Ample System - Executive Summary

~ for a fuller explanation, see entries in the blog ~

Why:

- capitalism, while having many benefits, causes human suffering in that profit is regarded as more important than human suffering / human life;

- capitalism, by rewarding those with existing economic power, will by its very nature not only continue the current separation between affluent and poor, it will widen it due to those with existing power and resources receiving more power and resources with every transaction that takes place, in the form of interest, dividends, capital gains, and other less tangible benefits;

- an 'Ample' system seeks to retain the good parts of capitalism, whilst emphasizing that we the human race produce enough to service the needs of the entire human race.  if products and services were allocated based on need rather than profit, if a large portion of the resources were not retained for the exclusive benefit of an economic elite, everyone, everywhere, could have their needs met;

What is an 'Ample' system:

- in an 'Ample' system, the fundamental point is that every human has a right to have their basic needs met, and an obligation to contribute to society to help provide the products and services to meet these needs;

- basic needs should be formally defined (i have suggest food, water, shelter, electricity, medical & dental, education, police and national defence, all at adequate levels to maintain good health);

- in return for these basic needs, every able bodied adult up to retirement has an obligation to work a minimum number of hours;

- these minimum hours, the 'quota', would be set at a local / regional level, and would qualify citizens for their basic needs plus a minimum level of luxuries (depending on what is actually produced by the society - you can't consume more than is produced except in the short term);

- citizens can choose to work longer hours and in return can obtain a more affluent lifestyle;

- there is no money (as it isn't real, it is only a concept and is readily manipulated), the hours become a defacto currency in that citizens are credited with hours as they work, and can spend them on goods, services, or other projects as they see fit;

- prices (in 'hours') are set by the markets for goods, services, and labour.  for labour this results in scaled down hours for unpleasant / low supply jobs (ie lower hours needed to meet your minimum quota);

- where citizens purchase goods / services covered by a basic need, they are rebated back the cost of the basic need, and just pay the difference;

- government is minimised, wherever possible a private business should provide the good or service;

- businesses are not required to make a profit (profit is just a human concept, and has no effect on the actual physical assets).  the focus in an 'ample' system is to satisfy existing demand, and maximise efficiency;

- there is no money, no investments, no real estate ownership, and no debt, as these mental constructs (mental as they have no impact on the physical assets, they are just the currently accepted methodology of allocating resources) serve only to reinforce the current system and current power allocation.  if they are retained, the same inequity will return to the system in a short time frame;

- having no investments or real estate ownership, land can only be occupied (rented, as we currently use the term, but with no owner).  the rent is determined by the market;

- development of land and infrastructure is by private businesses.  they don't buy the land as land cannot be owned, it is allocated on a first come first served basis;