If only that were true. First of all there will be the inevitable governmental and state instituional incompetence in delivering the finished product. Secondly, by the time the product is delivered it will already be out of date as a concept, considering the scale of change in the world, but most especially in any IT related technological sphere. Thirdly, there will always be someone else doing things faster,cheaper and more efficiently in this field of endeavour.
So maybe pursuing this type of "smart economy" is not the best route for a country on its uppers. What though, if we were to pursue a different type of "smart economy".
One that built real solid foundations in our daily lives. One that meant that access to basic requirements like clean water, food, waste water recycling, heating and electricity could never be denied at any time, but especially not in times of economic recession. Currently we have half a million people out of work struggling to pay for many of these basic human needs. The lack of money though should never mean we are unable to meet these daily needs.
In effect there is a core of goods and services that should be removed from the grip of money. We should always be able to access these resources, even if we have no money! I am not saying we just get handed them, but in fact am saying we should be able to work collectively together to provide them for ourselves, without needing money to purchase them on an ongoing basis. This would remove so much stress over the loss of income and also greatly empower our daily lives.
Examples:
- Wind/Solar Energy:: Stop wasting money on investing in stock markets/pension funds (letting young pups gamble on your future security at financial roulette tables). Invest that money NOW as you work and earn, into building local wind energy (or solar) supply. Then you are providing free energy for your future. If you, or one of your neighbours lose your jobs, then since you all invested in buying the technology, you all should still get to receive power, even though some people are struggling with money levels. If one cant even afford to contribute part of the money that buys the technology, then maybe one can "earn" their free power by maintaining the infrastructure, or by performing some other social service for the community.
- Food supply:: Food is going to rise in price soon. No doubt. Also, it is becoming more and more unhealthy a product, as it is tweaked and prodded to meet all sorts of "preferred"specifications. Start growing food locally. Again take a share of our current earnings and pool together to get seed/eguipment/machinery etc. Now we also have future food security, and hence even if we lose our jobs, we can at least get out of bed and help others to work the soil, to feed our families. Even if we dont lose our jobs, it also provides future food security into retirement age etc....
- Water:: Drill our own wells. As water charges come more and more onstream, own your own water supply. Then you can be guaranteed of its quality and cleanliness. Again without money, we can now pump drinking water to our taps daily without depending on centralised and costly services. Also build rain water capture devices to utilise grey water for toilets and washing machines.
Many more examples could be listed.....................
If we could get to a situation where each individual in our society had this level of future security of resources then we have truly built a "smart economy". It is an economy that guarantees, at the very least, that basic human needs can always be met locally, external from the traditional monetary loop.
All else can follow on from there, i.e. market economies can build on those foundations. Build as many digital hubs as you like then, once you can access the basics. This would be a revolution in economic policy and finally start to de-leverage us from bond markets and depending exclusively on a healthy market economy as the only barometer to measure success in our world.
Where does the government fit in?
Stop peeing our money against the wall like a bunch of drunken teenagers. Stop wasting money on quangos/reports/advisors/ PR/ media/excessive salaries/advertising/ special interest groups/ saving face to other countries etc.. etc.. Use some of that money that is normally wasted and enable the process of allowing the people to meet their needs,
i.e.
- make any of the funds used to purchase this infrastructure, like wind turbines or solar panels, tax exempt
- remove all red tape, to help foster creativity, enterprise and innovation at a local level
- Sell country abroad as one that is self sufficient, thereby marketing us a experts in sustainable economic development
Barry Fitzgerald
Author of "Building Cities of Gold"
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