16-03-09(8:48:34)
“Average GDP in the world is about $10,000 per person per year: let’s make sure we reduce our consumption to that level.”
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2. How does it fit with Compass’ core beliefs of equality, solidarity, democracy, freedom, sustainability and well being?
Just as the Carbon Footprint is a signal of ecological justice, so we need a measure of social justice and income equality or convergence is such a measure. Those of us ‘earning’ more than the average should forego the excess and we can redistribute monies to focus on a more meaningful practice of solidarity and engagement.
3. How does it build the institutions of social democracy, like social groups and collective and cooperative forms of ownership and control?
In order to effect such a redistribtion, we woul dneed co-operative and not-for-profit institutions to help define and publicise methiods for redistribution, as well as to monitor the implementation and to educate people for the need (among richer people) to reduce consumption and consider income and revenue less as individual issues and more as community resources and collective achievemtns.
4. How much will it cost or raise and where will any cost come from?
By definition, this is a ‘revenue neutral’ proposal - when considered on a global scale - but would have a huge impact on so-called developing countries (which are currently often experiencing immiseration and ‘negative growth’) and would be a practical implementation of solidarity and a test of our lip-service to notions of equality.
5. Which groups in the electorate are likely to support or oppose this measure? Is there any polling evidence you have on this?
I am not aware of any polling evidence to suggest that anyone would back this proposal but I feel that justice is not a pain-free issue but one where “the unfairly advantaged have to yield disproportionately more to the unfairly disadvantaged”. This is a proposal not for the next general election but for debating the future options of a sustainable and equitable society.
6. Is there a place or country where it’s worked? Please provide some information.
In teh 1980s and early 1990s, the Socialist Workers’ Party had all its employees on the average industrial working wage. Cuba has non-financial incentive systems. But, overall, I do not know of anywhere where this has been implemented as yet.
7. What are the three main arguments in favour/against it?
1. The moral imperative of solidarity
2. The need to end unsustainable and conflictual inequalities
3. It requires no extra resources and requires ‘only’ personal commitment and political will.
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