Next: Denouement
Up: Technocracy
The continent of North America is to be administered by a committee of experts -- the Technate. Each industry will be administered by engineers experienced in that field, with the goal of producing the goods required by society in the most efficient way. The government of the Technate will be restricted to the efficient organization of production; government has no religious or ethical program to impose upon the people. Individuals will be appointed to the Technate on the basis of the competence they display in other tasks.
Money will be replaced by the Energy Certificate. These certificates are issued to each member of the population at the beginning of each year, and entitle the bearer to 1/n of the goods produced in the country, where n is the number of people living in North America. The certificate can be used in exchange for goods of any kind, the rate of exchange being determined by the amount of human energy needed for their production. The certificate cannot be transferred or inherited; at the end of the year, all certificates become worthless and must be replaced. (If some limited natural resource is required for the manufacture of a product, it may be necesary to factor this into its exchange rate.)
[This change is not entirely without precedent. It could be thought of as producing and charging for all goods in the way B.C. Hydro currently produces and distributes water.]
Everyone is expected to work, though the incentive for work will be pride in workmanship and the respect of others, rather than money. By elimination of wastage -- for example, the money now spent on advertising -- the current standard of living can be maintained with four hours of work a day, four days a week, between the ages of twenty-five and forty. Individuals would choose their work on the basis of personal aptitude and inclination; the Technate might lower the required hours of work for particular jobs if too few people volunteered for them.
Personal property will be limited to those goods that an individual uses directly. Thus, a person could own a house, but not an office building.
Next: Denouement
Up: Technocracy