If we resolve the problem of the Tragedy of the Commons by allowing all people to say where we are over-exploiting the commons, then attach fees to those activities which are implicated and distribute the fee proceeds to all people equally, we will have acheived a direct, democratic ownership and management of the commons, of natural resources, an integration of ecology and economy, and a synthesis of capitalism and communism. We will have created a method for all people to be directly involved in the sculpting of society.
Earth's ecosystems and the natural resources that sustain our civilization are threatened today because our modern economic system does not take account of externalities. Almost every kind of economic activity has side effects that may harm the human community or larger environment in some way. The phenomenon of over-use of community resources, (to the point of degradation and even total destruction), is known as the Tragedy of the Commons. The Tragedy of the Commons results from the fact that economic agents do not incur additional costs in proportion to the additional demands they place on community resources. Gaia Brain theory offers us a way to take account of externalities, incorporate an economic measure of the demands placed on the resource base into the economic calculus, and thereby prevent the Tragedy of the Commons. It also constitutes a capitalism/communism synthesis.
The best of both worlds: Free movement of capital, reward for individual initiative and effort, with ownership and control of natural resources, the Commons, (the ultimate 'means of production'), vested in the people.
Our political system would produce better results if we change our role from that of passive reactor to that of active shaper of the options befor us. Rather than only consider candidates who seek or win party nomination, we could look for responsible citizens who have a well-developed sense of public duty, who are widely regarded as persons of integrity, honesty and courage, who many people would want to vote for, and who would do it if we ask.
Vote on 'Gaia Brain' at MIT's Idea Exchange, and read about the ballot-stuffing tactics.
Shorter Gaia, earlier version. 7k
If you could ask ANYONE to be president... who would you choose?
Think about it. Talk about it. Pass on the question. We could do better.
Who are the Electors to the President? They are the ultimate Choosers of the President, yet their identities are unknown to most of us.
Walter Cronkite and
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