New economic system for post-peak ?
Posted: Thu 03 Mar 2005, 04:47:47
In the long run, it seems that the real problem is not peak oil, but the idea of sustainable infinite growth = capitalism, which is totally non-sense.
I assume most of the people would be enligtened after post-peak about this fact.
Therefore I propose a new economic system to replace Capitalism, for discussion. I haven't thought about this deeply, so never mind if it is crap.
Could we create a different economic system where "free market" is a principle, but a person can own at most some specific amount of wealth. Overpassing this limit is illegal, you have the spend the excess wealth in some limited time, and reduce your wealth. Otherwise government forcefully takes it and uses it for some good purpose(HIV research, aid to starving Africa, etc)
That would limit the incentive for growth.
e.g. once a "Bill Gates" goes over this limit(for example $1 million), he should be forced to spend the excess wealth he has, and reduce it to $1 million. Therefore in the end Microsoft would be owned by millions of people. Does this also kill the incentive of Microsoft to develop new products?
Is there a fundamental problem with this approach?
One problem would be, what happens when nearly everybody becomes rich and owns $1 million? This seems like everybody is equal, too much like Communism.
Another problem:
The economy can grow only at the rate of population. Therefore this may push even population up faster. Now, we have to put a legel limit on the number of births.
Is this utopia?
What do you think?
Is it possible that we are stupid enough to stick to Capitalism after peak-oil is all over?
Is it our destiny to hit peak-whatever after we hit peak-oil?
I assume most of the people would be enligtened after post-peak about this fact.
Therefore I propose a new economic system to replace Capitalism, for discussion. I haven't thought about this deeply, so never mind if it is crap.
Could we create a different economic system where "free market" is a principle, but a person can own at most some specific amount of wealth. Overpassing this limit is illegal, you have the spend the excess wealth in some limited time, and reduce your wealth. Otherwise government forcefully takes it and uses it for some good purpose(HIV research, aid to starving Africa, etc)
That would limit the incentive for growth.
e.g. once a "Bill Gates" goes over this limit(for example $1 million), he should be forced to spend the excess wealth he has, and reduce it to $1 million. Therefore in the end Microsoft would be owned by millions of people. Does this also kill the incentive of Microsoft to develop new products?
Is there a fundamental problem with this approach?
One problem would be, what happens when nearly everybody becomes rich and owns $1 million? This seems like everybody is equal, too much like Communism.
Another problem:
The economy can grow only at the rate of population. Therefore this may push even population up faster. Now, we have to put a legel limit on the number of births.
Is this utopia?
What do you think?
Is it possible that we are stupid enough to stick to Capitalism after peak-oil is all over?
Is it our destiny to hit peak-whatever after we hit peak-oil?