The Case for a Utopian Economy

The Tragedy of Childhood Starvation and				small, too limited in resources. It's simply a matter of
Malnourishment				scale. To be successful, a utopian society would have
Cast an eye about you and it's hard to not notice a				to be at least continental in extent.
great many problems besetting the people of this				It's true that there are certain extremely rare
planet, problems that persistently defy all attempts				elements that are critical for the manufacture of
at resolution either by social institutions designed				products that, while not necessary, might
specifically to deal with them or by even the most				nonetheless be desired by the people. In such a case,
altruistic and dedicated individuals. There are so many				the utopian society would have to trade some of its
problems in fact, that to consider them as a whole				precious metals, gold and silver for example, that are
tends to produce feelings of despair and a fatalistic				highly valued by capitalist societies.
acceptance of the status quo. It just may be				Gold and silver are considered valuable specifically
however, that the solution of one problem will lead to				because they are relatively scarce, but in an
the solution of others that stem from the same root				economy where everything is free, gold would have
cause. Consider for example, the problem of				no purchasing power at all. It would be useful,
starvation, particularly of the world's children, an				because of its intrinsic qualities of malleability and
especially senseless tragedy in light of this planet's				conductivity, but a barrel full of gold would buy no
tremendous natural fertility.				more than a lump of coal.
On any given day thousands of unwanted and				Diamonds are another example of something valued
neglected children roam the streets of many of our				because of its scarcity. However, while they are
largest cities. Hordes of these unfortunate waifs pour				indeed quite useful in the manufacture of drill bits due
over the cities' garbage dumps in search of any				to their hardness, their value is due principally to their
discarded items that might be resold in order to buy				aesthetic appeal, an appeal entirely artificial in nature,
enough food to survive another day. Many of them				created and maintained through the use of mass
won't wake up the next morning, not because there				advertising by a diamond cartel. Absent constant
was no food available, but because they didn't have				reinforcement, diamonds would have no greater
enough money to buy a loaf of bread. The root				appeal than any number of gemstones, either natural
cause of this tragedy is therefore not scarcity, but				or manmade, such as rubies, emeralds, or even cubic
poverty. The solution is accordingly not to give each				zirconia.
child a loaf of bread, but rather to make sure that				Another question is, if people could have whatever
every starving child can afford to buy the bread				they wanted for free, why anybody would choose
that's already there.				to live in a cottage instead of a mansion or to drive a
Logically, this can only be accomplished in one of two				sedan instead of a sports car. The answer is that
ways; either by providing each child with enough				cottages and mansions, sedans and sports cars,
money each day to buy a loaf of bread from the				serve different purposes and are therefore more or
local bakery, or by reducing the price of a loaf of				less preferable depending upon a person's
bread to the point where every child can afford one				circumstances. A sports car would be useless to a
- which is to say by making bread free. However,				family with small children, just as a single person or a
there are a number of problems with the first of				couple would find a cottage much easier to maintain
these two options.				that a mansion.
Obviously, the money would either have to be newly				The Effects on Everyday Life
created or it would have to come out of the money				In many ways, the change in economic systems
already in circulation. The problem with printing new				would be barely noticeable. People would continue to
money is that the value of a dollar (or a peso, or a				shop at the same stores, for the same products, in
euro) isn't fixed, but like any commodity it varies				the same way. They would still choose which items
according to the law of supply and demand. Since the				they wanted and the clerks would still record the
demand is constant, the greater the supply the lower				selections for inventory management purposes. The
the value of each dollar becomes. If bread, for				shop owners would continue to re-order products
example, cost a dollar a loaf, the moment enough				and re-stock their shelves. Manufacturers would still
money was printed to give each of the world's				order the necessary raw materials or components
hungry children a dollar a day, every day, the price of				which would be fabricated, mined and harvested just
a loaf of bread would increase to say, two dollars.				as they have been in the past. The only difference
So, since the money couldn't be raised by simply				would be that the factories would pay nothing for
printing it, the currency already existing would have				the raw materials, the shop owners would pay
to somehow be redistributed, either through taxation				nothing for the finished products, and the customers
or voluntarily donations.				would pay nothing at the check-out stand. Nothing
Unlike the problem with printing new currency, which				else need necessarily be changed. However, people
is intrinsic to the nature of money itself and				may very well choose to avail themselves of
therefore insurmountable, redistributing the wealth is,				opportunities that will inevitably emerge.
logically speaking, a possible solution. Indeed, many				One obvious example would be in the transportation
international aid organizations, both private and				of consumer goods. In a capitalist economy where
governmental, actively solicit funds from the public				corporations are in constant competition for an ever
every day, and have been doing so for years. Yet				growing market share each company operates its
children continue to starve. This is hardly surprising				own manufacturing plants and distribution centers.
considering, not only the number of other				Each factory ships its company's product to its
organizations dedicated to solving other problems				company's warehouses from where the items are
that are competing for the people's money, but the				again trucked to hundreds of separate retail outlets,
sheer number of children dying either from outright				each one of which could receive any number of
starvation or from diseases directly attributable to				separate deliveries from as many different
malnourishment and thus the incredible amount of				manufacturers. But in a utopian economy the whole
money involved.				concept of market share would be obsolete and the
So, since the children cannot be given the money				various companies would have no need to compete.
needed to buy their bread, neither by printing new				Indeed, there would be nothing to compete for. As a
currency nor by redistributing the money already in				result, many separate distribution systems could be
use, the only possible solution remaining is to reduce				consolidated allowing for a much more efficient use
the price of the children's daily bread to zero. Of				of fuel and the production of far less pollution and
course, in order for bread to be free for the children,				wear and tear on the transportation infrastructure.
it must be free for everyone; otherwise the children				One area in which the change of economic systems
would sell their loaf of bread to an adult and then				would be noticeable would be housing which, with its
return to the bakery for a second, third or even				restricted supply, would have to be handled
fourth loaf. But if bread is free then, since the farmer				differently than other commodities. Clearly, it is
and the baker need shoes for their families, shoes				almost certain that several people would be
would have to be free for bakers and farmers, and				interested in any particular available residence. In that
to avoid a black market in shoes, free for everybody				event, the future occupants would have to be
else as well. The cobblers, of course, need clothes				randomly selected from a pool of applicants
and the tailor needs a sewing machine, so just as				previously sorted by family size. Obviously, a six
each domino in a line knocks over its neighbor once				bedroom house would be more appropriate for a
bread is free then everything must be free.				family of eight or more than for a family of three or
Now, reducing the price of everything to zero is				four, so larger families would have to be given
neither socialism nor communism. Nor is it a return to				preference. By the same token, smaller families would
the barter system. In a socialist system the people				be given preference for any two bedroom houses or
wouldn't have to pay for their bread directly because				apartments. This doesn't mean that a small family
the baker would be paid a standardized salary by the				living in a large residence at the time the economic
government with money raised through taxation,				system is changed would be removed. Only newly
which is to say the baker would be paid by the				constructed buildings, or those that became vacant
society as a whole - well-fed and under-fed alike. But				for some reason, would be affected.
the baker doesn't work for free. In a communist				The rules and regulations which people have instituted
system, the government would own the bakery, but				to manage their societies would also not need to be
people would still have to pay for their bread. In a				changed. People would still need to be licensed and
barter system, goods and services are assigned a				qualified to work in their chosen field or profession.
value by the people involved in the transaction and				Doctors would still need to go to medical school and
that value either falls or rises depending on the				their performance would still be evaluated by the
perceived need for that item at that particular time				same review boards. But since medical school would
and place. If a cobbler wanted to trade some shoes				be free, many more people would have the
for a new coat, they would be worth more to a				opportunity to become doctors. City councils would
barefoot tailor than to one with a closet full of shoes;				continue to set land use policies and oversee all of
just as the tailor's coat would be worth more in the				the myriad of details involved in the proper operation
winter than in the summer. But neither the shoes nor				of civic life. Murder, rape, assault, theft, arson and all
the coat would be free.				other criminal activity would still be just as illegal and
Why People Will Continue to Work				prosecuted by the same judicial system. And, of
Reducing the price of everything to zero would solve				course, the armed forces would continue to protect
many of the world's problems in addition to that of				the society from invasion and insurrection. In fact,
child starvation and malnourishment, but only if it				the most remarkable aspect of the change from
would actually work. Obviously, the main question is				capitalism to utopianism is how little the existing social
why anyone would ever go to work if they could				and cultural institutions would be altered.
get everything they wanted for nothing. The answer,				But while the social infrastructure would remain largely
beyond the natural compulsion of human beings to be				unchanged, society itself would be completely and
active, beyond the sense of gratification they obtain				utterly transformed. Beyond putting an end to child
from helping others, and beyond the joy they				starvation; beyond the unlimited access to material
experience when following their passions, is that they				goods, health care, and education; beyond the
will continue to work; not because they're forced to				improvements in living and working conditions; beyond
and not because there won't be any alternative, but				the unrestricted opportunity for personal
because they will perceive it to be in their own best				development; even beyond the fact that people
interest to do so.				would no longer be living in a state of constant
First of all, ask a thousand people what they would				anxiety and even fear; the eradication of poverty
do for the rest of their lives if they were suddenly				would give rise to a multitude of profound and
extremely wealthy and never had to work again and				far-reaching effects, and while it would be quite
you'll likely get a thousand different answers, but not				impossible to consider them all, a few examples might
one will seriously choose to sit in a chair day after				be in order.
day gazing through their window at the world				- Free and unrestricted access to medical care would
outside.				result not only in both a drop in infant mortality rates
Secondly, many people actually get great satisfaction				and an increased life expectancy, but combined with
from their jobs because they believe they are				the fact that people would no longer be living in a
providing a unique and important benefit to their				state of continual anxiety, far fewer strokes, heart
communities. Most teachers, for example, or fire				attacks, and other stress related illnesses.
fighters, police officers, rescue workers, doctors and				- Once the profit motive was removed, there would
nurses, to name just a few of the more obvious				be no drug dealers, no prostitution, no violent street
careers, would gladly work for nothing - if only they				gangs, no gambling, no human trafficking and far
could. The sense of self-worth they feel when they				fewer thefts.
teach someone a new skill, or restore someone to				- When people are no longer forced to accept any
health, or save a person's life is far more rewarding				job they can find no matter how distant there'll be
than the money they receive. When people are able				much less commuting, traffic congestion, and pollution
to do something they're passionate about, they look				from cars.
forward to going to work and lay down their tools				- The removal of cost as an impediment to research
reluctantly each evening. As a result, the service they				will result in far greater progress in the development
provide or the goods they produce are of a far				of solar, wind, geothermal and other sources of
superior quality than would be the case if making				renewable energy and as a result far fewer
money was their primary concern.				greenhouse gasses will be produced which in turn will
The third reason people would continue working,				slow down the pace of global warming.
particularly the overwhelming majority of the world's				- Consumer goods will be of a higher quality when
population who have gained little benefit under the				profit is no longer a factor, corners no longer need to
current arrangement, is that they would be far				be cut, inferior materials no longer need to be used
better off under the new system than they were				and the people producing them take pride in their
before. In a capitalist system, whether communist,				work.
socialist or strictly market based, the people are				- There will be no reason to defraud anyone, no
encouraged to work using a combination of rewards				funds to embezzle, no stocks to manipulate, no need
and punishments, the carrot and the stick. The				for banks, credit cards or insurance companies, and
punishment is very real. Those who are capable and				no need to advertise.
yet don't work quickly find themselves destitute,				Establishing that utopianism is a superior economic
with neither food nor shelter, kept alive only by the				system isn't difficult, the obvious benefits have been
charity of those who pity them. The reward				recognized since the concept was first introduced by
however is far less certain. The promise of capitalism				St. Thomas More in 1516. Today, as then, the
is fundamentally embodied in the idea of class				problem lies in determining how to bring the change
mobility; that with thrift and industriousness, people				about - how to get "there" from "here."
can lift themselves and their descendants out of the				Revolution can be imposed either from above or
legions of the poor, through the middle classes, to				from below. In either case, before a large number of
eventually join the ranks of the privileged elite. For				human beings will change their way of doing things,
most people though, for those who earn barely				they need to recognize a clear and pressing
enough from their labors to pay for their food and				necessity for doing so. The common people of
shelter and other basic necessities of life, saving				France didn't reject their ancient tradition of
enough money to materially improve their quality of				monarchy because a handful of philosophers believed
life is extremely difficult, if not actually impossible. In				the true source of sovereignty lay in the hearts of
addition, the vast majority of people, lower class and				the people. They risked their lives on the barricades
middle class alike, live from paycheck to paycheck,				because their kings and queens had been unable to
with the proverbial sword of Damocles hanging by a				provide them with bread. Given the alternatives of
thread above their heads, in constant danger, despite				either another monarch (that is, more of the same),
having worked hard all their lives, of losing everything				or anarchy and chaos, they agreed to try the radical
they have struggled to achieve. In short, people living				new theory of republicanism and popular sovereignty
in a capitalist society work because they are afraid				in spite of the fact that, not only had it never before
not to work.				been attempted on such a grand scale, but virtually
In a utopian economy, there would be no punishment				no one else in the world believed that it could
for not working and the reward for doing so would				possibly succeed.
be both real and immediate. Because all goods and				Before people will demand a change of economic
services would be free, no one would ever again				system, they will have to clearly recognize that
need fear being without life's necessities. People				capitalism is inherently bi-polar in nature and thus
would work simply because they would want to				predicated upon inequality, that it is a system of
work.				"haves" and "have nots," that the gap between the
They would want to work because it's contrary to				two can only grow wider over time and that it will
their nature to be idle. People would want to work				never provide them with the quality of life they
because, since training and education would be free,				would have under utopianism.
they would be able to do what they truly wanted to				Unlike changing a political system, such as replacing
do, something they would find rewarding and				monarchy with republicanism, given the complex and
consider a worthwhile use of their time and talents.				fragile nature of the current global economy, the
They would participate willingly, even enthusiastically,				move from capitalism to utopianism need not be
because the only alternative would be either anarchy				violent. Indeed, it cannot be. Any attempt to bring
and chaos, or a return to capitalism.				about the change through force of arms would be
There are, of course, jobs that currently no one				doomed to ultimate failure simply because once the
would find either enjoyable or rewarding; jobs that				flame of passion died down, people would quickly
are dirty, dangerous, or mind-numbingly repetitive.				come to view the relative comfort of capitalism as
Coal mining, for example, is an extremely dangerous				preferable to the inevitable pain and suffering the
job; not only because of the constant danger of a				conflict would cause. However, since no economic
cave in, but because of the near certainty of				system can succeed without the cooperation of the
developing "black lung" disease. But the reason the				people, the revolution from below could be peacefully
miners develop this deadly condition is because the				and easily achieved through a general strike. Recalling
mines they work in are poorly ventilated, whether				that a utopian society would need to be continental
because the mine owners can't afford the equipment				in scale, if a sufficient number of people perhaps as
necessary to provide the miners with fresh air, or				few as twenty percent of the population, stayed
because they choose not to in order to maximize the				home from work for as little as a month, the
company's profit margin. But in a utopian economy				capitalist economy of that continent, if not the entire
coal would be free so there would be no profit				planet, would fail, and a utopian economy could then
margin to maximize; and since the fans, ducts, and				be instituted in its place. The transition period
pumps would be free there would be no reason to				however would be difficult and chaotic since little if
not install them. By the same reasoning, since timbers				any preparation would have been made in advance.
would be free there would be no impediment to				The preferable method by far would be revolution
installing as many as necessary to ensure that there				from above. Much unnecessary confusion would be
would be no more cave-ins.				avoided when the political and intellectual leaders of
So a job which, under capitalism, is dirty and				each of the continent's nation states planned for the
dangerous and therefore undesirable, would be just				eventual switch and laid the necessary groundwork
the opposite in a utopian economy. It would be both				beforehand. The people would then be prepared for
cleaner and safer, a trade which miners, many of				the changeover, which would be accomplished easily
whom take great pride in their craft, would willingly				at the most opportune time by decree. The difficulty
continue to perform.				with this approach, as with all revolutions from above,
To many, working on the land is a noble and				arises out of the necessary existence of an
honorable profession, performed proudly by their				enlightened political leadership, not of one nation
families for generations. Yet in general it is considered				alone, but of several.
undesirable because farm workers are paid very little				However, whether the revolution comes from above
and both their living and working conditions are				or below, those who are currently reaping the
deplorable. They toil from dawn to dusk under the				greatest benefits of capitalism will bitterly oppose it,
blazing sun with no canopy to give them shade or				just as the monarchs and the nobility of the
misters to keep them cool. In the evening, after a				eighteenth century opposed the institution of
simple meal, they sleep in sub-standard housing, with				representative democracy in revolutionary France.
as many as ten to twelve in a single room.				Without a doubt, they will avail themselves of every
In a capitalist economy, independent farmers make				opportunity to prevent any change in the status quo.
little or no profit from their labor, mainly because the				The armed forces of the newly created utopian
price of food has to be kept low enough that the				society and the people themselves will need to be
general population can afford to eat. So they simply				vigilant in the defense of their right to create a more
can't afford to pay their workers a living wage,				utilitarian and egalitarian economic system.
provide them with decent living quarters, or buy the				Conclusion
equipment that would be necessary to shield them				Economic systems, like everything else in the world,
from the elements as they work. But in an economic				aren't static. They continually change and evolve. In
system where the building materials and the				the early days when humans lived in extended family
equipment would be free, those people who love the				units of hunter-gatherers, every member of the
land and are proud to work it would willingly continue				group participated in the production of food and
to do so.				everyone partook of the fruits of that labor, albeit
It is true that all people are created equal in the				not necessarily in what we today would consider an
sense that no one is born to rule while another is				equitable basis. After many thousands of years,
born to serve. But it is just as true that all people are				people learned how to cultivate crops and
not equally capable of doing all tasks. Not everyone				domesticate animals. They settled into villages, then
who enters medical school finishes, and not all				towns, and eventually cities; producing not only
doctors have the skill to perform open-heart surgery.				surpluses of food, but specialty items such as
But everyone is capable of doing something, and				pottery, textiles, and jewelry. As a result, the
there are those who, due to physical and intellectual				economy of these people soon evolved into one of
limitations, can only do jobs that other, more capable,				trade and barter - the most primitive form of
people consider tedious and unchallenging; and they				capitalism. Eventually, metal smiths began forming the
would do them gladly because they would be				more malleable metals such as gold, silver and copper
providing a necessary and therefore valuable service				into coins as a means of facilitating the exchange of
to their community - to the best of their ability. In a				goods in the marketplace. Money, of course, needed
capitalist economy where everyone is not accorded				to be regulated, a standardized system of weights
an equal opportunity to develop their natural talents,				and measures had to be established, and in these and
these jobs are performed by people who are capable				other ways the use of money had an important
of much more. As a result, those who are mentally				organizing effect on society. In time, capitalism would
or physically challenged are denied the chance to				evolve through more and more complex stages into
contribute to society. But in a society where training				today's global economy. But evolution is a continual
and education are free to all, no one would need to				process and without question our present economic
perform tasks that are below their capabilities.				system will continue to adapt and change. It was
Hoarding, Monopolization & the Question of Scale				developed by people to suit their needs and will most
Naturally, once people can have whatever they want				certainly change as people's needs change.
for free, some of them may at first decide to hoard				Capitalism, while a useful and even necessary
certain items. For example, while people obviously				development, is incapable of adequately addressing
need different styles of footwear for different				the problems facing the world today. Because money
occasions, for most people this means a half dozen				is itself a commodity, and as such subject to the law
or so pairs at most, and while fashion conscious				of supply and demand, its value is intrinsically
people would undoubtedly want more styles than				dependent upon a relative scarcity of supply. That is
others, virtually nobody would choose to have a				to say, in order for there to be "haves" there must
hundred pairs of shoes taking up all their closet space				absolutely be "have nots." Poverty can never be
when they could get a new pair whenever they				eradicated or even substantially reduced as long as
wanted.				money; whether in the form of coin, cash, check or
Still, someone might decide to control the production				credit, is used as a medium of exchange. It's because
of shoes. It is possible that the owners of all or most				of this inescapable fact that every problem whose
of the shoe factories could stop making shoes unless				root cause is poverty, including child starvation and
certain demands were met. Of course, if the shoe				malnourishment, will continue to plague humanity for
factories lay within the boundaries of the utopian				as long as we cling to a capitalist economic system.
society; the people could simply remove the factory				Utopianism on the other hand, would eliminate, not all,
owners from their offices, by force of arms if				but a great many of the world's problems. The
necessary. Otherwise, the people would be forced to				partition of society into rich and poor would be
either give in to the shoe manufacturers' demands,				instantly dissolved making everyone, not equally poor,
accept the fact that they had to live without shoes,				but equally rich. The shift from forced labor to
or build their own factories - if they could. The only				voluntary labor will result in far superior goods and
real choice, of course, would be to make their own				services, while unrestricted access to education will
shoes; which illustrates a vitally important point. In				unleash the potential of every human being and usher
order to succeed, a utopian society must contain				in a golden age of arts and sciences.
within its own borders all of the natural resources				Of course, before the transition from capitalism to
needed to provide the basic necessities of modern				utopianism can occur, the case for doing so must
life.				first be clearly and succinctly presented so that
Utopian societies that have been attempted in the				people can conceptualize both the existence of the
past and have failed weren't able to produce				alternative and the possibility of effecting the change.
everything they needed to live comfortably, and as a				I sincerely hope that this brief essay has, in some
result were forced to sell that which they could				small way at least, contributed to the realization of
produce in order to buy that which they couldn't,				that end.
becoming in effect capitalist enterprises in the				© 2007 Armand E.
process. In short, they failed because they were too

Maggies Toronto

The Case for a Utopian Economy