The Post Scarcity Society

[CCitizen]

I have mentioned Welfare State and Post Scarcity Economy in many of the nanoessays I have written. I believe that Welfare State guaranteeing Positive Rights to all residents is a great good. Unfortunately American Taxpayers will not vote for Welfare State within foreseeable future. For now, Welfare State has only been achieved in Canada and Scandinavia.

I have predicted that the Solar Power Revolution will take place about 2050-2100. That will engender very rapid economic growth. Material Standards of living all over the World will be higher then those in modern USA. Hopefully by the end of the Century, a Post Scarcity Economy will be Global reality. Hopefully by that time, all Humans in the World will have Inalienable Rights to Food, Housing, and Medical Care.

In this nanoessay I discuss Post Scarcity Society rather then Economy. Prior to discussing a society of affluence, we must consider societies of extreme scarcity. From Ancient Babylon up to the first half of XIXth century, scarcity was a universal reality. Income per capita in pre-Industrial societies was about 40 to 100 times lower then in modern USA. All pre-Industrial societies had GNP per capita lower then that of the poorest Nations in 2019. In many places, great scarcity has persisted until the last or even this Century.

In societies of great scarcity, there were many problems and conflicts absent in Modern Western Civilization. In pre-Industrial World, hunger and pestilence were rampant. Even in XIXth century Europe, there were famines claiming millions of lives.

Material possessions were an object of conflict much more then now. Robbery and piracy were common. Slavery existed from Ancient Babylonian times until early XXth century. It was driven primarily by the need for labour. Many wars were fought for material resources. German Imperialism and Germany's desire to capture USSR's resources were largely responsible for WWII.

Some pre-Industrial societies had extremely severe penalties for economic crimes. In Europe prior to mid-XIXth century, hundreds of thousands of people were executed for theft. Up to the late XVIIIth Century, most of those executed were guilty of economic crimes. During the Soviet Purges in 1930s, most GULAG prisoners were serving long sentences for minor theft. People used to modern affluence consider it a pointless cruelty. Unfortunately, USSR had to build an industrial base to survive the upcoming War.

In modern Western World, economic resources and their scarcity still play some role in Social Conflict. Most people in First World Nations do not experience poverty, but many do. According to Wikipedia, 27 million people in USA have no health insurance, 43 million people in USA live in poverty, and 1.6 million people are homeless. Many people suffering due to lack of sustenance obtain it by illegal means. Out of 2.28 million people incarcerated in American prisons and jails in 2018, 407,000 were imprisoned for nonviolent property offenses, about 190,000 for robbery, and 480,000 for drug dealing. Overall, 47% of prisoners were incarcerated for offenses related to material possessions. We have no idea what percentage of other offenses are caused by work-related stress. Clearly, lack of material resources is still a severe problem even in the richest Nations in 2019.

In my opinion, the problems of poverty and economic crime can be solved by a more equitable distribution of wealth even under current economic conditions. As it is well known, American Taxpayers will never agree to share more of their wealth with those in need. Hopefully, Robotization, Solar Energy Revolution, and the Industrial Revolution of 2050-2100 will change the situation. It will not help those suffering now and those who will suffer in the coming decades. Late is better then never!

A Post-Scarcity Society will have many advantages relative to modern one. First, everyone will be provided with basic necessities including food, housing, medical care, and some spending money. Second, there will be no need for anyone to break the law in order to earn money. Not only theft and robbery but also drug trade will almost disappear. Third, life will be much less stressful. There will be no pressing need to earn a living. People will have much more time for entertainment and self-improvement. Some people will spend time writing nanoessays. Most people will likely spend the time playing video games. Virtual Reality games will be much more advanced then those of 2019. Fourth, most people will generally have better mental and physical health. No one will be worn out by unhealthy working conditions. Every one will be able to afford reasonably good health care. Hopefully by 2100 it would mean health care much better then even the richest have now.

A Post-Scarcity Society will be a stepping stone to Messianic Civilization. That will be a Civilization where death and suffering are unknown. That Civilization will be much more rich and advanced then anything we can imagine.

[Lummy]

How would you prevent the system from being abused?

[The Sage of Main Street]

I have mentioned Welfare State and Post Scarcity Economy in many of the nanoessays I have written. I believe that Welfare State guaranteeing Positive Rights to all residents is a great good. Unfortunately American Taxpayers will not vote for Welfare State within foreseeable future. For now, Welfare State has only been achieved in Canada and Scandinavia.

I have predicted that the Solar Power Revolution will take place about 2050-2100. That will engender very rapid economic growth. Material Standards of living all over the World will be higher then those in modern USA. Hopefully by the end of the Century, a Post Scarcity Economy will be Global reality. Hopefully by that time, all Humans in the World will have Inalienable Rights to Food, Housing, and Medical Care.

In this nanoessay I discuss Post Scarcity Society rather then Economy. Prior to discussing a society of affluence, we must consider societies of extreme scarcity. From Ancient Babylon up to the first half of XIXth century, scarcity was a universal reality. Income per capita in pre-Industrial societies was about 40 to 100 times lower then in modern USA. All pre-Industrial societies had GNP per capita lower then that of the poorest Nations in 2019. In many places, great scarcity has persisted until the last or even this Century.

In societies of great scarcity, there were many problems and conflicts absent in Modern Western Civilization. In pre-Industrial World, hunger and pestilence were rampant. Even in XIXth century Europe, there were famines claiming millions of lives.

Material possessions were an object of conflict much more then now. Robbery and piracy were common. Slavery existed from Ancient Babylonian times until early XXth century. It was driven primarily by the need for labour. Many wars were fought for material resources. German Imperialism and Germany's desire to capture USSR's resources were largely responsible for WWII.

Some pre-Industrial societies had extremely severe penalties for economic crimes. In Europe prior to mid-XIXth century, hundreds of thousands of people were executed for theft. Up to the late XVIIIth Century, most of those executed were guilty of economic crimes. During the Soviet Purges in 1930s, most GULAG prisoners were serving long sentences for minor theft. People used to modern affluence consider it a pointless cruelty. Unfortunately, USSR had to build an industrial base to survive the upcoming War.

In modern Western World, economic resources and their scarcity still play some role in Social Conflict. Most people in First World Nations do not experience poverty, but many do. According to Wikipedia, 27 million people in USA have no health insurance, 43 million people in USA live in poverty, and 1.6 million people are homeless. Many people suffering due to lack of sustenance obtain it by illegal means. Out of 2.28 million people incarcerated in American prisons and jails in 2018, 407,000 were imprisoned for nonviolent property offenses, about 190,000 for robbery, and 480,000 for drug dealing. Overall, 47% of prisoners were incarcerated for offenses related to material possessions. We have no idea what percentage of other offenses are caused by work-related stress. Clearly, lack of material resources is still a severe problem even in the richest Nations in 2019.

In my opinion, the problems of poverty and economic crime can be solved by a more equitable distribution of wealth even under current economic conditions. As it is well known, American Taxpayers will never agree to share more of their wealth with those in need. Hopefully, Robotization, Solar Energy Revolution, and the Industrial Revolution of 2050-2100 will change the situation. It will not help those suffering now and those who will suffer in the coming decades. Late is better then never!

A Post-Scarcity Society will have many advantages relative to modern one. First, everyone will be provided with basic necessities including food, housing, medical care, and some spending money. Second, there will be no need for anyone to break the law in order to earn money. Not only theft and robbery but also drug trade will almost disappear. Third, life will be much less stressful. There will be no pressing need to earn a living. People will have much more time for entertainment and self-improvement. Some people will spend time writing nanoessays. Most people will likely spend the time playing video games. Virtual Reality games will be much more advanced then those of 2019. Fourth, most people will generally have better mental and physical health. No one will be worn out by unhealthy working conditions. Every one will be able to afford reasonably good health care. Hopefully by 2100 it would mean health care much better then even the richest have now.

A Post-Scarcity Society will be a stepping stone to Messianic Civilization. That will be a Civilization where death and suffering are unknown. That Civilization will be much more rich and advanced then anything we can imagine.

Mini-Me Economics

Nano comes from a Greek word meaning "dwarf," as in Dopey, Sleepy, and Sneezy.

[CCitizen]

How would you prevent the system from being abused?

It took Scandinavia and Canada decades of work by hundreds of lawmakers to design a working system.

Hopefully, when material goods and GNP will be 20 times higher then now, everyone will have a good share. But it will take more then half a century.