Arthur and Ed's responses have given me pause. Let me see if I can sort
through these issues and get some help.
First, there seems agreement that the three sectors exist. Let us leave
Rifkin out of the mix for the moment because he represents one sector
trying to market this idea.
the question which seems to be at issue is how do we all obtain the
necessary food, clothing and shelter and other support and at what
level. What the rise in alternative currency has shown us is that cash
is used as a vehicle for the distribution of goods and services. When
the coin of the relm gets concentrated or leaves a community, the
vehicle for distribution of these needs is impeeded. Thus, it makes no
difference how much technology is producing these goods. If the cash is
not available to effect the distribution then the system has problems as
we see today.
Thus, it is not just who does what- but how to make sure that the
appropriate amount of "what" is produced AND distributed.
The third or civic sector, it seems to me, appears at the extreme of the
economic spectrum. if the community is at the edge of proverty or
lacking cash, then barter and volunteer cooperation is a survival
mechanism. It appears at the opposite end when certain parties have a
surplus of cash and can afford to disburse this not through charity but
through services, noblisse oblige, as it were
goods and services need a vehicle for distribution and that is under
control of the bankers, today-- the rest of society, as bruce Sterling
points out, are just 1's and 0's in the banks' microchips. We have no
idea today how much currency has been "minted" and is controlled by VISA
world wide, a sum which gives the network more control than some
governments?
The other question that i have has to do with the "death" of the
"production" line. In one developing country there are fields where
tractors and other machinery sit rotting in the sun. The reason is that
humans are willing to work at wages so low that it is cheaper to hirer
than run equipment. Today, even in the US we have cottage industries
springing up where people are willing to sew and be paid by the piece at
costs less than that around the world or in a production factory.
Why? people need goods and services where they are living. They need a
way to purchase these goods and services- where do they get the cash? It
is interesting that corporations are now setting up large barter
networks and using the web for bidding on goods and services. One
wonders when the banks will see another service, brokering those who are
indentured via their none dischargeable caredit card debt.
thoughts?
tom abeles
