On 9/5/07, Gar Lipow <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2007/9/4/212459/4031 > > Barnes took that policy insight and asked, if there is only so much > atmospheric space to go around, who does it belong to? He concluded > that it belongs to the human race -- that each person should get an > equal share of emissions. In the U.S., his suggestion was to set up a > trust that owns our nation's limited atmospheric space and auctions > off permits for using it; the revenue generated by that trust would be > divided among all of us. So every U.S. resident would get a dividend > check from the Sky Trust in the same way that Alaska residents get > revenue from the Alaska Pipeline.
Thanks for a very nice review. It is disappointing that this book should do such a good job of identifying the dysfunctions of capitalism and then offer such lame remedies. How is the above "emission permits" any different from "carbon offsets"? Does Barnes really believe corporations will not game this system for profit just like they have done with everything else? You said it best below: I just find it hard to share your apparent optimism. > It's not hopeless. It's just that there is no magic third way beyond > politics. Barnes is completely right that these are common resources > that need institutions to manage them for the common good. But the > messiness won't end with the political struggles that create such > institutions. Once they are built, there will be conflict over what > the common good includes. We will have to use the messy business of > politics to resolve these conflicts, whether the institutions are > trusts or simply new government agencies. You can't upgrade Plato's > dream of philosopher kings to philosopher boards-of-directors. -raghu.
