Organize differently to share the power and wealth - References and quotes
Philosophy
2021
REFERENCES AND QUOTES
ARBETSSAMHÄLLET – HUR ARBETET ÖVERLEVDE TEKNOLOGIN“At first, sheer force compelled them to produce and part with the surplus. Gradually, however, it was found possible to induce many of them to accept an ethic according to which it was their duty to work hard, although part of their work went to support others in idleness. By this means the amount of compulsion required was lessened, and the expenses of government were diminished. To this day, 99 per cent of British wage-earners would be genuinely shocked if it were proposed that the King should not have a larger income than a working man. The conception of duty, speaking historically, has been a means used by the holders of power to induce others to live for the interests of their masters rather than for their own. Of course the holders of power conceal this fact from themselves by managing to believe that their interests are identical with the larger interests of humanity.” Nietzsche, “Fundamentally, on now feels at the sight of work – one always means by work that hard industriousness from early till late – that such wok is the best policeman, that it keeps everyone in bounds and can mightily hinder the development of reason, covetousness, desire for independence. For it uses up an extraordinary amount of nervous energy, which is thus denied to reflection, brooding, dreaming, worrying, loving, hating; it sets a small goal always in sight and guarantees easy and regular satisfactions. Thus a society in which there is continual hard work will have more security: and security is now worshipped as the supreme divinity” 41 Some reproduces the society more than others and Schmooanimals 88 Economic loss creates resistance. Different class related attitudes towards Schmoo-animals 89 Technology could be Schmoo-animals 90 The uncritical acceptance of claims of rationality and efficiency 95 All power is built on violence. Steven Lukes and three faces of power: decision-making power, non-decision and ideological making power. John Stuart Mills description of patriarchic system. When submissiveness forms identity the oppressed becomes the apologetics of the oppressor. 113 submissiveness to the arbitrariness of power 184 I DOUGHNUT ECONOMICS: SEVEN WAYS TO THINK LIKE A 21ST-CENTURY ECONOMISTEmployee ownership to end imbalances between owner and workers. Share the results of the worker. 76 Power to reshape the rules of economy. Inequality in power. SeeTHINKING IN SYSTEMS – A PRIMER, Arbetsamhället Lobbying and golden rule 79 Cocreating reality 86 Who captures the value of work 155 Power determines the shares of wealth/productivity. Rooted membership and stakeholder finance. Employee owned firms. 158 I A BLUEPRINT FOR SURVIVAL“Bring demand and supply closer with industries more integrated in community to avoid waste, overproduction and production of good it doesn’t want and “thereby eliminating the needless expense of time, energy and money in attempts to persuade it that it does.” 15 IPROSPERITY WITHOUT GROWTH“There is, of course, something of an irony here. Because at the end of the day the answer to the question of whether growth is functional for stability is this: in a growth-based economy, growth is functional for stability. The capitalist model appears to have no easy route towards a steady state position. Its natural dynamics seem to push it towards one of two states: expansion or collapse."110 Resource inputs represents costs 114“In particular, it explores two interrelated features of economic life that are central to the growth dynamic. On the one hand, the profit motive stimulates newer, better or cheaper products and services through a continual process of innovation and ‘creative destruction’. At the same time, the market for these goods relies on an expanding consumer demand, driven by a complex social logic. These two factors combine to drive ‘the engine of growth’ on which modern economies depend and lock us in to an ‘iron cage’ of consumerism.” 126 description of capitalism 128 the workings of a company and the problems of profit 130 why companies seek profit, companies hooked on growth 134 I MEASURING REGENERATIVE ECONOMICS: 10 PRINCIPLES AND MEASURES UNDERGIRDING SYSTEMIC ECONOMIC HEALTH“…vitality requires balance and integration of sizes that combine the best of both worlds, i.e., large and small, resilient and efficient, diverse and focused.” “Today's challenge, therefore, is to build integrated enterprise networks that connect small, medium, and large elements in common-cause and in service to the health of the whole. This challenge is also seen in such diverse fields as politics, healthcare, education, and urban planning.” 18 I THE SPIRIT LEVEL: WHY MORE EQUAL SOCITIES ALMOST ALWAYS DO BETTER 239 Equally sharing the burden. Richard Titmuss,”If cooperation of the masses was thought to be essential [for the war effort], then inequalities had to be reduced and the pyramid of social stratification to be flattened”. 239, 240 Importance of vision. People want more equal societies. Yearning for Balance SeeTHINKING IN SYSTEMS – A PRIMER 241 Concentration of power in economic institutions. Companies the source of income inequality SeeDOUGHNUT ECONOMICS: SEVEN WAYS TO THINK LIKE A 21ST-CENTURY ECONOMIST on Piketty, capital households vs income households and increasing inequality 142, 242 Privatization has increased inequality 243, 244 Tom Paine, wealth, power and democracy 244 Make economic institutions more democratic. Cooperation. 245 Oxford, Cambridge and diversity in how we organize ourselves show that it doesn’t have to be profit driven organizations that provides important services 246 Make societies fairer through democratic employee-ownership. Importance of participation. 248 “Employee-ownership has the advantage of increasing equality specifically by extending liberty and democracy”. Economic democracy. 252 More employee owned company the better society. Advantages of employee owned company: 1. Social emancipation 2. Scale of earnings under democratic control 3. Redistribution of wealth from shareholder to stakeholders 4. Improves productivity 5. Regain experience of being part of community 6. Improve sociability in wider society 7. A start to have a society freer of hierarchical division and status-seeking 248-253 253 Democratization of companies could be a solution for inequality and could bring about a more feeling of being responsible for the effect of the company’s effect on people and planet. 255 Stop pampering the rich. They will not leave or bail. “We know that more egalitarian countries live well, with high living standards and much better social environments. We know also that economic growth is not the yardstick by which everything else must be judged. Indeed we know that I t no longer contributes to the real quality of our lives and that consumerism is a danger to the planet. Nor should we allow ourselves to believe that the rich are scarce and precious members of a superior race of more intelligent being son whom the rest of us are dependent. That is merely the illusion that wealth and power create. Rather than adopting an attitude of gratitude towards the rich, we need to recognize what a damaging effect they have on the social fabric.” 262 Different actions that can make societies fairer. 263, 264 I DOUGHNUT ECONOMICS: SEVEN WAYS TO THINK LIKE A 21ST-CENTURY ECONOMISTBeing less bad is not being good, it is being bad just less so” Be good, start giving, be one with nature. Change the core/purpose of business, help nature. Janine Benyus, mimic nature! 180 Redefine companies living purpose/goal. 193 I THINKING IN SYSTEMS – A PRIMERCorporations trying to weaken feedback loops. 154 I ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS – PRINCIPLES AND APPLICATIONSBox 22.1 how wealth creates power SeeTHINKING IN SYSTEMS – A PRIMER on “Success to the successful”. Problem of wealth as status : 1. Conspicious consumption increases scale 2. Creates a damaging zero sum positional race. 391 I THE CORPORATION: PATHOLOGICAL PURSUIT OF PROFIT AND POWERHistory of the corporation 5 – 25 South Sea Company and the prohibition to create a company in 1720 SeeDOUGHNUT ECONOMICS: SEVEN WAYS TO THINK LIKE A 21ST-CENTURY ECONOMIST on South Sea Company, bubbles and Newton 123 7 The emergence of joint-stock company in the 16th century as a result of partnerships couldn’t fill the need to finance large-scale enterprises. 8 Railroad building in the USA and UK and the proliferation of corporations 10 The introduction of limited liability in the middle of 19th century 11 Trying to end class conflict by coopting workers with shares. Critics of limited liability on moral grounds. 12 History of corporations promoting public goods like building canals and transporting water. Corporation created by the state. 153 Corporation cannot exist without a state. 154 Deregulation changes states involvement not withdraws it. SeePROSPERITY WITHOUT GROWTH on policy feedback 155 Change the mandate of the corporation 160 To encouragement
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