Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
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(f) Will a world of free access mean sharing things out in some way so that we all get exactly the same?
(g) What about greedy people? In a world where we can take what we want isn't it natural to grab whatever we can and hoard? Won't this lead to shortage, chaos and general irresponsibility? ................................................................8 (h) What would happen in the event of any possible shortage? .............................................................................. 9
(i) In a world without money what would be the incentive for anyone to work? Who will produce the goods and services wc all need? ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 9 (j) What about all the dirty, unpleasant and boring work? ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 11 11 12 12 13 15 16 ... ... ... 18 18 19 19
(k) What would happen in the event of people as a whole not being prepared to do certain work? (l) Will people co-operate in a world of free access?... ... ... ... ... ... ...
(m) Is human nature a barrier to a world of free access? Isn't human nature basically bad/selfish/aggressive?... (n) What about violence, murder and rape?..................................................................................................................... (o) What about war? (p) What about racism? .................................................................................................................................................... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
(q) Will there be a need for some form of leadership or government in a world of free access? ... (r) How will a world of free access be run? ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
(u) Can a world of free access be brought about gradually by reforming the present form of society step by step, dealing with each problem in isolation? ........................................................................................................................... 21 (v) Can a minority establish a world of free access by force? .............................................................................. 22 23 23 24 25 26 27 27 28 29
(w) Are the underdeveloped parts of the world a barrier to the establishment of a world of free access?....................... (x) Supposing there is a majority in favour of a world of free access in one part of the world and not in another? (y) What about places where there is no democracy? .......................................................................................... ..................... ... ... ... ...
(z) Supposing there is a minority violently opposed to the establishment of a world of free access? (aa) Are people's attitudes and ideas really likely to change?... (bb)Is a world of free access eventually inevitable? ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
(cc) World of Free Access: Summary of our position....................................................................................................... (dd)What about religion? ........................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................
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Only a very small minority of the world's population are in the fortunate position, usually through birth or luck, of owning enough wealth not to have to worry about having enough money to live a comfortable and secure life. And so long as the money, wages, buying and selling form of society remains, in whatever variety, this situation is inevitable. This is because in this form of society the owners of land, factories, energy resources, raw materials, machines, etc., must make a profit from the sale of goods and services produced. They must make a profit in order for them to maintain their standard of living and aiso to enable them to compete against other owners, nationally and internationally, and to expand their economic interests further. Profit is the necessary driving force of all varieties of the money, wages, buying and selling society. This is why, as things stand today, goods and services cannot be produced or provided unless profit can be obtained. It is as a direct result of this form of society, whereby money, wages, buying and selling is the basis of existence, and whereby the earth's resources are not owned, used or controlled on a sane, equal and democratic worldwide basis, that the whole world is divided and riddled with personal and social problems, catastrophes and contradictions which affect, in varying degrees, every one of us. Problems such as insecurity, stress, misery, domestic tension, hardship, discomfort, brutality, mental illness, worry, frustration, envy, depression, boredom, greed, racism, poverty, hunger, unemployment, pollution, wastage, terrorism, strikes, violence, crime, riots, war and general widespread unhappiness, discontent and dissatisfaction.
3. Can the present form of society be made to run in the interests of all people?
No. Few people can seriously deny that governments of all descriptions'Nationalist', 'Conservative', 'Labour', 'Liberal', 'Democrat', 'Republican', 'Socialist', 'Communist', 'Fascist', 'Right-wing', 'Left-wing', 'Moderate', whoeverall over the world have tried every conceivable way to make this form of society run smoothly. They have tried to run it with more and less government spending: with and without inflation; with high and low taxation; with stable and fluctuating prices and incomes (wages/salaries); with total, partial and minimal nationalisation and government control; with increased and decreased laws, police and armed forces; with few and many trade union restrictions; with more and less 'worker participation'. Yet all of them fail, despite all their efforts, to permanently solve the basic problems and to provide, for any sustained period of time, a satisfying human existence for all but a very small minority of the world's population. Pressure groups, reformers, protestors, religious organisations, moralisers and charities have also tried all possible ways to make this form of society better. But it is becoming increasingly clear that: no amount of marching, chanting and demonstrating permanently removes racism or unemployment, no amount of campaigning for disarmament permanently stops the (secret or open) preparation, threat or possibility of war: nuclear, neutron or conventional, no amount of praying and pleading for love and harmony permanently reduces antagonism, inequality, envy and violence, no amount of charitable contributions permanently eradicates poverty, hunger, hardship and suffering, no amount of trade union action, strikes, wage negotiations, etc., permanently ensures a secure standard of living. They all go on failing for exactly the same reason. Not because they lack the desire for a better world. But because they are looking for solutions to all the problems and contradictions within the framework of the money, wages, buying and selling form of society. They fail to recogniseor perhaps some blindly ignore the fact for whatever motivesthat it is the money, wages, buying and selling form of society itself that is the root cause of nearly all the problems we face today. And so long as this form of society remainsno matter what government is in power, no matter what methods are attempted to deal with itall the contradictions, fears and hardship and all the personal and social problems will continue in some degree or other. And not only will they continue, there is a strong likelihood that they could get slowly or rapidly worse; so bad in fact that millions of ordinary people in all countries of the world could quite literally be violently and horrendously wiped out, mutilated, disfigured or diseased. Either in the event of war, or even in peacetime through irresponsible use of the earth's resources, through pollution of land, water supplies and atmosphere by radioactive leakages, which can cause many forms of cancer, or through any number of cheap and dangerous chemical disposal methods. This is no exaggeration. The present form of society is not only the cause of deep and widespread dissatisfaction it is a threat to the very existence of every person alive and every person yet to be born. This is not a moralistic or hysterical statement, but a fact.
No amount of rearranging the workings of ihe money, wages, buying and selling form of societywhich is clear by the failures of all governments of all descriptions in all countriespermanently alters things for the better for all people. The only way to improve life immeasurably for all people in the world is to remove the cause of the problems. People must now consciously and democratically organise to totally replace the present form of society with one which, by its very nature, will work in the interests of all people and which will provide all people with a secure, comfortable, rewarding life. And that is: a world of free access. A democratically organised moneyless form of worldwide society based on voluntary production and co-operation with free access to all goods and services.
6. Will a world of free access mean sharing things out in some way so that we all get exactly the same?
No. A world of free access has nothing to do with rationing everything out so that we all get exactly the same. It has nothing to do with sharing personal belongings or accommodation. A world of free access will mean that each of us will be free to decide, as individuals and as members of society, how we choose to live, whether alone, with relatives or others; where in the world we wish to live; and the kind of accommodation we wish to live in, adapted, decorated and furnished to suit ourselves. We will all be able to wear the clothes we wish to wear, eat the food we want to eat, work at jobs we enjoy doing, according to our own willingness and personal ability, and according to whatever is available. No one will be forced to do anything. There will be no bills, no rent, no rates, mortgages or payments of any kind. Shops where buying and selling and trading takes place will disappear. There will be no need for money, wages, buying, selling or trading of any description. Shops will become storeplaces, stocked with whatever people need and according to whatever is available. Each person will be able to take quite freely what they require, according to their own selfdetermined needs.
It will be up to all of us as individuals and as members of society as a whole to decide democraticallythrough whatever variety of means modern communications make possiblewhat we need and in what amounts and types. Modern technology, organised and run on a rational worldwide basis, is quite capable of being adapted for this. What will be shared/owned in common is not the personal goods and services we actually consume, but the means that produce the goods and services. In other words, it will be the land, factories, energy resources, machinery, tools and raw materials which will be shared in common and democratically controlled by all. There will be no need for leaders and governments in such a society. (See also No. 17 'Will there be a need for some form of leadership or government in a world of free access?' and also No. 18 'How will a world of free access be run?').
7. What about greedy people? In a world where we can take what we want isn't it natural to grab whatever we can and hoard? Won't this lead to shortage, chaos and general irresponsibility?
In short, in a world of free access people will not grab and hoard because there will be no possible advantage to be gained from it. The following examples will clarify this. If, in the money, wages, buying and selling form of society, everything was suddenly to be made freely available for a limited period, then most of us would naturally rush to the shops, supermarkets, garages, etc., and take as much as we could get. We'd hoard what we'd acquired for when the 'free period' came to an endbecause we'd know that the period of free access was only a temporary occurrence and things would shortly be back to how they were before: all of us needing money before we can obtain the goods and services we require. In such a situation, yes, we would all get whatever we could while we could and undoubtedly this would lead to irresponsible action, shortage and chaos. But we are not advocating a temporary 'free period' within the present form of society. What we stand for is a completely new, sane and rationally organised worldwide form of society, based on permanent free access; a society where all the goods and services people require will be freely obtainable at all times. This will not lead to shortage, chaos or irresponsibility. There is no contradiction or trickery in this. Look at it this way: In a world of free access, where each of us can obtain what we need at any time, what would be the point in us grabbing and hoarding anything? Perishable food would rapidly become inedible; our storage and living space would become crowded and cluttered with goods and articles of no use to us. What possible advantage could there be in hoarding and grabbing what is freely available to all? After all, even today people don't fill their lungs with excess air just because it is free. People don't fill their mouths with more water than they can drink where water is freely abundant. And if we did come across such a person would we consider them greedy or just plain mad? In a world of free access we will all quickly adjust to taking only what we need. Perhaps every so often we will take more than we immediately need to save ourselves journeys to storeplaces. And when we begin to run low again or desire a change then we'll simply take more from the storeplace to replace whatever we've used up, worn out or no longer have any need for. In effect there will be little difference from going shopping today. The only difference will be that there will be no money, no cheques, no credit, no payment. People will simply take freeiy what suits their own particular needs. There will also be far greater potential for recycling and restoration. There will also be far less wastage than in the present form of society. No need for useless and excessive wrapping. No need for sales promotion gimmicks to persuade or induce people to obtain what they don't really need. No planned obsolesence: the production of flimsy cheap articles deliberately designed to break or wear out within a short space of time. No suppression of efficient labour- and energy-saving methods and techniques. The best, most attractive, longlasting and efficient goods and services will be able to be produced and made available to all. In such a world, status symbols will rapidly disappear when all people have access to the best quality available. Status as regards ownership of possessions will become meaningless. Few people will feel a desire to live in houses that are too big for them when there is no pressure to 'keep up appearances' or 'social standing' and when a smaller one suits their personal needs. There will be far less compulsion to produce and run forms of transport that are wasteful on fuel consumption when there is no pressure of competition, no pressure on time and when something smaller and just as adequate serves our purposes.
Safety, hygiene, personal satisfaction and happiness will be the principles o\' all. In a world of free access, with all our needs provided, without worry of bills, payment, rent, rates, debts, etc., without fear of our requirements not being available tomorrow, insecurity and the greed and need for status that stem from it will automatically disappear.
9. In a world without money what would be the incentive for anyone to work? Who will produce the goods and services we all need?
In a world of free access all work will be done quite voluntarily, according to each person's own willingness and ability. There will be no need for any artificial incentive to induce people to carry out work in such a society. In a world without money, people will work because they want to work and for no other reason whatsoever. There is nothing contradictory in this. The apparent confusion in some people's minds stems from the fact that work is sometimes confused with employment. But in fact work and employment arc not the sameas the following will make clear:
Employment Employment is the selling of one's mental and physical ability to work to another in return for payment, usually in the form of a wage or salary. And the fact is that the majority of the world's populationwhether described as 'working class' or 'middle class'have no other means of obtaining money to buy the things they need to livefood, clothing, accommodation, health, care of family, entertainment, holidays, etc. In other words, the majority of people have no choice but to sell, or try to sell, their mental and physical abilities in some capacity or other to an employerwhether the employer is a private individual, firm, corporation or government. As a result of this situation most 'employed work' is reduced to a repetitive, monotonous daily grind for most of our lives. It is the same in almost every form, of employment. And it is because of this continuous cycle of compulsary work that some people tend to think work itself is objectionable, whereas in fact it is employmentin effect enforced work that is the cause of dislike. Look at it this way: Not all work, even today, is done in the course of employment. Some work is done purely for the pleasure or the feeling of satisfaction obtained as a result of it. For instance, people are actually working when they dig their garden, grow flowers, decorate their house, maintain vehicles or machinery, make and paint things, erect fences and sheds, participate in artistic pursuits such as writing, painting, drama, music, etc., or study in their own time to become knowledgeable; in addition to the countless volunteer organisations, associations and societies which put in hours of dedicated work for the benefit of others without receiving any payment by way of incentive. The incentive and reward in all these cases is the self-satisfaction and pride of doing something necessary, enjoyable or worthwhile. But any form of work, once it is forced on people, once we have no choice but to do it in the course of employment in order to receive money to live, then that work often becomes disagreeable and soon loses its enjoyment and satisfaction. Work Work, however, (as opposed to employment), whether it is brain-work, manual-work or a mixture of both, is both biologically and socially necessary for human beings. Inactivity for any length of time becomes boring and stupefying. Of course there are times when people want and need to laze around, to do nothing in particular. Read books, magazines, listen to music, relax, fool around. But before long our bodies and minds begin to cry out for something worthwhile and satisfying to do. And in the absence of such activity people end up feeling depressed, useless and frustrated. We rapidly begin to decline both mentally and physically. Prolonged inactivity leads more to anxiety, misery and sometimes even to contemplating suicide rather than to happiness and personal well-being. We need to work to use up the mental and physical energy generated by eating food. We need to work to feel satisfied, useful and able. On this level, work is biologically necessary. We also have to workas a societyto provide food, clothes, housing, medicine, transport, communication, entertainment and all the other goods and services we need. And all these requirements have to be organised, calculated, designed, produced, distributed and administered. In the modern world no one person or small group of people can possibly provide all requirementseven their own. We all depend on others for some necessity of life. On this level, work is therefore socially necessary. Recognising this, the question to ask at all times should be: 'What is the best way of organising and carrying out work so that the goods and services we all need are produced; and, at the same time, that all people can gain genuine satisfaction, pleasure and a sense of achievement from actually doing the work?'. The present form of society fails in both respects. At present, work is not primarily carried out with the aim of providing people with their needs. Goods and services are produced solely for sale, only if it is profitable or it pays the owners to produce or make them available. And those who can't afford, no matter how desperate or hard-up, have to do without. Therefore, the present form of society does not satisfy human need on this level. Also at present, work is not, in the great majority of cases, carried out by people freely, naturally and willingly pursuing it for personal or social fulfillment. It is carried out in the course of employment, mostly in order purely to receive money to carry on living; and as a result most employed work is reduced to being nothing more than an enforced, often disagreeable, daily chore, only occasionally giving real pleasure or satisfaction. Therefore, the present form of society does not satisfy human need on this level either. And so long as the money, wages, buying and selling form of society remainswhether it is so-called 'capitalist', 'socialist', 'communist', 'state-capitalist', 'mixed' economy or whateverthen this will continue to be the case, with more and more people becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the quality and standard of their lives. Only in a moneyless world where we will all have free access to the goods and services we require, and freedom to work and relax according to our own desire, will human need be satisfied on all levels. 10
Goods and services will be produced to ensure that the needs of people everywhere are provided. Work will become a means and an end in itself, will in fact become enjoyable because no one will be forced to work, as they are today, for payment in order to live. There will be no money, wages or prices, no 'employment' or 'unemployment', no 'employees' or 'employers'. There will simply be free and equal human beings engaged in work both for the genuine common good of society as a whole and for their own personal satisfaction and fulfillment. Modern mechanisation, electronics, computors and communicationstv, radio, telex, satellite, etc.have long since made it possible for needs to be calculated and for production and distribution to be planned, organised and carried out on a rational democratic worldwide basis so that we can all be a part of one fully co-operating and fully co-ordinated world society. No longer will we be alienated as separate individuals competing with each other for jobs, goods and services. No longer will the world be divided into separate firms, corporations, governments and 'nations' competing with each other for land, raw materials, energy resources and profitable markets.
10. What about all the dirty, unpleasant and boring work?
Firstly, in a world of free access, technology and human inventiveness will at last be able to be used to its fullest advantage. And in all likelihood most dirty, dangerous and unpleasant work will be able to be done by machinery, to the point where the more unlikeable aspects could possibly be eliminated altogetherif this is what people decide they want. But even disregarding this fact, there are no hard and fast rules as to what is pleasant and what is unpleasant when it comes to people's activities and interests. What is unpleasant, dangerous or boring to one can often be pleasurable to another. For example, even given the limitations of fulfillment possible in the present society . . . some people find stimulation in working with greasy machinery, yet others find this repulsive, some prefer to work with figures, computors, etc., yet others find this tedious and prefer work of a physical nature, some enjoy writing, painting, designing, drawing up instruction manuals, blueprints, etc., others have no ability or inclination whatsoever, some people find satisfaction in nursing and treating people who are ill, others can't stand the sight of blood or cope with distress, some prefer to do a variety of quite ordinary everyday tasks, cleaning, washing, etc., others prefer to concentrate and specialise in one particular defined area. The human race as a whole is rich in diversity, resilience, potential skill and ability. But in the present form of society these qualit ies in individuals are often frustrated and sometimes crushed altogether by denying the opportunity to develop them and by demanding that occupations or interests are saleable, profitable and cheap in financial terms rather than personally or socially enriching. At different times and under different circumstances most of us are capable of adapting to and participating in various occupations and of developing many skills and interests. And given the satisfaction and personal stimulus of genuinely useful or creative work we are often inclined and prepared to disregard the dirt, unpleasantness and boredom which might occasionally accompany it. In a moneyless, democratically organised world of free access, there wi ll be no commercial considerations. Commerce and all the twisted morals and values that go with itwill disappear. There will be no inferior or superior jobs, no high-paid or low-paid occupations. Therefore there will be no stigma or false glory attached to certain occupations as there are now. People will do whatever they do purely out of choice. No one will be forced to do anything they have no desire to.
11. What would happen in the event of people as a whole not being prepared to do certain work?
If, in a world of free access, people decide as a whole that certain occupations are too unpleasant or hazardous to health, and there aren't enough people prepared to do the 'undesirable' work, there will be no pressuresas there are now because of the need for cheapness and profitto continue processes which are harmful, polluting or dangerous in any way. Furthermore, in a moneyless world, no one will be in a position to threaten or induce anyone to risk danger or health for any kind of payment. All decisions will be arrived at democratically, all work carried out voluntarily. If there aren't enough people prepared to do certain work then clearly people in society will have decided that they are willing to do without that particular article or service, that it is not worth the risk or effort involved in acquiring it. And if there are enough people willing to do the work then there is no problem. 11
Alternatively, if people decide that they still do want that particular article or service, but the health-risk or effort involved is too high, then lime and energy will be spent in researching other, more palatable and socially acceptable ways, of acquiring it. And research will naturally be given priority, unhampered by such restrictions as lack of money, facilities, or delays through political manouvering. The efforts of all those involved in the research will be concentrated solely and exclusively on designing an efficient and effective process to work in the interests of everyone. Quality, cleanliness, hygiene, safety and durability will be the constant prime factors. No profit, sale, competition, divisiveness, force or political status to consider. It will be in no one's interests to implement faulty, poor processes. The best minds throughout the entire world will be free to work in harmony to produce the best quality available for everyone. Information will be collected and presented, advantages and disadvantages consideredso that all people have access to all stages of developmentvia any number of methods modern communication makes possible. And in the final analysis, as in all matters, it will be up to people as individual members of society to democratically decide, by voting, what is to be accepted or rejected. This will ensure that in all cases it is the genuine will of the majority that is being carried out. And with technology and human endeavour at last able to be used to its fullest capacity, it is likely that most 'undesirable' work will be mechanised to such an extent that the generally unacceptable aspects could possible be removed altogether.
13. Is human nature a barrier to a world of free access? Isn't human nature basically bad/selfish/aggressive?
No. Human nature is definitely not a barrier to a world of free access. What some people refer to when they use the term 'human nature' is in fact human behaviour. And the two are not the same. This is not a minor point. It is important to recognise the distinction.
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Human Nature Human nature is the condition of all human beings alike, regardless of upbringing, social conditions, race or colour. Eating, drinking, excreting, keeping warm, sleeping, sex, etc. These are the things that come naturally to us all, no matter who we are or what part of t he world we come from. These are the things we all do purely and simply because they are the processes necessary to life. Human Behaviour Human behaviour, however, is something else. Our behaviour is determined to some degree by our biological make-up, our genes, our own particular 'personality' and 'quirks', etc. But by far the biggest influencing factor determining our behaviour is a combination of social factors: background, learning, experience, environment and economic security. People cannot be permanently and neatly categorized into being either basically bad or basically good. All of us, at different times and under different circumstances, are capable of being either. People generally considered passive and gentle can, under unfavourable, insecure circumstances, become excitable, aggressive and even violent. Likewise, people generally considered aggressive, selfish and anti-social can, under favourable, stress-free circumstances, be gentle, generous and friendly. In other words, we are all able to think and to act, but what mostly determines the way we think and act is the social and economic circumstances we find ourselves in at any particular time. At present the social and economic position of everyone depends upon money, buying and selling. And the inevitable outcome of this is a necessary pursuit of money, and the buying and selling of possessions, in order to secure or maintain a comfortable living standard; or in many cases the pursuit of money and buying and selling of possessions simply in order to exist another day, week or month. And it is because society is based on the necessary pursuit of money, buying and selling which causes us all, at various times and in varying degrees, to become envious, greedy, jealous, possessive, selfish, suspicious and to harbour general anti-social feelings, and which sometimes causes us to act and behave in an anti-social manner. And so long as money (or any other medium of exchange), trade, commerce and profit is the basis of determining the standard, quality and security of people's lifestyle, then behaviour is bound to be influenced, in varying degrees at various times, in this way. And the truth is that the vast majority of human beings can only obtain the goods and services they require either by selling their mental and physical abilities to an employer for payment, wage or salary; or by relying on those receiving such income (i.e. wives, husbands, children); or relying on assistance in the form of unemployment benefit, pensions, social security, subsidies, grants or charities; or, failing these, crime. In short, most people in the world are constantly in an insecure economic position, whereby most of our lives are spent in fluctuating states of anxiety as to whether we can, or will continue to, afford access to the things we need. This situation is now totally unnecessary since the achievements of the human race have reached a point where the resources, technology, knowledge and manpower of our planet are abundantly capable of providing all people's requirements without the need for money, wages, buying, selling, trading or bartering in any form. In a world of free access, whereby all people will have access to a decent, comfortable and dignified standard and quality of life, free from economic stress and worry, behaviour will adjust as a consequence.
millions of other ordinary people from other parts of the world. Violence of this form is rewarded with medals and honours. The very same acts in peacetime are regarded by the same people in governments as being despicable and 'affronts to humanity' and are punishable by imprisonment and sometimes even execution. (See also No. 15 'What about war?'). Second Category In this category are acts of violence in reaction to intolerable personal and social pressures. Examples of this are riots, 'civil unrest', some forms of terrorism and racial attacks, (see also No. 16 'What about racism?'), stemming from personal and social inadequacies such as bad housing, poor facilities, unemployment, overcrowding, inequality and general dissatisfaction and frustration. But by far the most frequent, widespread and often 'unreported' example of (mental and physical) violence in this category occurs within many ordinary households all over the world. This takes the form of domestic violence. Domestic violence is more often than not the result of frustrated, miserable and desperately unhappy personal lives whose root, again, is nearly always economic insecurity; a feeling of being trapped within a relationship where cohabitors are no longer compatible but who have little or no choice but to remain living together purely for financial reasons. This is bound to cause resentment, frustration and bitterness, which often breaks out in violence. Sometimes the violence is to one's self, in the form of suicide or through excessive intake of alcohol, drugs, etc., in order to try and cope with or escape from the pressures created by this society. Sometimes the violence is to others, in the form of actual attacks or beatings inflicted on husbands, wives or children. And even if people in the present form of society do decide to part there is nothing simple, painless or dignified about it. Tensions are prolonged and intensified because of court procedures, disputes over maintenance, money, and income and property divisions, to ensure dependants' financial security. Again, this often results in further ill-feeling, added emotional turmoil, and in some cases violence. Both these categories of violence are inevitable within a society based on money, buying and selling, where human need must always come second to the needs of commerce, property, profit and the 'economy'. Many cases of rape can also be seen to have their roots in the very nature of the present society. Rape in many ways is similar to violent robbery: taking forcibly that which cannot be obtained by other mutually acceptable methods. Many of these acts arise from deprived, unhappy, unsatisfying lifestyles, frustrated even moreso by the alienating, insular and inferiority-inducing nature of the money, wages, buying and selling society. For not only is it inanimate objects but peopleour actual bodies, intellects, creativities, personalities and emotions that are considered 'possessions' or 'commodities' to be bought and sold at a price (or cheated, stolen, tricked or taken by force) and used indiscriminately, with little or no genuine regard for people's real desires and feelings. It isn't surprising in such a society that all types and degrees of anti-social activity occur. But these acts can't be satisfactorily controlled or prevented by petitioning, protesting or demanding governments to make more laws. Laws do not solve the problems. Imposing stiffer and more severe penalties only increases punishment, inflicts more pain, suffering, fear and tensionafter the event. So long as this form of society continues, no matter how many laws are passed, no matter how many 'investigative committees' are set up to 'examine' the situations, crime, murder and general acts of violence will continue also. The only way to solve these problems is to completely replace the very form of society which causes the great majority of them. In a world of free access, with nearly all the personal and social pressures we know today vanished, acts of violence, murder and rape will diminish accordingly. Violence in the course of robbery will disappear because robbery itselffrom petty offences to highly organised crime will become meaningless in a world where everyone has free access to the goods and services which offer a comfortable and secure life. Violence in the home caused as a result of financial insecurity will disappear; partners will be free to leave and obtain other accommodation to suit their needs, as and when they wish, with no court procedures, no payments in the form of rent, rates, fees to make, no worry about being dependant on another for support, and no money or property divisions to consider. Violence in the form of riotsincluding racial conflictsresulting from inadequate social facilities and inequality will disappear; everyone will have access to the best facilities available. Anyone committing serious acts of violence, or murder, or rape, in such a society will more than likely be suffering some form of mental illness. And in such a world, all hospitals will be equipped, as a matter of course, with all the best facilities and resources at society's disposal, and will be staffed by people wholike those in all other occupationswill have freely and independantly chosen such work. There will be no need for anyone to lack adequate care and attention, no need for anyone to suffer the indignity of being treated like a caged animal when there is no financial pressures or 'cost' considerations. But in any event, whatever decisions are made regarding these situations, it will be for the majority of people in society to decide, democratically, the most suitable course of action. Unlike today, where a small minority, comprising leaders and governments, make decisions not according to real human need or considerationand more often without even consulting, knowing or even caring what the majority really wantbut according to cost, protection of property and, whenever elections are imminent, winning and retaining votes.
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In all ways, it is far more desirable to cope with whatever acts of violence, murder and rape occurredif they continued to in a society where human interest and well-being will be the first consideration at all times, rather than in the one we have now, which is based on division, competition, accumulating possessions (human and inanimate), and which often leads people to feel constantly insecure and inferior; which in turn often results in selfishness, cynicism and disregard for others. In this insecure and competitive form of society all grades of violence and antagonism are bound to be a perpetual and recurring problem. In present society, people can find many, sometimes understandable, reasons for commiting antisocial acts because of their unhappy, unfulfilled, monotonous, miserable and deprived lifestyles. In a world of free access this will no longer be the case. In such a world, where human needs will come first as a natural order, insecurity, poverty, stress, antagonism, etc., will disappear and the vast majority of murders and acts of violence that stem from this will diminish accordinglyto such an extent that such occurrences will become the rare exception and therefore far easier to deal with. As a result, today's police forces will be able to be transformed into democratically controlled services no longer having to deal with such events as riots and acts of violence described above, but will be able to concentrate on using the vast resources and knowledge acquired over many years to deal with emergencies such as natural catastrophes, earthquakes, fires, floods, etc., and perhaps to use advanced facilities of detection, say, to trace mysterious disappearances or to examine strange phenomena.
the world will no longer be divided into opposing sections competing with each other, the land, factories, energy resources, raw materials, machines and technology, etc., will be owned not by governments, private individuals, firms or corporations, but owned and democratically organised by every one of us in common, regardless of age, race, sex, colour or background, everyone wiil have unrestricted freedom of the earth. Only with the establishment of such a world will weapons and force no longer be required because there will be no rival ownership, no economic competition and no 'national' boundaries to cause tension and conflict. Understanding and democratic participation in all matters will replace force in settling whatever social problems crop up. And war will no longer be one of society's problems because the present form of society, which is the cause of wars, will have been replaced completely.
Housing
There are houses all over the world which stand empty; hotels and hostels unoccupied for most of the year. Not because there are insufficient people who would welcome the opportunity to live in them, but simply because those who need themblack, white, yellow, whoevercannot afford to buy or pay rent for them. Which proves beyond doubt that houses in the present form of society are not built primarily to be lived in, but to be treated like everything else: as goods for sale only to those who can afford. In addition to those who have no accommodation at all, there are also many millions of people all over the world living in housing conditions ranging from squalid, ramshackle and dangerous to barely adequate. These conditions are created because the building of houses and t h e production of furnishings and equipment, etc., is regulated by sale and profit, not human need. Yet the world, organised on a rational and democratic basis of free access, can provide an abundance of bricks, sand, cement, machinery, tools, raw materials, knowledge and manpower to build and furnish sufficient sturdy, well-equipped, weather-resistant and safe accommodation to satisfy everyone on earth. Food Quite often there arc instances of edible and nourishing food being deliberately dumped, burned, destroyed or allowed to rot on a massive scale. Sometimes production i t s e l f is deliberately and meticulously curtailed or restricted. In some cases farmers and producers are actually paid not to produce, or to use land and equipment for unnecessary, wasteful or destructive purposes. Not because there are insufficient mouths to take advantage of the food supplies. There are literall y millions of people in many parts of the world who have inadequate food, who are undernourished and even starve to death in heartrending circumstancessimply because they cannot afford to buy food or t h e means and materials that would enable them to produce it. Which proves beyond doubt that, no matter what governments, leaders and politicians may say, food also is not produced primarily to meet human need but to be sold only to those who can afford. If there is no prospect of profit to those who own the land, factories, raw materials, etc., then no production takes place and human need goes unsatisfied. Yet the technology and resources of this planet, if used and controlled on a rational democratic worldwide basis of free access, are easily capable of providing an abundance of nourishing food to satisfy the needs of many times the present world population. It is possible to irrigate many areas now regarded as wasteland; sea-water can be turned into freshwater for the purposes of irri gati on. Even the sea itself as a source of food has scarcely been tapped on a rationally controlled basis.
Population
At present there is NO world overpopulation. There are vast areas of the earth's surface which, again organised on a sane worldwide basis, are available to be utilized and turned to human advantage. Technology has advanced tremendously to make this possible. But in the money, wages, buying and selling society this never happens unless it is likely to prove profitable in purely economic terms for governments, private firms or corporations. There is no world overpopulation. Hut there is overcrowding. This is caused purely because the basis of today's society is commerce and not human well-beingno matter what glib, bland, pious, empty emotional reassurances governments, leaders and others constantly churn out on t v , radio, in newspapers, magazines, etc. For purely profitable or economic reasonsand no otherproduction, and therefore housing and employment, is centralized in limited, constricted areas. And inevitably, men, women and families are compelled to converge upon and settle in these concentrated areas of industry and commerce in order to sell, or try to sell, their only means of livelihood their mental and physical abilitiesto the owners. The ensuing insecurity and competition for jobs, houses and facilities is bound to cause stress, resentment, envy and tension, which often turns man against man, man against woman, woman against man, woman against woman, family against family, firm against firm and race against race. When people find their already insecure position threatened even moreso they t r y to discover what is to blame. When they cannot readily come up with a reasonby virtue of not understanding the root cause: the money, wages, buying and selling form of society itselfwhich is never clearly explained in schools, churches, on tv, radio, newspapers nor in the vast majority of books, magazines, etc.some people (even so-called 'experts') are all too vulnerable to prejudice, ignorance, emotional and moralistic pleas, and also to false, narrow theories of 'national interest', 'Gross National Product' and 'race'. And very often these false theories and prejudices are used by governments of all descriptionseither by openly or deviously encouraging them or by being deliberately and subtly evasive or silent on the issuewhen it suits their own particular purposes. For these false theories and prejudices can, at various times, provide welcome scapegoats for their own inevitable failures. And what better scapegoats than those instantly recognised by their skin colour or their accent? Anything which encourages Nationalism, Patriotism and the belief in the superiority of any people of any country, race, sex or colour over anothereven when apparently harmless on the surfaceonly serves to teach and reinforce more prejudice and ignorance, especially in the minds of the young and impressionable. 17
But Racism and Nationalism cannot be ended by rioting, demonstrating, chanting or banning discussions and meetings. Neither can governments or leaders end racism by making laws which make it illegal. People do not cease holding such views because they are against the law or because meetings are not allowed. Racism and Nationalism are a result of the present form of society which artificially divides the world into sections, groups, classes, races and countries. The only way racism and nationalism can permanently be ended is by people becoming aware of the real cause of the problems of the world through free and open discussion, and by fully understanding that the only permanent solution is the creation of a completely new form of society whereby poverty, hardship, inadequate facilities and inequalityand the insecurity, racial tensions and conflicts that stem from thiswill disappear. In such a world, where all needs are met, and where all people will have unrestricted freedom of the earth, human beings of all descriptions will mix and merge to such a degree that the concept of 'race' and 'nationality', and its consequent divisive effect, will eventually become meaningless.
17. Will there be a need for some form of leadership or government in a world of free access?
No. But as in all human societies there will be a need for some form of organisation and administration. In a world of free access, however, the very nature of society will mean that organisation and administration will have no similarity to the leadership and government we know today. (See also No. 18 'How will a world of free access be run?'). Leaders and governments are only necessary in a form of society whereby there is economic inequality and whereby a minority is given power to control and to impose decisions on the majority. In a world of free access, society's affairs will be organised and controlled on an entirely democratic basis, which will ensure that: at all times it is the majority's will that is truly being carried out in all matters that affect society, all people will have access to social information, all people will have equal opportunity and means to express their views, objections and requirements openly and freely, all people's needs will be provided. Leaders and governments will have no place in such a truly democratic society.
Each of these centres will link with others all over the world so that information and calculations, production and distribution requirements, availability and types of goods and services, land, energy resources, machinery, tools, equipment, raw materials, knowledge, etc., can be relayed to anyone anywhere in the shortest possible time. Again, modern sophisticated communication techniques make this a relatively simple and straightforward exercise. These centres of information, administration and organisation will clearly need to be manned by people who are willing and able to do this sort of work. But the very democratic nature of society will mean that these people will in no way constitute leaders or governments. Those who prefer to take part in the administration and organisation of relaying information, compiling necessary facts, figures, methods, etc., (which is basically what their task will amount to in a completely democratic society) will do so for no other reason than they are interested in, gain satisfaction from and have a natural inclination for this particular kind of work. They will have no status above or below anyone else. For there will be no high paid, no low paid jobs; no money at all. Therefore, no one will be in a position to force anything on anyone. These people will not be looked upon as being better or worse than anyone else in society. They will simply be another link in society along with all those engaged in all other types of work. No one can say which occupations contribute more towards the well-being of our lives, whether bringing up children in good health, growing food, building houses, calculating needs, driving, laying drains, caring for the ill and handicapped, inventing techniques which benefit all, performing surgery, cleaning, entertaining or simply making people laugh. Such distinctions are impossible to make or evaluate because all overlap; all contribute in some way to human need, development and happiness. The same principle will apply to those who choose to engage in administration and organisation. They will not be regarded as leaders, governments or enemies of the rest of society. They will be looked upon in the same light as everyone else, as being a part of society: simply, human beings carrying out one of many functions which contribute to the welfare and enrichment of all.
(ll) that the worldwide money, wages, buying and selling form of society, whether run on so-called 'capitalist', 'socialist', 'communist', 'state-capitalist', 'mixed' economy or any other basis, is the root cause of nearly all the problems, personal and social, we face today, and that it is effectively holding back human potential, security, happiness and well-being, (mm)that continuing to engage in reforming or rearranging the money, wages, buying and selling form of society in any way only ever offers temporary and severely limited results and always leaves the cause of the problemsthe money, wages, buying and selling society itselfintact. (See also No. 3 'Can the present form of society be made to run in the interests of all people?' and also No. 21 'Can a world of free access be brought gradually by reforming the present form of society step by step, dealing with each problem in isolation?'), (nn)that the only way of permanently solving nearly all today's personal and social problems is by completely replacing the present form of society with a democratically organised world of free access; anything other than this means a continuation of the present society in some form, and therefore a continuation of the recurring problems that are caused by it, (oo)that, having become aware of, understanding and wanting a world of free access, the only way a world of free access can be established is peacefully and democratically with the conscious consent of the majority voting solely for it through whatever democratic means are available in their respective countries. (See also No. 25 'What about places where there is no democracy?'), (pp)that no violent minority can ever bring it about for the majority; for anything achieved by violence can only be maintained by violence. (See also No. 22 'Can a minority establish a world of free access by force?' and also No. 26 'Supposing there is a minority violently opposed to the establishment of a world of free access?'). Until the membership of World of Free Access is in the position to contest elections in any locality we write 'WORLD OF FREE ACCESS' across our individual voting paper. This is not a waste of a vote. In the absence of the movement delegating a representative standing as a candidate solely for a world of free access, it is a positive democratic statement that we do not support the present, form of society in whatever variety it is offered. We have no other aim than a world of free access. Using the democratic institutions of the world in this way, this will mean: initially, that the movement will be in a far better position for the evidence for a world of free access to be spread even further through the media, tv, radio, newspapers, etc., and, ultimately, once the movement has grown and the majority of people are aware of, understand and want a world of free access, they will vote for the democratically delegated representatives of the movement. When, and only when, there is a majority of representatives for a world of free access will we then be in the position formerly held by the previous governments. The representatives of World of Free Access, however, will not be leaders or constitute a government in any way. For they will be mandated to act solely according to the democratic instructions of the majority they represent. From such a position they will be able to ensure the means of complete democratic participation throughout societymaking full use of all possible means of communicationballots, referendums, tv, radio, newspapers, leaflets, etc.so as to enable social information to be collected and presented to the population, and then for the population in turn to vote for or against accordingly. In this way the whole nature of society will be peacefully and democratically transformed on a rationally organised basis, decisions being made by people in society themselves and for themselves. (Which will be far different than today where decisions are made by minorities supposedly representing society for the majority's benefit, but actually making decisions according to the dictates of trade, commerce and profit, predominantly in the general interests of the minority of owners engaged in this process). Priority will then be able to be given to those in dire need all over the worldthe starving, poverty-stricken, homeless, diseased, handicapped, inadequately provided, etc.so that all hardships caused as a result of the money, wages, buying and selling form of society will be quickly and permanently eradicated. Information centres will be able to be set up, production and distribution arranged and carried out on a wholly voluntary basis. All requirements will be made available on an efficient and effective scale unprecedented in the whole history of the world, using all available knowledge, technology, techniques, methods, means and energy at society's disposal to cater for genuine human need and no longer the needs of money, wages, buying, selling, profit and the 'economy'. Modern technology makes it possible for all this to be achieved in a swift and simple manner. All subsequent developments and decisions will also be for the population as a whole to determine for themselves democraticallyaccording to conditions, circumstances and preferences at the time. It is highly unlikely that with a massive movement for a world of free access in any part of the world (since there must be a majority for it to be established) that people in the rest of the world would be unaware of or not in support of such a beneficial global transformation. And as a result, any technical delays in elections in various parts would be short and would not create many problems. (See also No. 23 'Are the underdeveloped parts of the world a barrier to the establishment of a world of free access?' and also No. 24 'Supposing there is a majority in favour of a world of free access in one part of the world and not in another?').
20
At the moment it may seem slow and frustrating, while t h e movement is small, knowing that such a desirable world society is possible, but the movement can only grow on t he lines outlined above. There are no short cuts. But once more and more people do become convinced of the facts, the easier and quicker things will progress. Therefore, it is up to those who are aware and who do understand and want this completely new form of society to bring it to the attention of others. It cannot grow any other way. It is in the interests of everyone everywhere to see the establishment of a world of free access.
21. Can a world of free access be brought about gradually by reforming the present form of society step by step, dealing with each problem in isolation?
No. So long as people continue to put faith in reforming and rearranging t he present society in various ways a world of free access will never be established. The money, wages, buying and selling form of society is not gradually leading anywhereexcept perhaps ultimately to human destruction. It is in fact going round and round in circles, sometimes going through what are termed 'trade booms' and followed inevitably by what are termed 'trade slumps" or 'recessions'. It is a never-ending spiral and will continue as long as the present form of society does. Sometimes stable and appearing to improve, at other times fluctuating and decliningquite unpredictablyaccording to the dictates of profit, investment, trade, etc. Attempting to solve the problems (unemployment, hardship, poverty, war, racism, pollution, wastage of the earth's resources, devastating weapons, etc.) by mistakenly treating each as isolated cases with separate causes, all with separate remedies, always and inevitably results in failure. Evidence from the past and present continues to show q u i t e clearly that governments, leaders, reform organisations, religious i ns t i t ut i o ns and charities of all sorts have attempted, and blindly continue to attempt, to solve society's problems in this way. They always fail to provide an adequate solution for any length of time. In fact, despite all their efforts, promises and pledges, the problems have increased. And they fail not because they lack the desire for a better world, but because the very nature of the money, wages, buying and selling societywhether run on 'capitalist', 'socialist', 'communist', fascist' or 'mixed' economy linesis such that permanent solutions can never be found. Good intentions, well-meaning gestures, pledges and pleas, no mailer how sincere, are ultimately swallowed by the fact that needs cannot be provided unless it is profitable or it 'pays' the owners (private individuals, firms, corporations or governments) to produce or provide them. All decisions in this form of society are forced to hinge on t hi s . There can be no other consideration as things stand today. The money, wages, buying and selling form of society cannot be reformed adequately to provide the needs of the majority of the world's population on a permanent and satisfactory basis. It is a never-ending battle devoting time and energy to all the different problems that are inevitably thrown up. But no matter what reforms are attempted, so long as this form of society remains, there will always be: those who can afford only limited and unsatisfactory requirements of life, those forced to remain in boring, monotonous, soul-destroying jobs purely for payment to live, those who can obtain no job at a l l , those who have to rely on inadequate assistance and charity, those in constant stress and anxiety through their insecure economic position, those without proper care, attention and treatment, hospitals inadequately provided, understaffed and forced to cut back on facilities whenever it is uneconomical, safety regulations in industry and in the home ignored or skimped in the interests of saving money, people undernourished, l i v i n g in cold, damp, dangerous and inadequate accommodation, people cheated and exploited ruthlessly, disputes, strikes, disruptions and antagonisms over wages and conditions of life, dangerous, cheap and deadly disposal of chemicals in water, land and atmosphere, wastage of the earth's non-renewable minerals and deposits, war, preparation of war, violence, crime, terrorism, etc., etc., etc. All these problems, and infinitely more, have the same cause: the money, wages, buying and selling form of society itself. In order to change the very structure of society, in order to ensure permanent solutions instead of temporary make-shift reforms, people must go beyond looking at each problem in isolationwhether the problem be nuclear weapons, poverty, hardship, pollution, poor facilities, whateverand recognise that all these problems stem from the money, wages, buying and selling form of society itself. 21
In short: World of Free Access is fully aware that it is often necessary for people in all countries of the world to organise (usually in unions and groups, etc.) to take action to improve their conditions, benefits or payments within the present form of society, but: It is ultimately pointless to put faith in and vote for parties, organisations or individuals who stand for the continuation, in any form, of the very society which is itself the ROOT CAUSE of nearly all our troubles. Yet this is what many reformers, charities, religious organisations and others do. At election times they advocate voting for 'Nationalist', 'Conservative', 'Liberal', 'Social Democrat', 'Labour', 'Socialist', 'Communist', 'Right-wing', 'Left-wing', 'Moderate', whoeverthose who at every election claim that if only they have the opportunity to run the money, wages, buying and selling society their way they will be able to solve or alleviate most of the problems. But all varieties have been triedand failed. Fact and experience prove, time and time again, that the money, wages, buying and selling form of society just cannot be run to permanently solve the problemsfor the simple reason that it creates them. And if World of Free Access spent whatever contributions, time and energies at our disposal not in organising to build up a movement solely to point out that a completely new form of worldwide society of free access is the only practical, realistic, permanent solution in line with the modern age, but spent it instead in getting involved with and advocating all sorts of reforms (limited changes) within the money, wages, buying and selling form of society, we would inevitably . . . end up wasting months, even years, of effort and contributions creating more confusion and adding to false hope and eventual disillusionmentbecause even reforms fought for and then implemented can and are liable to be modified or scrapped completely at any time (often by the same government who implemented them) when they are no longer economical, profitable or do not suit the needs of money, wages, buying and selling, end up attracting the support of people not in the least understanding or even interested in establishing a world of free access but concerned solely with reforming the present society in some way, end up becoming yet another organisation demonstrating, petitioning and organising to rearrange, and in effect maintain, the very form of society we know is the cause of the problems; problems which we know can only be permanently solved with the establishment of a fundamentally new worldwide society of free access and democratic organisation. A world of free access will never arrive if the movement spends time, energy and contributions in pressing for neverending demands within present society instead of putting them into spreading real knowledge, understanding and undeniable fact aiming solely to achieve this fundamentally different society. A society whereby: the need for charities will disaappear because all people will be able to take freely what they need, the need to campaign and demonstrate against any form of warfare will automatically disappear because there will be no economic competition and divisions to create any kind of war, the need to march and demonstrate in protest against unemployment, poor facilities and living conditions will vanish because all people will be free to work and relax according to their own wishes and willingness, and all people will have access to all the goods and services they require for a decent and comfortable standard of living. And since the only way such a world can possibly be established is when the majority of people in each country understands, wants and votes for it, the movement for a world of free access must build and grow with this aim alone. Once more and more people do become convinced of this, the less they will be inclined to be fobbed off with, or even prepared to listen to, excuses, empty promises, and the less they will be prepared to tolerate miserable, unsatisfying and personally unrewarding lifestyles. In short, the wonderful alternative of a world of free access is entirely possible now. It will solve almost every personal and social problem facing us today (unemployment, war, racism, poverty, insecurity, crime, etc.). So what is the point in continuing to place faith and support in political movements, parties and organisations whose aim or achievement can only be to prolong the present form of society in some way or other. (See also No. 3 'Can the present form of society be made to run in the interests of all people?').
Bui even assuming that a minority wanting a world of free access did have (due to some freak social or political situation) some form of powerful armed force at t h e i r disposal, and that by some act terrorism and violence they did manage to overthrow t he government of a particular country; this would certainly notby any stretch of the imagination lead to a society of free access, of voluntary co-operation and peaceful and democratic participation. It could lead only to some form of dictatorship, whereby the minoritywhatever it called itselfwould necessarily become t h e new government, forcibly imposing its will upon the reluctant majority of that country, and having no choice but to run t h e money, wages, buying and selling form of society in some wayin an atmosphere of chaos, confusion and probably widespread fear as well. Minorities (whoever they are, groups, parties or governments) who claim that their aims justify force and violence reveal a contempt for democracy and therefore a contempt for the views and wishes of the majority of ordinary people; the very people they claim to represent, but who in reality they regard as mentally incapable and inferior. It is false and dangerous to believe that desirable aims can be brought about forcibly by violent means. The truth is that the means adopted determine the outcome. For there can be no mistake: anything achieved by violence can only be maintained by violence or threat of violence. A world of free access can only be established with the conscious consent of the majority, which can only truly be determined through peaceful and genuine democratic methods of voting, because: (qq)only by use of the vote can it be known what the majority of people t r u l y want, and (rr) a world of free access depends upon majority support and voluntary co-operation and participation. The only way for people to become aware of the possibility of a world of free access, and for the movement to grow as a consequence, is through presentation of undeniable facts, reason and common sense in free and open discussion and democratic participation. There are no short cuts through violence. A world of free access will be a peaceful and democratic world society. It can be achieved only through peaceful and democratic means. Therefore, World of Free Access must be a peaceful and democratic movement.
23. Are the underdeveloped parts of the world a barrier to the establishment of a world of free access?
No. Areas now regarded as underdevloped are not lagging behind because the people there are mentally inferior or less able in some way compared with those in parts of t he world with highly developed technology. Geographical location, race, colour or sex have nothing to do with intelligence. Human beings are basically the same the world over, have fairly uniform physical characteristics and mental abilities. There is no scientific basis whatsoever for the belief in the superiority of any race, sex or colour over another. (See also No. 16 'What about racism?' and also No. 13 'Is human nature a barrier to a world of free access? Isn't human nature basically bad/selfish/aggressive?'). It is just that due to the circumstances and conditions at certain times in history, societies in certain parts of the world were able to develop, adapt to and exploit technology to a greater extent. It was because of this that, over the years, they have been in a powerful position to advance and expand furtherpurely through their priveleged economic position in relation to t h e ownership of the resources of the world. Subsequent development has shown that people from all parts of the world, given the means and opportunity, are equally capable of acquiring and mastering all forms of highly sophisticated techniques w i t h i n a very short space of time. In fact, in many places recently regarded as underdevelopedwhere people were previously peasants having to work with crude tools and ancient methodscentres of highly advanced and complex industry have been developed and are manned from one end to the other by the very same people once considered 'uncivilized' or 'backward'. This shows clearlyif it could ever be seriously doubtedthat all human beings are capable of understanding, establishing and co-operating within a world of free access.
24. Supposing there is a majority in favour of a world of free access in one part of the world and not in another?
It is highly unlikely that the growth of the movement for a world of free access would be restricted to one area of the globe once the number of people in agreement and spreading t h e view increased. This is because: 23
f i r s t l y, the more people there are to communicate this knowledge and understanding of how to establish this totally new form of society to others, the easier il will become to break down the mental barriers, misconceptions, myths and prejudices that t he present society has created. Also, the very contradictions of the money, wages, buying and selling society form of society itself constantly result in more and more people in all parts of the world questioning and rejecting many values, attitudes and traditional beliefs once thought to be ingrained for all time. And as more contradictions inevitably continue to reveal themselves more people will demand the truth in matters and be far less vulnerable to evasions, excuses and empty promises they have heard before. (See also No. 27 'Are people's attitudes and ideas really likely to change?'), secondly, ideas, views and information of all kinds, once exposed to people via the various methods of modern communicationsatellite, tv, radio, video, newspapers, telephones, telexes, etc.travel amazingly fast; to such an extent that it is possible for events, words, pictures, attitudes, etc., originating ir one part of the world, to be heard with minimum delay (even simultaneously sometimes via 'live' coverage) :n all other parts of the world. Such is the speed of present day communication when necessary, thirdly, once the movement for a world of free access does begin to grow and, as a consequence, events inevitably begin to speed up, the movement, being larger, better equipped and more resourceful, will therefore be in a stronger position to make arrangements for this knowledge to be spread even further afield. As a result, the balance will adjust itself if developments appear to be occurring in certain specific areas of the world and not others. (See also No. 20 'How exactly can a world of free access be established?'). Whatever the situation at the time it will be up to t he majority to decide democratically what is the most suitable course of action to take; as in all matters which affect society.
sooner or later disruption occurs againusually in a more determined manner. And when the smooth running ot commerce, production for sale and profit, imports and exports continues to be adversely affected, because of the non-cooperation of the majority of people, t h e n t h e government has l i t t l e alternative but to implement, however r e l u c t a n t l y, the wishes of t he majority. II one of the essential demands of t h e majority is basic democratic rights, such as freedom of speech, freedom to organise and n egot i a t e , to hold free elections, etc., then sooner or l at er these demands have to be met in order lor profitable/economic production to continue. By far the best service those in countries with basic democracy can do for those in dictatorial countries is not lo waste (ime, energies and contributions pleading and moralising to any government (who will do little or n o t h i n g except pay lip-service to humanitarian principlesunless it is in t h e i r own economic interests or the economic interests o\ the private firms and corporations they effectively act on behalf of) but to spend whatever available lime, energies and contributions instead in organising to spread the facts for nothing less than a completely democratic WORLDWIDE form of societya world of free accessin places where there is opportunity, and to use whatever ex i s t i n g democratic i n s t i t u t i o n s exist in a positive way. Present day communications arc so advanced and effective t h a i once the movement does begin to grow, ideas and facts will begin to spread from t h e democratic c o u n t r i e s to a l l other parts of the world w i t h i n a very short space Of time. And as the movement in these areas does grow larger and t he ideas and facts become easier and easier to spread, they will undoubtedly reach those people living in countries where dictatorial regimes exist. These people themselves will then become aware: (hat (he choice is not merely l i mi t ed to whether t he money, wages, buying and selling form of society should run on "capit al is t ', 'socialist', 'communist' or 'mixed' lines, that a completely new form of ent i rel y democratic worldwide society of free access to all goods, services, work, leisure, as well as free access to all information, views and opinions, is a realistic and practical possibility, that there is a movement in existence which stands solely for such a world and is using available democratic i ns t i t ut i o n s to express this and nothing else. Such information and knowledge will not only make more people aware of t h e alternative we present but will cause the more thoughtful to question the nature, not only of the country (hey live in, but the nature of society throughout the entire world. They too wi l l t h e n be in a position to point t hi s out to others. As a result of the movement growing in the democratic countries more people in t h e dictatorial countries will become aware of and be more receptive to the undeniable facts the movement for a world of free access presents. They too will be disposed to accepting nothing less than t he basic r i gh t s of freedom to express their views via genuine democratic methods. No government anywhere can sustain indefinitely a situation where the majority of the population are opposed to it.
26. Supposing there is a minority violently opposed to the establishment of a world of free access?
In the event of a minority organisation being violently opposed to the establishment of a world of free access, it will be up to the majoritywho do want a world of free accessto democratically decide what course of action shall be taken. As in all society's affairs, it wi ll be the majority decision that is acted upon. For it has to be remembered that a world of free access will only be established with the conscious consent of the majority of people, who will vote for democratically appointed representatives. These representatives will be elected with the support of the majority and mandated to act solely according to the democratic instructions of the majority. (See also No. 20 'How exactly can a world of free access be established?'). Once a majority of representatives for a world of free access has been voted for, and instructed by the majority, they will then be in the actual physical positions formerly held by the previous governments. This will mean that the majority themselves will then be effectively and t r u l y in democratic control of society; in control of the means of production and distribution (land, factories, transport networks, raw materials, energy resources, communications, etc.) and also in control of all the institutions that previously accompanied these, whieh naturally includes the powers of t h e armed and police forces. But the situation will be profoundly different to what exists anywhere in t he world today. For in all varieties of the money, wages, buying and selling form of society it is a minoritycomprising leaders and governments who impose decisions as to the use of armed and police forces, predominantly in the general interests of the minority of owners engaged in the processes of trade and commerce. However, once a society of free access has been voted for, it will be up to the majority themselves to decide, ent i rel y democratically, when, for how long, in what degree, capacity and circumstances these forces shall remain. Modern means and methods of communication make collection and presentation of information, alternative proposals, etc., and the consequent carrying out of democratic decisions a simple technical procedure of basic organisation. 25
It is clear then, considering this, that any violent minority opposed to the majority's democratic decision will be just that: minoritiesacting against the will of t he majority. As such, it will be up to the majority to decide how to deal with such an occurrence. If, as a whole, society decides that force shall be used against these minorities then they will arrange for this and it will be carried out. If society, as a whole, decides that these minorities are not significant to warrant undue concern, then they will arrange for some other form of action or none at all, depending upon the alternatives proposed at the time. Obviously all decisions will depend on the developments and wishes and instructions of the majority of people in society at the time. Either way, it is clear that such minorities will be in as relatively hopeless a position as those violent minorities today who aim to overthrow governments by force. They will be virtually powerless, because they will have neither sufficient means nor support. Nevertheless, all minoritieswhatever their viewswill automatically have equal means and freedom of opportunity to put forward their objections and/or proposals in a peaceful manner for all to hear and see, and for the population to agree with, or disagree with, accordinglyby use of the vote. Complete democracy in all matters that affect society will mean the true participation of people and will result in responsible action. Not because people will have become suddenly 'nice' or 'good', but because it will be people themselves making the decisions which affect themselves and the world we are all equally a part of. Eventually, as it becomes clearer to everyone that a world of free access is a sane, rationally organised and desirable form of society, in which the needs of people everywhere are provided as a matter of course, fewer and fewer people will bother to concern themselves with futile actions and concentrate on living life in a pleasurable, fulfilling world. Even the limited powers of force possibly retained initiallyin the event of the majority democratically deciding that this be sowill no doubt eventually be considered unnecessary. In such circumstances, total disarmament will take place; the present police and armed forces being transformed completely into agencies and services concentrating time, energy and resources to deal with such social catastrophes as floods, earthquakes, accidents and to investigate mysterious disappearances, strange phenomena, etc. In a world of free access and complete democratic participation, force and violence will gradually recede into a memory of a terrible and vicious past.
Those who questioned these assuptions at the time were also regarded as mad, were held to ridicule by the narrowminded and sometimes persecuted, rejected by former friends, disowned by relatives, sometimes even punished. Again, in the light of undeniable evidence, and people's own personal experience, outlooks changed, and continue to change, accordingly. In the same way, today, almost all of us are brought up through schools, families, churches, and reinforced with the idea by radio, tv, most books, magazines and newspapers, etc., to assume and accept without serious question that the world cannot possibly function on any other basis than money, wages, buying and selling. But this is wrongas were those people throughout periods of history, ancient and recent, who were brought up to believe that the form of society, and the attitudes within it, that they lived in were correct and unchallengeable for all time. Until evidence and experience prove otherwise. Therefore, it is reasonable and logical to say that with the continuing presentation of undeniable fact and common sense, and in the light of people's own personal and social experience, ideas and attitudes will continue to change and, once presented on a larger scale, will change even more quickly than ever before. Myths, false theories and superstitions will be exposed for what they are and will recede. All the conclusions presented by World of Free Access are based on solid and undeniable fact. It is up to those with the foresightwho recognise that the present form of society and the morals, values and ideas it encourages is not a 'natural' and all-time state of affairs, and that a world of free access is the only practical and realistic alternative in line with the modern technological ageto join others who are in complete agreement and to help to spread this information to others. For only in this way can a world of free access be achieved. The more people there are, the easier it will become, the sooner it can be established.
society which is the root cause of nearly all the personal and social problems we face today. These problems can only he permanently solved when this society is completely replaced. We must stand opposed to all those whose aim is limited to merely reforming/rearranging the money, wages, buying and selling form of society in some way or other. Not because we are dogmatically opposed to reforms that may be beneficial to the majority in society, but because we recognise that the only permanent way of ensuring that the needs of people everywhere are met is through the establishment of & fundamentally different worldwide society of free access. Concentrating on each problem in isolationwhether it be war, nuclear weapons, unemployment, poverty, hardship etc.when all have the same root cause always proves ultimately inadequate and often futile. We must stand opposed to all war. Not merely on 'moralistic', 'pacifist' or 'humanitarian' grounds but because no war is fought for the benefit of the majority of people in any country. No war can solve the problems of people anywhere. War is itself a symptom of this society. After each war the same problems recur. We stand for a worldwide form of society where the cause of wareconomic competition and 'national' divisionshas been permanently eradicated. We must stand in opposition to all forms of racism and nationalism. Again not merely for 'moralistic' or 'humanitarian' principles but because there is no scientific basis whatsoever for the belief in the superiority or 'natural rights' of any people of any country, race, sex or colour. We stand for a world where racism and nationalism will have no meaning because people everywhere will have unrestricted freedom of the earth and where all resources will be owned and organised democratically by and in the interests of everyone on earth. We must be entirely democratic, in favour of all people having the freedom to express their viewswhatever they are openly and freely. We must stand in opposition to all violent minorities, since they are contemptuous of democracy, and therefore contemptuous of the views and wishes of the majority. The only way a world of free access can be established is peacefully and democratically with the conscious consent of the majority of people. We must stand opposed to all forms of censorship and bans. We hold that all people must have the freedom to hear all information, opinions and views, and freedom to decide for themselves whatever they wish or don't wish to say, hear, see and experience individually. The only way to expose false, dangerous, obnoxious or divisive views is in an atmosphere of free and open discussion on all matters. Only in such a way can all people have the opportunity to hear all points of view, and to judge for themselves who is correct, scientifically, logically and reasonably. Only those out to deceive and those who hold themselves superior to the majority will try to forcibly stop others from hearing different points of view, whatever those points of view might be. Those who disagree with this position will, despite whatever good intentions, continue to support the present form of society in some way or other, even if it is simply as a result of shrugging and taking no interest, and will, whether wittingly or unwittingly, be contributing to perpetuating the cause of nearly all the problems we are experiencing today. World of Free Access aim to reach those who recognise all the contradictions of the present form of society and who recognise that only a fundamental change in the whole world structure of society to one based on democratic organisation, voluntary production and free access to all goods and services can provide a comfortable, safe, happy and interesting life for all.
The only qualification for anyone joining World of Free Access is basic understanding and full agreement with our position as explained throughout this booklet. (See also No. 31 'World of Free Access: The Movement'). Therefore, those who hold a personal religious view which does not prevent them from complete agreement will find no incompatibility. In all probability, in a world of free access people will hold many and varied theories as to the origins (if any) and destiny (if any) of the universe, but it is highly unlikely that many people will continue to feel a need to seek spiritual comfort in religion of any description when nearly all t h e personal and social problems people suffer today are gone. But those who do, like everyone else in a completely democratic world society of free access, will automatically have equal means and opportunity to declare and present their views openly and freely.
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WORLD OF FREE ACCESS A democratically organised moneyless form of worldwide society based on voluntary production and co-operation with free access to all goods and services
WHAT WE STAND FOR A society whereby: money, wages, buying and selling will serve no function; they will no longer exist, each one of us will be able to take quite freely from whatever is readily available, according to our own selfdetermined needs, each one of us will be free to participate in providing society's needs by working quite v o l u n t a r i l y, according to our own willingness and abilit y, each one of us will have unrestricted freedom of t h e earth; there w i l l be no 'national' boundaries separating various regions of the earth, the organisation and administration of society will be carried out entirely democratically by and in the interests of all the world's population, ensuring that the needs of people everywhere are met: there will be no need for leaders or governments. A world of free access is not a far-off dream but an immediate, practical and realistic possibility. Advances in science, technology and knowledge have long since made it possible for this completely new form of worldwide society to be established whereby the means (land, factories, energy resources, machines, tools, raw materials, etc.) that produce all the goods and services (food, clothing, accommodation, medical facilities, communications, transport, etc.) that all people need to live will be owned and democratically controlled by every one of us in common, regardless of age, race, sex, colour or background. Not as in the worldwide money, wages, buying and selling form of society which exists today, in which these means are owned and controlled by governments, private individuals, firms and corporations. A world of free access can be achieved when the majority of people in all countries are aware of it, want it and consciously and peacefully consent and organise to bring it about through whatever democratic means are available. There is no other way. Violent minorities can never bring it about. A world of free access is the only way to permanently ensure: the harmonious survival of t h e human race, an end to all poverty, hunger, hardship, discomfort and all depression, violence and anxiety due to economic insecurity, the rapid disappearance of racism, since nearh all racism is brought about through using others as scapegoats for the frustrations, anxieties and hardship actually caused by the money, wages, buying and selling form of society itself. an end to all forms of war. since all wars are basically economic, fought to protect or acquire profitable commercial markets, land, raw materials, trade routes and strategic political positions which offer access to these. World of Free Access is a movement which comprises ordinary people, from various backgrounds and with various interests, who have come to recognise t h a t t he present form of society throughout the worldwhether run by 'Nationalist', 'Conservative', 'Liberal', 'Labour', 'Social Democrat', 'Communist', 'Socialist', 'Fascist', 'Right-wing', 'Leftwing', 'Moderate' or whoeveris the ROOT CAUSE of nearly all the personal and social problems we face today, and t h a t it is effectively holding back human potential, security, happiness and well-being. We also recognise the i nevi t abl e limitations of t r yi n g to reform or rearrange t h e money, wages, buying and selling form of society to run smoothly in the interests of anyone for any length of time. Therefore we do not waste time and energy in this direction, but stand solely for a world of free access, using our own abilities and voluntary contributions to spread this knowledge to others. Although at the moment we are a small movement, and our task unquestionably enormous, history shows clearly that ideas and attitude* do change, often amazingly quickly, and we are confident that ideas and attitudes will continue to change in the light of undeniable fact and people's own personal experience. If you have any questions on any aspect of the case for a world of free access, or if you are interested in joining us or helping in any way to spread this knowledge in order to hasten the establishment of this unique new world, please write to: WORLD OF FRFE ACCESS