FINANCE IS NOT ECONOMICS
Webster’s defines economics as “a social science concerned chiefly with description and analysis of the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services”. Contrary to popular belief, none of these take money. Nature has never demanded money for sunshine, oxygen, crude oil, water, growing plants or ANYTHING else that humans use in our economy. Nature DOES require that we observe it’s laws, and these laws don’t change. For example, plants need a certain amount of sunlight, moisture, nutrients, space, etc., and airplanes require a specific amount of lift for each ton of cargo. There is constant and recurrent upset in financial matters because it is not science and the rules are changed and violated continuously. Humans have tried slavery, feudalism, communism, socialism and capitalism. None of them have or can work long term. They are all out of sync with nature and therefore obsolete.
The economy is composed ONLY of technology. The resources of the economy are materials, energy, time, labor and know-how. The purpose of the economy is to support life and do it to an ever increasing standard (standard of living). Buckminster Fuller looked at life support from seven aspects: Food, Shelter, Health care, Education, Communication, Transportation and Recreation. The only APPROPRIATE measure of the economy is “the sustainable increase in standard of living for ALL human beings”. Instead what we currently measure is how much money is made in various separate financial systems and what the Gross Domestic Product is in these systems and this includes life taking activities.
Money/finance is used to manage the economy, get access to it and to make it easier to trade unequal things, for example, artwork made by one person for a car made by 1000 people. Money is also used to make money and for “winning”. It is used for control. Once most everyone is convinced “it takes money to live”, those who control the money control people, on both the societal and the interpersonal level.
If the sun stopped shining or seeds stopped sprouting, the economy could not continue. Life itself would end. The reverse is not true. If money suddenly disappeared from the entire world, the economy could go on as before. There is a very revealing example that we can look at. The United States started a war with Iraq in 2003. There was no money to do it so it has never been in the budget. But this is a perfect proof that it doesn’t REALLY take money. It takes resources: Materials like guns, airplanes, tents and food; Energy like electricity, gasoline and nuclear power for ships; Time to move material and people around in order to accomplish the goal; Labor to develop all the weapons and strategies and carry them out; and Know-how to do all these things better than the enemy in order to win. Wars aren’t un-fought for lack of money, they are un-fought for lack of resources, period.
The idea that we can’t “afford” (don’t have the money) to feed everyone or provide shelter or health care is simply nonsensical when looked at in this way. There are many people and organizations that are genuinely and actively working to bring about a higher standard of living for more people. These efforts will become far more successful when the clear difference between money and economics is recognized. It has been well said that “we don’t ask for too much in life, but far too little”. Some people have fear of “spreading the wealth”. The opportunity we have before us is to “unleash the wealth”. This opportunity is truly about EVERYONE benefiting.
William Daniels Copyright. Please do distribute this freely for non-commercial purposes.
503-314-6902 I am available to speak, write on specific topics, etc.
wdinpdx@yahoo.com see: BillionsofBillionaires.blogspot.com; BFI.org; “Critical Path” by
11/26/08 R. Buckminster Fuller
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