Originally Posted by A Roxxor
I believe in an automaton state, where all the goods and means of production and maintenance, etc. Is all taken care of by automatons or robots of some sort, which would allow an Anarchist-Communist state to survive, as there is always enough for everyone, there is no such thing as money or trade, and people are essentially allowed to do as they please as all of their basic needs and everything else will be met for them.
Of course, none of that probably makes sense if you read it right now, but I am writing a nice long paper on the idea that I'll post up later today if I finish.
But right now I am for a mixed economy, as humans are dastardly and greedy when put in stressful positions and positions of power.
I've had the same kinds of ideas actually, partly seeded by the endless hours I've spent washing up at the pub for money. Any automaton which can do basic tasks (basic vision, conceptualisation of 3D space, follow instructions...) would make me redundant for a fraction of the cost so capitalism itself would be enough to cause the initial restructuring of the economy... the vast majority of the population would then be free from work. All paper pushers, hairdressers, all of this menial rubbish, many labourers... all that would remain is highly specialised and trained personnel; thinkers. Vast economic upheaval would then be required to care for the unemployed masses; almost approaching a communist utopia, really.
The problem as I see it is what would become of the displaced population... I'm a dreamer of course so I idealise a state in which all human beings cooperate together in advancing the vanguards of human knowledge, and in creating art and discussing philosophy... but largely based on the society that surrounds me, I fear what would really happen is they would have no idea what to do with their total freedom and would simply not understand the concept of choosing to work, leading to a huge spread of lethargy creating a proletariat which just sits and eats and watches TV; a downward rather than upward spiral of human progression.
Regarding our current economic model, it has to be mixed economy. The rich are all selfish, stupid people and the poor need a source of income. You can overshoot it though; the British government has done this. Instead of supporting the unemployed, the amounts of money given to these people is so huge now that it's actually a self-propagating process, causing new unemployment and maintaining the unemployment that already exists (as PS warned about), and has created a whole new class of idiotic, pointless people to whom I alluded above.
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