7,453 Words to Save the UK: A Socio-Capitalist Manifesto Read online

SERVICES GROUPS

  Other than central administration, the main element of public service is found at the local, but hardly ever the main element of power. This problem must be redressed. A further problem is the lack of coordination between various public services. To this end, 600 Public Services Groups need to be created, each catering for approx 100,000 people. As well as forming the local legislature, executive and judiciary, these groups will be responsible for running health, education, social services, engineering and policing, with particular emphasis on coordinating services, employing primary workers. In addition, each Group will administer approx 100 community groups run by trained secondary workers, providing these services per 1,000 people. As with trade and industry, the National Salary and free resources will cover all costs, and the organisation of services at this small level will guarantee everyone has access to such services as and when required, and will give employment to a third of the work force.

  The role of the central administration in this system is to guarantee standards and provide overall policy and resources. The central administration will have no powers above this, other than elements of central authority detailed later. Even income in the form of rent, utility charges and income, wealth and profit tax will be collected and go, in the first instance, to the Public Services Groups, who will then pay the central administration what they need to administer central services alone, the whole system scrutinized by the Holistic Bureaucracy. National Salary will also be administered at this level.

  This will guarantee a total devolution of power to those who know the local area and people best, thus tailoring the resources available to the exact needs of the people and environment. Thus, the central administration can do no more than facilitate. Further, it is to be in the hands of the powers within the Public Services Groups to form alliances, and mix services with, neighbouring Groups, thus devising, themselves, city and county administrations, fully devolved and empowered.

  CENTRAL SERVICES AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS

  Above all this there must be a controlling body. At present we call this ‘government’. This should change – it implies they govern or rule. As part of the process of facilitating, it should now be simply known as the administration. Of course, it would have to have central responsibilities, such as guaranteeing standards and policies throughout the network through a series of departments, but other than facilitating such a network, its only central responsibilities should be the military, intelligence, foreign affairs and coordinating action against the extraordinary in public services, such as major crises. Military would take too long to highlight here and is dealt with on the Essays page of my website (suffice to say, I attempt to devise a force that can more than adequately defend, but would be incapable of occupation or conquest); intelligence is something that cannot be fragmented, but must be watched more closely by the legislature, judiciary and Holistic Bureaucracy; foreign affairs need further attention.

  So far it could be argued that the new ideas in this work are designed to remove the nation from interaction with other countries, but this is far from the case. It is designed to, first of all, empower the person and degrade power throughout authority, and in the second, insulate the nation from outside influences out of our control, such as power over the economy or global recession. But once insulated from such influences, we should find new confidence in our relationships with the rest of the world.

  To this end, moves should be made to upgrade the Commonwealth to what I would call New Com, building up influence and economies on the global stage in order to further the idea of a new way globally. To this end, existing member countries – many of which are Third World and unable to fight big business – and new members would not be pressured into changing to a western politico-economic system, but would simply be asked to guarantee to move towards the ending of oppression. In return, facilities will be offered in terms of training and infrastructure to further the aims of this work. In this way, a tipping point would naturally come where the power of authority shifts to the empowerment of the person.

  To this end, a number of overseas bases would be required, which I would call the Atlantis Grid, with the intention of evolving into mini-cities with global transport hubs and diplomatic missions to further the aims of this work. However, at an early stage such bases should also organize into what I would call G.A.I.A, or the Global Assistance and Investigations Agency. Such an agency would be equipped with new model transport craft, medical facilities and rescue equipment capable of reacting immediately to emergencies such as earthquakes, epidemics and other disasters, to be staffed by personnel from member countries as well as ourselves. Further, it should offer professional investigative facilities to combat global terrorism and crime, taking away such responsibilities from those countries with big business-friendly political incentives. In this way, foreign affairs become the continuation of the creation of a new way, expressed through good will.

  CONCLUSION

  Obviously I don’t offer the above as exact, but simply ideas for a better way of doing things. I’m not an economist, technologist or any other kind of expert – simply a man with ideas in his head. But as I see it, change must come, for we cannot go on as we have so far in history. And to me, the best way is to merge what has gone before into a holistic system which takes power away from those who have caused the trouble throughout history – leaders who think a system that caters for only part of a society is the best way.

  The above is my attempt to cater for all. It is a system that eradicates poverty, giving those at the lower economic scale a good lifestyle, and at the same time, allowing anyone the chance to earn great wealth. But it will be wealth without power. Of course, one power-base I haven’t mentioned is the Monarchy, principally because it isn’t a power-base at all. As I see it, they should remain as they are. They are better than a political Head of State, provide continuity with the past and they’re good for tourism. And also, they show us something else – an essential element in society which seems to have been forgotten.

  This is duty. The above system extends rights to everyone except would be troublesome leaders, but there’s a price tag. Most people in any society go to work, collect their salary and seem happy in the idea that they’ve done their bit for the nation. Well, you have not. You have seen value only in terms of an economy. There is more to it than simply earning a salary and feeling smug. Duty also includes contributing to society and, or, culture. And the above system gives everyone the time to do so.

  There is another important point to make. The idea is given that the past has been an error. In terms of human misery it has. Yet to merge systems into a whole, those individual systems had to be devised in the first place. So rather than an error, we should see the past as a learning curve. And now is the time to use all we have learnt to find balance and synthesis.

  Will the successful implementation of my ideas create Utopia? No. We always get things wrong in the end – its human nature. Would the system last for ever? No. New ideas will come along, for the good or bad, and we’ll be seduced. But hopefully it could provide essential stability for a long, long time. This is how it is for us humans, constantly devising ideas to stave off chaos, and the best we can hope from any system – even an integrated one such as this – is that it will keep chaos at bay for a little while longer.

  But there is a more important point. Put simply, would the above ideas mean you would lose your favourite baked beans? No. The present big business that produces them would not want to lose the custom, so the entrepreneurs would soon work out a profit-sharing deal whereby they are made under licence by Brit Co. Indeed, the business would most likely find it easier and more profitable, thus allowing them wealth but without power - and we and New Com may well end up making baked beans for the rest of the world.

  About the Author

  1955 (Yorkshire, England) – I am born (Damn! Already been done). ‘Twas the best of times … (Oh well).

  I was actually born to a family
of newsagents. At 18 I did a Dick Whittington and went off to London, only to return to pretend to be Charlie and work in a chocolate factory.

  When I was ten I was asked what I wanted to be. I said soldier, writer and Dad. I never thought of it for years – having too much fun, such as a time as lead guitarist in a local rock band – but I served nine years in the RAF, got married and had seven kids. I realized my words had been precognitive when, at age 27, I came down with M.E. – a condition I’ve suffered ever since – and turned my attention to writing.

  My essays and non-fiction books are based on Patternology, or P-ology, a thought process I devised to work as a bedfellow to specialization. Holistic, it seeks out patterns the specialist may have missed. The subject is not about truth, but ideas, and covers everything from politics to the paranormal.

  I also write novels and Flash Fiction in all genres.

  Connect with Anthony

  Smashwords Author page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/anthonynorth

  Anthony's Website: https://anthonynorth.com/

  Anthony's Blog (inc current affairs):