User:Trfs/Tmedit
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[edit] Goals and ideology
A technocracy is a socio-economic system, one that is based upon abundance, as opposed to scarcity-based economies like capitalism. A core conclusion reached by the group is that a price system, or any system based on scarcity, is an illogical means of distribution in the technologically advanced world in which humans live. Technocracy sees established economic, political and administrative forms as relics of a traditional past. The group uses scientific observations and reasoning to argue that a technate is an optimal social structure.
[edit] Ideology in detail
Technocrats argue that developments in mechanization have caused a massive shift of employment towards the service sector. Further increases in efficiency and productivity means that most of these services could be reduced or eliminated by better management, automation, and centralization. These trends should signal an increase in production possibilities. They argue, however, that this is not the case, as increased productivity often leads to lay-offs and lower wages because of competition between workers, and the standard of living for the working class falls for many or only rises minimally. Human labor has become abundant, replaced by inexpensive machines. Technocrats argue that the more we are capable of producing due to technology, the greater the disparities in wealth will become and the potential benefit of technology will be shared less.
As opposed to economists, who define efficiency in terms of full utilization of resources and using resources in a way that provides the most benefit, technocrats define efficiency in terms of empirical evidence. Efficiency for a technocrat is measured scientifically: a ratio of energy applied for useful work to energy applied in the complete system. Technocrats argue there exists a massive rift between the real world of science and the world of economics. They claim the inputs needed to make most products are in abundance, especially those critical to society's needs like food, shelter, transportation, information, etc. Technocrats argue that most social ills, such as poverty and hunger are due to faulty economics and improper use of technology. They frequently point out that the current price system is wasteful as it utilizes as many resources as possible but can only create scarce products (excludable and rival private goods). Technocrats argue that full use of our technology and resources should be able to produce an abundance. Thus, in assuming an abundance is possible, technocrats are at odds with the basic economic principle of the infinitude of human wants. The group also promotes conservation and sustainable production.
Technocrats claim that the price system has a severe lack of purchasing power, and has been propped up by wasteful tactics, major patches to the economic system, and increasingly huge amounts of debt, which began to increase exponentially after 1930. This debt includes the United States national debt, mortgages (see global debt), long term debt, credit debt, and the growing stock market; all things that would have caused severe inflation in the old world economies where products were naturally scarce. Technocrats claim that the price system will eventually fail because of its contradictions with the real world, in which case the movement plans to have educated enough of the populace in order to peaceably make changes to the economic structure.
[edit] Design of a technate
A technate, the so-called name of a technocratic society, consists of many ideas that are explained in detail below.
[edit] Division of social and technical decision
Technocracy holds that social decisions will be made by a democratically elected leader. The democratic side of technocracy does not deal with physical or scientific decisions. Instead, leaders would deal with moral issues, the design of the technate’s flag, etc.
The economy will also be controlled democratically. The population of the Technate would go about their business as consumers, spending their energy credits as they see fit at conveniently located distribution centers or through online catalogues. This would be the democracy in action; all citizens decide what they want produced and what to consume. Technocracy aims to be the most direct, feasible, and practical form of control of consumption.
[edit] Labour utilization: shortening of the work day
It is recognized by M. King Hubbert that the relation between labour and production is:
- nl = mq where:
- q is the number of units produced per year
- m is the number of hours per worker needed to make a unit
- l is the number of hours per worker per year
- n is the number of workers
The number of units produced per year should equal the number of units demanded per year. A variable that is almost static under natural conditions due to equilibrium. Advancing technology, which increases productivity, allows the time needed to produce a unit to decrease. The number of workers is dependent on employment and population growth, it is desirable to have full employment. With variable m decreasing and variable n potentially increasing the length of the workday or variable l must be decreased to balance the equation.
[edit] Elimination of money: The era of Energy Accounting
Technocrats state that technology should be used for humankind's benefit. Under the price system, if a factory that employed 300 fully automates itself and only one employee is needed to inspect the machinery, the amount of money going to consumers drops, as shown by trends in productivity and real wages. Technocrats argue that technology should reduce the burden of human toil in the populace, and technological displacement should result in a significant reduction of working hours. Money and the price system, however, stand in the way.
An energy credit is a hypothetical unit of currency used in a technate. Unlike traditional money, energy credits cannot be saved or earned, only distributed evenly among a populace. The amount of credit given to each citizen would be calculated by determining the total productive capacity of the technate and dividing it equally. The reason for the use of energy credits serves to ensure equality among the technate's citizenry as well as prohibit spending that is beyond the productive capacity of the technocracy. This system is usually referred to as energy accounting.
Technocrats are quick to point out that energy accounting is not rationing; it is a way to distribute an abundance and track demand. It would be similar to giving every person on the continent a full income; even though everyone receives equality in terms of the energy they get, it does not matter because everyone gets an abundance. Technocrats predict that at today's rates of energy conversion, no person will rationally be able to spend all their energy credits.
[edit] The North American technate
The North American technate is a design and plan to transform North America into a technocratic society after the collapse of capitalism (a price system). The plan includes using Canada's rich deposits of minerals and hydro-electric power as a complement to the United States's industrial and agricultural capacity.
