The Model Society Essays - Economic Ideologies, Economic Liberalism

The Model Society Lisa Pepper Professor Black CES Final Summary of the Model Society Goals of the Model Society Chart comparing aspects of different countries Comparisons between the Model Society and other major societies and theories Triangle Graph Comparisons Survey Bibliographic Information A Utopian society does not exist in any country in the world. The perfect system has not yet been developed. Certainly the United States and the Soviet Union have been two of the most admired systems OF the past, but they to are far from an ideal model of a just society which has been desired by many persons throughout the ages. This just society, is hard to define, nevertheless, this is what I propose. In the model society, all industry is nationalized and all citizens between the ages of twenty-one and forty-five are required to serve in an industrial army. This industrial army is divided into ten branches of industry, each department being under the control of a lieutenant general. Each lieutenant general is elected by a vote of all the retired members of the department he heads, thus avoiding the undesirable effects of having the workers select their own bosses. The general-in-chief of the army is the President, and all the men in the nation not involved in the industrial army elect him. No wages are paid, but all citizens, be they active or retired, receive an equal share in the national income. At the beginning of each year, every citizen is given a credit card marked off in dollars and cents, and every time he makes a purchase the amount is subtracted from his card. If any surplus is left over at the end of the year, it may be used the following year, or returned to the commo n fund. In this model society education is free and the old are provided for. And if any man who is capable of working refuses to do so, he may find himself in solitary confinement until he sees the light. 1. The provision of employment for all persons who are able and willing to work. 2. An equal distribution of money and real income among all citizens so that economic and social deprivation will not exist. 3. An increase in the level of real gross national product from year to year so that the standard of living for all citizens continues to rise. 4. An emphasis on the quality as well as the quantity of life. Full employment is in itself a desirable economic goal. It is the prime function of economy to enable everybody willing and able to work to earn a living, and only a fully employed economy performs this function. Maximum output is desirable given the communitys willingness to work, and here again full employment is a necessary condition. A more equitable distribution of income is one of the major goals of a model society. The major uncertainties of an industrial society are those of unemployment, premature death or disability, prolonged illness, and old age. These uncertainties can be taken care of through social security programs. It is necessary to provide some minimum standard of living for these families through family allowances, housing subsidies, and free medical care. An increase in the standard of living depends on the per capita income. Economic growth in this situation requires an increase in the actual output of goods as well as an increase in an economys capability to produce goods. That is why this is a fundamental goal of a model society. To an extent there is a contradiction between economic growth and the quality of the environment. Economic growth often results in smoke and fumes from more cars, litter, and pollution. In the model society emphasis would be placed on those things necessary to the environment. Although there is no such thing as a utopian society today, there are countries, which appear to have done well in providing the greatest good for the greatest number of people, and others which have done nothing to accomplish this goal. Following is brief synopsis of several different countries or theories as compared to the Model Society. Sweden is an excellent example of one such country. It displays a willingness and ability to correct problems that arise in its society today. The model society would hope to imitate