I believe that the distribution of the essentials of life should not be tested by monetary need. I find the concept of a Bureau for Begging to be humiliating in an era of abundance. I am a supporter of the concept of Common-share. Land, air, and water are essential to all life in common and private ownership cannot go uncontested except at the will of the Community at large.
When the Society grants the privilege of private ownership of any part of the Commons in the attempt to achieve efficient productivity or reward it, the holder of the privilege owes a share back to the Community of the personal gain he makes from holding title. It is this tax that comes from a share of private gain that belong to the whole Community. It is ethically due in exchange for no one contesting the power of Community to grant the privilege of private individual use of that which belongs to all.
It is this tax that provides the means for an efficient distribution of basic food, shelter, medical care and skill training, all of which are essential to life. The distribution should be to every citizen without regard to social status or wealth. Every individual gets it, be he Prince or pauper. In an abundant Society that needs only limited
labor, a persons labor that is not need should have no moral bearing on his right to receive the benefit of the
common-share.
Labor that is needed should be rewarded with a greater share of what is being produced. It could be and would be given to those who make the free choice of contributing his labor. It could be and would be done in the capitalist free market economic system.
The system of distribution could be done through the same Social Security System that is already in place to distribute the money for the life essentials of retires. Retirement benefits would simply be added to the basic life benefits when one reaches the age of retirement from one's freely chosen paid for labor contributions to society. That is the best way for all to start at the same line to both compete and cooperate in building our shared Community of Living
. Copyright © William Hodge 2012
