LAYER OF SOCIALISM

by Michael Douglas Carlin

         Capitalism vs. Socialism—why not have both? Not the type of socialism where the government owns all of the implements of our economy, but where everybody has the basics they need to succeed, and they enter the free enterprise system to get more.

We can have peace in our lifetime if we all do our part.

This must be a partnership of every individual, non-profit organization, corporation, and government—all working together to bring the basic needs to all of humanity.

It is time for humanity to grow up. Our "Identity Crisis" is ridiculous. We run around like little spoiled brats sweeping our messes under the carpet rather than deal with them in a forthright manner. Turning a blind eye to problems like homelessness ends up costing more than facing the problem with housing, meals, and services that recycle lives and get them back on the road as productive members of society.

The debate between socialism and capitalism continues because of the merits of each system. We hear the entrepreneur say: "I pulled myself up by my own bootstraps and was never given a thing, why should we give them anything?" We also hear those who have been helped by social programs say: "I reached out to the government for help during a time of crisis in my life and now, I own my own business." The engine of capitalism cannot be refuted. It is what drives the global economy. The benefits of socialism cannot be refuted either. That is why the debate is so compelling.

The overused phrase, "Give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime," also has merit. We need to assume nothing during the education process that teaches men, women and children to "fish." We need to understand that, in today's complicated world, the process of teaching men, women and children to fish may take time. Not everyone can fish while learning. We should help people who can't pull themselves up by their own bootstraps, because it is the right thing to do.

Helping people while they learn is more humane and costs less than sweeping them under the carpet. Civil rights activist, Connie Rice, has a plan to fix the inner cities. Central to that plan is opening the schools from 7 am to 9 pm. All children in the inner city community would have a safe place where they could eat nutritious food that keeps kids engaged in music, sports, reading, arts, computers, and science. The cost of her program in the inner city communities of Los Angeles is a billion dollars. Not fixing the inner city communities will cost us twenty times as much.

Let's put the debate of capitalism and socialism to rest. Turning a blind eye to people who have no ability to fish is no longer acceptable. We need a layer of socialism, in which, not only do we teach men, women and children to fish, but the burden is shared by government, corporations, non-profits, and individuals, fueled by capitalism for those who take personal responsibility and want all that capitalism provides. Two systems living side by side coexisting and flourishing makes sense.

Let's move the debate forward to renewable systems that prepare and plan for the next thousand years.

This is A Prescription for Peace:

1. Food

2. Shelter

3. Health Care

4. Personal Safety

5. Education

6. Livelihood

7. Empower Women

All leading to HOPE

Thomas Jefferson wrote the words: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…"

If we have the right to life, then we have the right to three square meals a day, a roof over our head, access to quality health care, personal security, an education and a job. For, how could we ever begin to experience liberty or pursue happiness without our basic needs being met? This is A Prescription for Peace.

"Our work will not be done until every man, woman, and child alive has three square meals a day, a roof over their head, access to quality health care, personal security, an education and a job."  —Michael Douglas Carlin

--

© 2014 Michael Douglas Carlin. All Rights Reserved.