Most societies today are shaped by "Big Business" (BB).
Its supporters claim they protect the freedom of individuals from the
tyranny of "Big Government" (BG). BB supporters describe the history of
the 20th century as a series of struggles to defend freedom of
individuals against oppression by BG regimes.
Actually all major wars of the 20th century - WW1, WW2, the "Cold War",
Vietnam War - were waged by Big Business to increase its power and
profits.
"Power" is "authority to decide for others". "Freedom" is "authority to
decide for oneself". BB and BG seek Power not Freedom. Power crushes
Freedom.
WW1 initiated a revolution in Russia enabling Lenin to set up his "Big
Government" (BG) in 1917. He named it: "Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics" (USSR). Lenin's BG was a one-party State, run without
elections. Party leaders ruled. Ordinary party members could not change
its leadership or policy. The entire economy belonged to the State. It
provided full employment, state-paid housing, healthcare, education, and
pensions. Many believed this will put an end to oppression. It did not.
BG leaders jailed anyone suspected of opposing them, often without
trial. They also decided what books, films, plays, paintings, and music,
citizens are allowed to see.
After WW2 BG states
were set up in many countries. Leaders of BB states feared that social
benefits of BG economy will motivate those suffering economic misery in
BB economies to replace BB economy by BG economy. They acted to prevent
this. The "Cold War" (1946- 1991) was the campaign of BB to prevent
creation of more BGs. Leaders of BG saw no point in fighting BBs, being
Marxists they believed all BB economies must produce economic crises
that will cause their own downfall.
In 1991 the USSR - and all European BGs - dissolved themselves. Their
citizens did not try to resurrect them. They believed a multi-party
state will solve their problems. It did not. Today most people resent
BB, BG, RR (Rule by Representatives) and all political parties. They
tolerate them only because they see no other way to run society. This
creates a dead-end in politics as people do nothing to replace political
systems they resent. This book proposes to replace Rule by
Representatives (RR) by citizens' Direct Democracy (DD) as a way out of
the current political dead-end. In DD every citizen can
propose-debate-vote directly on every policy. This can overcome the
defects of BB, BG, and RR. |