it doesn’t have to be this way and that we have to power
to change the system into a world where life is actually valued.
But how?
In this world the issuance of debt-money ensures that inequality is always
perpetuated: all money that is placed in circulation is a loan of some kind
– this means there is already created interest – as an Added non-existent value
to the existing amount of money.
To use a simple example:
If I’m a banker and I give 2 people each 2 dollars as a loan, and i charge
each 50% interest – that means that for both to be able to pay off
their loan there must be a total amount of at least 6 dollar in
circulation. Because each one has to pay me 2+1 dollar. But I put only
a total amount of 4 dollars in circulation, as the very loans I made –
this means one of both is not going to able to pay off his debt, which
will force one of both to steal from the other leading to violence. On
a larger scale this results in one group having everything and the
other group having NOTHING. This is in a nutshell why in the current
money-system there cannot possibly exist basic Equality – you can
actually do the math. Yet none of this is being thought to the children
in any schools, leading them to believe we have a ‘fair’ system and to
grow up blindly accepting the limitations of the system as if it was
ordained by God.
There is no denying possible this system has to stop – It was never
designed in the consideration of what’s best for the whole, but merely
to enslave and exploit people. Because people believe there must be
a reason why such atrocities exist in the world.
No, there isn’t! There is no purpose to the 20.000 children dying of
starvation each day – the only reason why this is happening is because
we are CREATING it this way as a direct result of the money system.
We require a new system of money-creation that is beneficial to all –
where the value of the money is agreed upon to be ‘real one on one
value’ that cannot be manipulated. We need a totally new money and
labor system, where everyone is given an equal chance. That’s basic
common sense!
Currently the only answer the system has to the greed and inequality –
that is creating an increase in exploitation and abuse – is more greed
and inequality, which is expressed through the act of adding more and
more debt-money and credit to the pool – without even looking at the
structural point of where the inequality originates: in the creation
of money itself!
In this an institution like the World bank is merely perpetuating the problem, by
administering loans to countries that seek economic assistance – which
only causes more poverty, exploitation and starvation. (Globalissues)
The money-system is not sustainable for the World
At the moment in the West the money-system still seems to ‘work’ to some
degree. People can still ‘earn money’ and live comfortably. Yet with
where the system is currently headed, this will not be able to
continue, because through the debt-system all the material wealth is
continuously being transferred to the wealthiest minorities, slowly but
surely. So the majority of the people in the Western countries, which
is the middle class, will see their wealth disappearing into the hands
of the richer elites. Some of the middle class ‘climbing up’ to the
higher elites, and the rest becoming poor. This will eventually cause
the middle classes to disappear in every country – and you’ll have
third-world situations everywhere. This can go slowly are at a faster
pace, but the outcome is inevitable.
America, which is the spearhead of the financial system, is already starting
to head in that direction with mass-increases in unemployment, poverty
and even people starving.
Since the 1980’s 3/4th of all industrialized nations have in fact been
experiencing a widening gap in incomes between rich and poor. In recent
years with the financial crisis this gap is widening even faster. (Globalissues)
Many people are starting to accept the possibility that the system might
collapse – but they ‘go along’ in the expectation it won’t probably be
in their life-time. Still not realizing that none of it is even
necessary.
The end of the system will start to become more visible as time progress and
many more attempts will be made to ‘save it’ through government bailouts and other
measures. The question that remains is, will we go all the way until it is really too late
– or will we use common sense and direct ourselves to come up with an actual
solution.
Moreover the system is forcing all of humanity into behaviors of greed and self-interest,
as it presents a perception of scarcity and where the system is seen as God as
the only viable solution that can never be questioned. Obviously as the system
collapses, that will be the end of this religion and people will start
to realize there has to be another way.
So what’s the Solution?
The key to the problem is equality. Anything we do has to start there,
because without equality we’ll simply create a new cycle of harm and
abuse. So how do you practically make sure there is equality? Through
guaranteeing there is an equal income for everyone – giving every human
being equal access to the resources that are necessary to be able to
live a dignified life in the physical world.
As I’ve said the only reason why poverty, starvation, exploitation and slavery
exist is because we are tacitly agreeing to it – through agreeing on the
money-system. Therefore what must be understood is that we have the
power to change this reality.
For a change to take place all that is currently required is that we understand
what we are creating through the current system, that we agree that it must stop and we
agree that a new money and labor system is required. If there are
enough that agree on this, than political action becomes possible and
we can get real practical.
The Equal Money system that is currently being designed is to show that it is
possible to create a new system that breaks with the old, where practical
implementation in space and time is taken into consideration and where
the goal is to take the shortest route to a situation that is best for
all.
— The narrative is mostly based on the historical research done by Jared Diamond – ‘Steel, Germs & Horses’ (1997) —
When looking at the world of today and looking at the differences that
exist between Human beings on earth, one could ask if there is a
particular reason as to why a specific ‘race’ or ‘country’ or
‘continent’ ended up holding a more favorable position of ‘power’ in
comparison to other ‘races’, ‘countries’, or ‘continents’.
Where through economic principles of debt, entire Nations have ended up being
enslaved to western creditors with no way out.
Where entire populations are left to starve without regard from the Western countries.
Where one half of the world is actually working to feed the other half
that live in better conditions and enjoy more wealth, health and better
education.
Was there a pre-programmed advantage involved? And if so – did it have anything
to do with the Human?
Since the times when ‘modern civilization’ came into contact with the
‘forgotten parts’ of the world, the west was faced with a peculiar
question: how come populations such as the Aboriginals in Australia had
virtually made ‘no progress’ since the Stone-Age?
People of ‘Modern civilization’ saw themselves as superior in
knowledge, science and culture – giving them a ‘Divine Right’ to either
exterminate, convert or enslave the indigenous populations. Ultimately
the reason as to why one part of the world came to hold the more
fortunate position is then attributed to the particular evolution of
knowledge, science and technology within that society.
This is how history is being taught in schools and how it is recorded
in the history books. History books will typically emphasize the
superiority of the West in terms of philosophy, religion, science and
technology, and they will meticulously trace the ‘evolutions’ thereof.
Within that, the core belief of the Western world is reinforced – that
knowledge is the actual drive of ‘evolution’, ‘change’ and ‘progress’.
Recent historical research has uncovered that this is not so. In fact,
the role of knowledge, science, technology, religion and even culture
in itself are quite irrelevant factors in the journey of Humanity that
has resulted in the extreme inequalities that we witness today.
So, then what are the relevant factors?
The biggest factors that have in fact determined the inequality between and
within Human societies of today, are Plants, Animals and Germs.
To place this into perspective we will consider the startingpoint of
when – according to the historical record – ‘Human civilization’
started. This is said to be between 13 000 and 10 000 years ago, which
is after the beginning of a new climate cycle on earth – where it
basically became warmer on earth from that point onwards. (With ‘Human
Civilization’ I refer to a new type of ‘living together’, thus I’m not
talking about the beginning of Humans ‘living together’ as such, which
existed much earlier.)
If we look at the basics of Human Life on earth, we can ask: what do Humans
primarily require to be able to exist?
According to ‘standard archeological research’, Human Beings had
typically been living as nomadic hunter gatherers, where they would
settle and move according to a temporary favorable environment. Studies
of hunter gatherers in recent centuries have shown that such people
lived in what is termed an ‘egalitarian’ form of social organization.
‘Egalitarian’ implies nothing more than that every member of the group
is equally responsible for obtaining food, because otherwise there will
simply not be enough for everyone. Hence there will be no ‘social
classes’ of any significance in such a small society. Even the one
regarded as ‘generally more or most responsible’ looks and lives
exactly the same way as every one else, simply because they cannot
afford to be or look like ‘more’ than another.
Such societies are typically very limited in their ‘cultural products’,
because they moved a lot and their only means of transport was their
back.
To put it extremely simplistically there existed two basic types of
human societies: nomadic hunter gatherers and sedentary farmers. It is
quite relevant to make that distinction because all the current
societies that are regarded as ‘more advanced’ originated from
sedentary farmer societies. So the ‘step’ from the hunter gatherer type
of society to sedentary farmers appears to be the decisive ‘step’ in
the course of Human history. The history of Farming is said to have
started 10 000 years ago – thus marking the beginning of ‘Human
civilization’.
Let’s look at this point then.
What changes had occurred as a result of humans becoming sedentary
farmers?
What generally happens is the following: at one point on the band /
tribe will find a vegetable that it can cultivate in a controlled area
of soil, which will cause the available food resources to increase.
Everywhere where the circumstances have allowed for it man has
discovered that he could manipulate certain plants to become suitable
for cultivation. A direct consequence of a heightened food production
is that the population will be able to grow and a situation will emerge
in which some are discharged of their food producing duties. A new
‘class’ is able to emerge. In all societies where farming occurred,
hierarchy and social stratification have resulted from it. It seems to
be part of the Human program.
Simplistically, inventions such as ‘writing’, ‘the wheel’ and
‘metallurgy’ could only arise in societies where such a thing as ‘free
time’ existed, allowing for (some) humans to ‘explore reality’ and to
‘play around’ as part of a new ‘specialized activity’ pertaining to a
‘specialized class’. Thus, farming allowed for heightened food
production, which led to population increases, which in turn led to a
class emerging that is able to completely be free from food related
duties.
Thus agriculture laid the foundation for modern society, in which many
are able to never in their lives have to be concerned with
food-production. In terms of practical living, farmer-societies would
develop a higher level of effectiveness than hunter gatherers. So then
why didn’t everyone on earth become farmers?
For farming to really be worth the trouble one needed two things: an
effective vegetable and a big mammal to assist with muscle power.
There exist round about 200 000 wild plant species on earth (including
non-edible ones, such as trees). Of those 200 000 wild plant species
only a few hundreds had been successfully domesticated and of those
hundreds only a few dozen are used in today’s world for world-wide
production. What does that imply? It means that Human societies did not
necessarily have access to effective vegetables for domestication and
food production. Within that, bear in mind that none of the vegetables
we eat today existed as such in nature: they were genetically modified
through a long processes of domestication thousands of years ago. That
no significant new plants have ever been domesticated in modern times,
suggests that humans did explore all available possibilities already in
ancient times. That gives us a pretty sober picture as to the apparent
‘abundance’ of the earths ‘natural resources’.
The big mammals that were used could be seen as the first ‘machines’,
with the sole difference that this ‘machine’ wasn’t ‘invented’ and
build by the human, but simply existed and walked around in humans
natural environment. All Humans had to do was to capture the thing.
Though such mammals weren’t readily available anywhere. In fact, very
few mammals have ever been available that allowed for effective
domestication. (To establish a clear definition, Domestication = an
animal bred in captivity, with controlled feeding and breeding, as
opposed to ‘taming’ which is capturing an animal born in the wild)
Having a big domesticated mammal constituted quite a big ‘advantage’
because in addition of it offering superior muscle power, it also was a
source of fertilizer, a means of transport, a source of meat and some
could also produce milk. Mammals were especially utilized to pull plows
which allowed for an exponential increase in the surface that could be
sown, instead of having to put the grains in the soil manually.
Now, amongst the 148 big herbivorous mammals, only 14 ever proved to
be effective for domestication.
– To begin with, one must be able to feed the animal (consider that the
biggest percentage of all the grains in the world today are being used
as food for cattle).
– The animal must have a fast enough growth rate.
– It must be willing to mate in captivity (which many mammals don’t ever).
– The animal must have a genetic disposition. For instance, while
horses had been successfully domesticated in Eurasia, African zebra’s
were – and are still today – impossible to domesticate. The animal
simply does not submit to the Human. And this goes for all the big
mammals of the African continent, such as rhinos, hippos, buffaloes,
elands… etc.
Much research, money and effort has been directed towards increasing
the amount of domesticated species in modern times – it has virtually
amounted to nothing. This suggests pre-programmed conditions in nature,
leading to outflows of inequality.
From that perspective different people on different continents simply
did not have an equal startingpoint: certain environments allowed for
more possibilities than others, either offering the Human ‘many
opportunities’ or either limiting him to an extreme degree.
For instance, after the time Humans firs set foot on the Australian
continent some 10 000’s of years ago, all big mammals that existed
there, went extinct. The same happened in Native America: by the time
of the arrival of humans, all big mammals – except for the llama and
the closely related alpaca – were either hunted to extinction or
perished through the climate shift.
With everything discussed so far, a pattern has now emerged. South
America had just one domesticable specie, while North America,
Australia, and Sub-Saharan Africa had none. In contrast the remaining
13 mammal species all existed on the Eurasian continent (including
North Africa), because the natural environments there were more
supportive of those species. Merely by determining the spread of these
animals, the course of history already became predictable.
Obviously once a particular technique of food production had been
found, that method was then able to spread to other peoples/societies –
crops and animals could be used outside of the area where the method
was first ‘discovered’. Though here again the environments played a
decisive role.
If one look at the size and the orientation of the big landmasses of
the earth, one will notice that there are differences. For instance the
American and the African continents have a smaller surface than
Eurasia. If we then look at the orientation of the landmasses we see
that America and Africa both have a vertical orientation on the map.
The vertical distance between the two remotest points of the continent
is called the ‘north-south axis’. Eurasia has a very broad horizontal
orientation, which is termed a ‘west-east axis’.
Why is this relevant? It has to do with the climate differences on the
different latitudes of the Earth, such as the Equator. These latitudes
run horizontally across the globe – on maps this is depicted as
horizontal strokes. This implies that on a landmass with a large
horizontal axis, the longest distance of that landmass will find itself
laying entirely within one latitude or climate. Hence Plants and
Animals that are able to live on one area within one latitude, will
most likely be able to live in other areas within that same latitude.
However with Africa and America – because of the vertical orientations
– the landmasses are more ‘divided’ by different latitudes. One merely
need to consider the desert on the equator in Africa, nearly ‘cutting
off’ the upper and the lower halfs of the continent from each other.
Thus different latitudes will ‘cut up’ the continent, making transfer
of Animals and Plants along a vertical axis more difficult. Let’s
illustrate this with a practical example: for instance, while the llama
existed as a domesticated animal in South America – and while a type of
wheel had been invented in Mexico – the two never met. As a consequence
of this, the wheel never got any practical application other than being
used for small toys. The two area’s were ‘cut off’ from each other
through the climate barrier of Central America.
Another point is that one cannot randomly move a Plant from one
location on the globe to another. For instance, plants have
pre-programmed time-cycles. If one moves a plant with a particular
time-cycle from one area on the globe to another area where the days
are shorter, the plant will not be able to survive. Similarly, Animals
that have become resistant to the germs that live in one particular
climate, will become sick in a new climate with new germs. So Animals
and plants are bound to their climatic environments, limiting their
‘free movement’.
So from that perspective the Eurasian continent has had the ‘most
favorable’ conditions, allowing for the widest and fastest spread of
domesticated Animals and Plant-crops. On top of that Eurasia has been
the continent with the most available domesticable big mammals in fact.
Thus by its very conditions, the Eurasian continent was more supportive
of the Human.
Let’s now finally turn to the subject of Germs.
Why would Germs be so important?
When the Spanish conquerors invaded Native America, they had many
points that ‘helped’ them in having a certain advantage over the Native
people: they possessed fire-arms, were mounted on horses, were
protected by metal armors and had metal swords, though they were not in
great number. The Spanish killed, conquered and converted many of the
natives – but the majority was in fact killed by Germs which the
Europeans had brought from overseas. So the cause of the near
extinction of the Native Americans was not due to the Conquerors, but
the Viruses. So who really conquered America?
Though, where did these germs come from and why didn’t the Native
American Germs kill the Spanish instead?
It seems the Europeans got their Germs from their mammals.
In the process of living together with their Animals, farmers took over
their Germs and overtime they build a resistance towards these Germs.
Amongst the diseases that have been traced to cattle-germs are: the
measles, smallpox and tuberculosis.
A second origin of new diseases was the growth of populations in itself
due to sedentary living. Because what happens with sedentary living:
groups of people start living in their own sewage, causing many
bacteria to infiltrate the drinking water. Thus the bigger the
populations, the more Germs. Cities typically have had to deal with
epidemics. The building of underground sewage systems was the first
point that allowed to really break the pattern. And only till the
beginning of the 20 th century did European cities become
self-sustaining in terms of their populations, whereas before a
constant inflow of healthy farmers from the outside was required to
compensate for deaths due to crowd diseases.
Another point that has benefited the Germs in Eurasia was the trading
routes. Since they were build in Roman times, a more easy transfer to
the different parts of the continent became possible. So now the
populations of North Africa, Europe and Asia became one large breeding
ground for microbes.
Obviously none of these points were ‘intended’ or even understood.
Thus we could push the point even further and ask whether it is really
the peoples of Modern civilization that ended up dominating the globe
at all. From a certain perspective it is the germs that are dominating
the globe. Perhaps that’s why scientists call groups of microbes
‘Microbe-Cultures’ ?
Let’s have a look at how germs operate.
Some will enter the organism and will then start modifying the organism
so as to develop what from a human perspective are ‘symptoms’ or
‘side-effects’ of the actual disease. Though from the Germs
perspective: this modification of the body is what allows him to spread
more effectively.
Some examples.
Influenza, common cold and ‘whooping cough’ microbes induce the human
to cough or to sneeze, thereby launching a cloud of microbes towards
potentially new hosts.
The cholera bacterium induces massive diarrhea allowing the bacteria to
spread through the water supply of which many will drink.
Then there is the rabies virus that on top of getting in the saliva of
an infected dog, will drive the dog into a frenzy of biting and thereby
spreading the virus.
Other bacteria will induce genital infections to spread through the human act of sex.
From that perspective it becomes difficult to ignore that more advanced
species than the Human exist in fact on earth. It is even becoming more
and more uncertain whether the human will be able to adapt to the
evolution-speed of new emerging diseases. They have been with the human
since day one, and while the human’s genetics haven’t changed since the
beginning, the germs have been mutating incessantly.
So – within establishing why The Western world has ended up having such
an advantage over other continents and peoples, we have found that
Human beings have had very little say in their particular destinies.
There has in other words been no real directiveness from the Human
within his own history, because if one really look at it – as soon as
certain conditions were in place the human would start acting in a
predictable pattern. At all times the human has been directed by fear,
greed and the desire for power. Nothing ‘revolutionary’ has ever
happened other than the human acting out his program, which has
resulted in the world we see today.
So why have Human beings never applied common sense to their reality?
For instance, with the technology, the resources, the
producing-capacity and the knowledge that exists today, one could
easily end things like starvation and poverty forever – allowing for
every human on earth to live a dignified life from Birth to Death. That
would be common sense, because then there would be no more unnecessary
suffering through things like war, exploitation and other behaviors
that are based on inequality.
Remember that ultimately, the ‘position’, ‘status’ and ‘power’ one
currently hold in this reality is a result of conditions that existed
on earth 10 000 years ago – and that it has very little to do with
one’s individual capacity. It was instead pre-programmed through the
unequal conditions of the earth. This implies that equality should be
considered, because otherwise humanity will eternally remain a slave of
the past. There is no intrinsic reason why Humans should keep
‘following’ the pre-programmed path of inequality that has been set out
since the beginning. Therefore all the suffering that is occurring as a
result of it – is completely unnecessary and it can actually be ended.
It only requires the will to do so and with the possibilities that are
currently available, humanity has really no more excuse.
Equal Money for All 