Recently I published a book “Collaborative Democracy: Transition from Money-Driven to Knowledge-Based Society”, Paperback, 2011, 238 pages, ISBN-10: 1449564283, ISBN-13: 978-1449564285.

Book Description
Publication Date: October 3, 2011
The Industrial Revolution, triggered by the invention of the steam engine and the expansion of the railway network, gradually replaced autocracy with representative democracy, because the complexity of society had risen to a level, which left individual intelligence (i.e. autocracy) no longer capable of effective leadership. The only possible solution was a transition from individual to collective intelligence or from autocracy to democracy.
Today, the Humanitarian Revolution, triggered by the invention of the computer and the expansion of the Internet, has turned humanity into a “single organism”. Understandably, the complexity of this globalised world is now beyond the capacity of collective intelligence to effectively rule, and the only possible solution now is a transition from collective to collaborative intelligence.
Collective and collaborative intelligence are different by definition. Collective intelligence is a decision-making mechanism based on a voting system. Collaborative intelligence is a problem-solving mechanism based on the verification of feasible models. The object of this book is to study the co-evolution of economy, social consciousness (culture) and decision-making mechanisms; to explain the downfall of representative democracy; why “restoration”, “repairing”, “re-engineering” etc of representative democracy is impossible; and to outline the inevitable transition from a collective decision-making- to a collaborative problem-solving mechanism in a globalised world.

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In essence, Society is a living and rational system, processing knowledge. It includes three co-evolving sub-systems: economy, culture and decision-making mechanism. Economy ensures physical survival of human beings and represents the “living” part of society. Decision-making mechanism represents rational component of the system. Culture is a content of accumulated knowledge and acts as a transmission drive between living and rational parts.

Co-evolution of sub-systems follow two lines of development: objective for living component (economy) and subjective for rational part. “Division of labour” between “living” and “rational” parts is simple. Human reason creates a chain of quantitative changes. This is History. Due to accumulated knowledge the “living part” of the system (economy) makes qualitative leaps to new levels of social development (civilisations). These are helices of Social Evolution. To get to this level of processing and accumulating knowledge, society left behind three stages of development: Hunting and Gathering (prehistory), Agrarian and Industrial societies. These changes are qualitative leaps or helices of Social Evolution. They follow objective laws. Hence, people could make history, but cannot change the course of Social Evolution.

Forthcoming change will be a new helix of Social Evolution – the transition from Industrial to Humanitarian society. Transition is inevitable, because it is part of Social Evolution. The mode of transition is implemented by human reason and could vary depending on the mindset of the governing elite and the threshold of tolerance.

“America, the fragile empire”

Here today, gone tomorrow — could the United States fall that fast?

“The Los Angeles Times”, February 28, 2010

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-ferguson28-2010feb28,0,7706980.story

and full version

“Complexity and Collapse”

Empires on the Edge of Chaos, “Foreign Affairs”, March/April 2010

http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/65987/niall-ferguson/complexity-and-collapse

Mix of science and speculation

Society is an evolving and rational system. It has its natural laws, which should be studied carefully instead ignored. “Debating the stages of decline may be a waste of time—it is a precipitous and unexpected fall that should most concern policymakers and citizens.” The precipitous and unexpected fall has history and reason to happen.

The complex systems “go critical” when decision-making mechanism become inadequate to the level of already achieved complexity. This is a dramatic clash between objective and subjective factor – objective laws of social evolution or self-organisation of society and decisions made by ruling elite to keep its privileged position intact. As a result system is closed; negative feedbacks are cut-off and replaced with positive feedbacks, which generate chaos. Society become less adaptive, and system “go critical”. At this point collapse is inevitable. All empires including communism, fall apart due to this reason alone although decisions, which triggered even leading to domino effect are very different. Nowadays, deterioration of democracy to plutocracy and free market economy – to corporatocracy are examples of diminishing self-regulation and replacement with subjective decisions, which become increasingly inadequate to complexity of modern society. Collapse of Wall Street (redistributive) capitalism is inevitable and a matter of time. Eventually new adequate decision-making mechanism will be established. This is mechanism, which will separate power of money from decision-making process. However democracy is not possible to be restored, revitalised or unlock.

As a rule of thumb complex systems “go critical”, when “critical mass” of population are disillusioned about sustainability of society and reliability of ruling elite. At some point some insignificant event trigger chain reaction, which lead to collapse of politico-economic system and replacement of the ruling elite.

The concept of collaborative democracy is simple. It is based on two interconnected fundamental principles of Social Evolution related to two of its most significant aspects: Decision-making mechanism and Social structure.

Firstly – governing of society is mode of making decisions. Becoming more complex, evolving society generates more complex problems and insists higher intelligence, more powerful and complex decision-making mechanism to be ruled properly. So far there are known only two forms of intelligence used as decision-making mechanism: individual and collective. For thousand of years relatively simple Agrarian societies have been ruled by single individual. This is autocracy. Understandably power was inherited. More complex Industrial societies are ruled by more sophisticated collective decision-making mechanism – representative democracy. The history of representative democracy is a history of parliamentariasm. It could be traced back to Magna Carta and almost completed around French Revolution and now is broadly spread across the world. Representative democracy transformed the world from sleeping to digital village. However representative democracy now faces same problems as autocracy in the 18^th century – lack of intelligence. Although Industrial societies are very complex compare with Agrarian, forthcoming “post-industrial” or Humanitarian society is even more complex. This is so because currently dominated politico-economic system is “one dimensional”, based only on profit or economic growth and money is world spread religion. Moral is in decline and side-effects of financial capitalism destroy society. Ongoing globalisation generates global problems, which cannot be solved by collective intelligence. Those problems insist higher intelligence and more complex decision-making mechanism. This is collaborative intelligence.

Secondly: Social evolution is a gradual transfer from a hierarchy to heterarchy. In principle simple systems are hierarchically organised, more complex system like, Universe, free-market, Internet and human brain are heterarchical by nature. Not surprising simple societies are hierarchical, more complex societies are heterarchicaly organised. Agrarian societies have complete hierarchical structure by definition. More complex Industrial societies are partly heterarchical. They have two clear heterarchical components – representative democracy and free-market economy. To survive forthcoming Humanitarian society insists complete heterarchical structure. However for society heterarchical structure doesn’t mean “equality” as politicians and economist could assume. It is a matter of using and abusing of power.

Interconnection between both principles – higher intelligence and heterarchical organisation explain dynamics of modern society – emerging of hierarchical politico-economic systems like communism and fascism, collapse and destruction of both systems. Historians could count number of various reasons: political, economic or what so ever, but at the end of the day they both were wiped away due to inadequate decision-making mechanism. Decline of democracy and degeneration to plutocracy; emerging of financial capitalism and corporatocracy, which is the last hierarchy based on possession and control of resources is a completely different politico-economic system compare with earlier stages of capitalism. It generates unsolvable problems by collective intelligence, which in addition is turned down by money masters and corrupted, arrogant and hypocritical power elite.

Although collective and collaborative intelligences seem to be tricky and misleadingly similar, they are very different indeed. Collective decision-making mechanism is based on competing political parties, general elections and elaborated voting system. Decisions are made in favour of majority. In most cases this is thru, but not always. Throughout history collaborative intelligence created folklore, myths and legends, in modern times – science and technology. There are no elections and voting system only self-selection according abilities, skills and expertise. In short, collective intelligence is quantitative by nature based simply on number of participants and decisions are made in favour of majority assuming that majority is right. Collaborative intelligence is qualitative by nature and only best minds could collaborate in an attempt to resolve a problem or contribute to creation of something socially significant. This is collaborative democracy. So, the point is could collaborative intelligence be organised in a manner to solve social problems and make-decisions? How collaborative democracy will look like and works?

For simplicity collaborative democracy could be called “netocracy”. However “netocracy” as higher form of democracy should be disambiguate clearly from a technocratic term “netocracy” coined by the American magazine “Wired” to describe emerging digital “aristocrats”, who supposedly will control future society. There is nothing in common between democracy and aristocracy, apparently noting in common between “netocracy” as collaborative democracy and “netocracy” as a “digital aristocracy”. In fact they are diametrically opposed and totally negate each other.

The book “We, The People” could be downloaded at: http://www.neweconomics.org/publications/we-people

Dear Mr. Walker,  I  share your concerns about democracy. I believe the ideas outlined in your book, from Democs to preferenda are interesting and helpful for local authorities, but I am very sceptical regarding possibilities to reinvent democracy especially on national and international levels.

Downfall of democracy is a fact and democracy simply cannot be reinvented, restored revitalised or unlock because of two core reasons:

a) The “marriage of convenience” between power of money and political power systematically destroys democracy and apparently there is no prospective for divorce.

b) Representative democracy has limitations, which make it already inadequate to increased complexity of modern society.

Briefly – so far are known only two decision-making mechanisms: individual and collective, respectively – two fundamental forms of governing – autocracy and democracy. All well known forms of governing are derivates of those two basic forms, reflecting concrete historical and political situations. However the autocracy is typical for relatively simple Agrarian societies; the representative democracy (collective decision-making mechanism) is typical for more complicated Industrial societies.

Although Industrial society is more complicated compare with Agrarian society, it is “one-dimensional” because dominated today politico-economic system capitalism is based on “one dimension” – profit. Forthcoming future “post-industrial” (or Humanitarian) society will be “multidimensional”, taking into account not simply economic growth, but moral values among many others. Therefore nowadays representative democracy not surprisingly become increasingly inadequate to emerged complexity of modern society. Former beauty queen who transformed world from sleepy to digital village now is an old frail lady already suffering from dementia and nobody could cure her. She will pass away together with existed politico-economic system, as autocracy disappeared together with Agrarian society.

So, as was mentioned above any stage of Social evolution: Agrarian or Industrial society has its own specific decision-making mechanism reflecting complexity of society: individual resp. collective. Therefore the future Humanitarian society, where economy will be based on moral values instead of profit, needs qualitatively different decision-making mechanism. In my view this is collaborative mechanism. So, if something needs to be discussed, this is – how “collaborative democracy” will look like, operate and how collective or “representative” democracy will be transformed into “collaborative” and why “collaborative democracy” is higher form of democracy compare with collective?

Any self-organised formation can be defined as system. Best example is Universe. Starting with Big Bang as chaos of particles it gradually formed Galaxies and Solar systems. For 3.5 bn years the planet Earth, through self-organisation of “chemical soup” created most primitive living organisms. They can be considered as living systems. So, physical form of self-organisation “grows up” to biological form of self-organisation, i.e. inanimate matter created animate matter, which in fact is appearance of Biological Evolution. The living systems are self-reproductive, i.e. self-organisation reaches a level of self-reproduction. Therefore the biological evolution is a new; more complex form of self-organisation. For about another 3.5 bn years the simple forms of live developed: nerve system, central nerve system and eventually human mind. This is new turning point of self-organisation – emergence of rational systems and fundamentally different form of self-organisation – Social Evolution. There are only two such systems – human being as individual and society as a group of individuals. Both systems have a mind & reason, respectively – individual and social consciousness.

The core of self-organisation is information, which is fundamental property of matter on same status as motion, space and time. In fact evolution at al levels: physical, biological and social is an evolution of information, from pattern to gene and from gene to knowledge. The knowledge is consciousness information. The engine of society is verification of knowledge.

Most amazing, incredible and intriguing thing of self-organization and evolution in general is that there is no need of creator, intelligent designer or whatsoever. It is simply moving matter and self-organized information, which create marvellous structures called: Universe, living and rational systems. Only time scale is incomprehensible for our mind.   

Social being and Social consciousness

As a living and rational system society contain two sub-systems – social being and social consciousness. Social being is “living” part of society, representing “physiology” of the system and securing physical survival of society – economy.  Social consciousness represents reason and social mind. It is the “contents” of information: believes, myths, aesthetical views, religion ideas, philosophy, science, moral values etc. Both sub-systems are interconnected with multiple positive – and negative feedbacks. Understandably they evolve in parallel passing through several levels of increased complexity known as socio-economic systems (slavery, feudalism and capitalism) and dominated form of social consciousness (mythological consciousness, religious consciousness (polytheism & monotheism), political consciousness. The parallel and interconnections between evolutions of both sub-systems is obvious.

The mechanism of Social Evolution is very simple. It is a string of repeated cycles started with idea generated in right times and finished with destruction (negation) of this idea. However this controversial process brings society to new level of complexity. The cycle of development passes trough eight critical changes:

1. Emergence of radical new ideas. New ideas appear in times of perils. They are fundamentally new approach offering non-standard solution of currently ongoing social situation. The ideas come from freethinkers and “critical mass” of very few people planted these ideas in the public domain triggering changes in the social consciousness.
2. Institutionalisation of the idea. At certain level of development the new ideas are institutionalised. It makes the ideas structure determinated factor, therefore extremely powerful tool for social changes.
3. Creation of Hierarchy. The institutionalisation creates hierarchical structure of official institutions and officials, opening door for “practical” people who joint the movement because of offered opportunities. This is subjective process of recruitment of decision-makers or ruling elite.
4. Changes in social being. Newly created social environment change social being (economy, welfare etc.) according to the vision of ruling elite, changing society accordingly.
5. Corruption of institutions and officials. Due to emerging contradictions and conflict of interests, officials and decision-makers become corrupted servicing their own interest instead the system as a whole.
6. Self-protection. To secure and prolong its privileges, the ruling elites set up special institutions to control the rest of society.
7. Downfall. The created hierarchy and decisions made in favour of ruling elite, lead to corruption, which undermine moral values and sooner or later trigger process of self-destruction (negation) of this idea. Entire socio-economic system is under treat and the resistance of ruling elite for radical changes plunge society into “dark ages”.
8. Transition to new social system. Newly achieved complexity of society insists new more adequate decision-making mechanism, economy and moral values. Society needs new ideas to motivate social consciousness for qualitative (revolutionary) changes. However those times of perils provoke new ideas and new cycle is going to start again. Eventually the existed hierarchy has been destroyed and new economy, moral values and decision-making mechanism established.

The first stage present changes in social consciousness and can be defined as Cultural Revolution. The second change is revolution in social being. The rest of changes are lifespan, boom and bust of newly created stage of Social Evolution. This cycle could be monitored again and again throughout history.

Emerging and downfall of Christianity is an example for replacement of polytheism with monotheism. This is Cultural Revolution, because lead to qualitative changes in social consciousness, which thereafter lead to Economic Revolution or replacement of slavery with feudalism. Not surprisingly Church as Institution becomes corrupted; created Sent Inquisition to protect its integrity and eventually plunged society into dark ages.

Emerging and downfall of nowadays Financial Capitalism is an example of transition from money-driven to moral based society. The capitalism started with Cultural Revolution or changes in social consciousness during Italian Renaissance passed trough period of French Enlightenment, which transformed dominated monotheistic social consciousness with secular or to be more precise with domination of political social consciousness. Newly emerged social consciousness initiate Economic Revolution, which eventually replaced land based economic system (feudalism) with money based economic system (capitalism). Political social consciousness also re-invented democracy as completely different decision-making mechanism, compare with long-lasted autocracy. In that way the process of institutionalisation was completed. During the last two hundred years the capitalism created hierarchy of self-made capitalists, which gradually turned into hierarchy of money-masters. This hierarchy steadily monopolize decision-making mechanism destroying democracy, restricted social liberties and plunge society into nowadays political mess and uncertainty, which perhaps one day will be considered as “political dark ages”. Such a downfall is not surprising, because modern social consciousness is obsessed of money as medieval consciousness was obsessed with Havens.

Appearance and downfall of communism and fascism are very edifying examples of unsuccessful attempt to reshape existed socio-economic system with pre-designed men-made models. They both passed trough above mentioned cycle of changes, created hierarchy of party’s bureaucrats   and collapsed infamously, simply because socio-economic systems are result of objective process of accumulation and verification of knowledge; they are very complex strictures and cannot be pre-designed by human mind, according to assumed principles as economic equality or national superiority.^[1]

It is important to comprehend that as a system society cannot be artificially pre-designed and any such attempt is doomed and with terrible consequences for society. The subjective factor including ruling elite could make numerous of quantitative changes, but qualitative leaps to new socio-economic system is prerogative of objective laws. Therefore the artificially designed New World Order, which nowadays politicians and power elite offer as solution of emerging global problems is simply impossible to be implemented.

As was mentioned above there are only two rational systems – human being and society, respectively – individual consciousness and social consciousness. Apparently same similarities between both forms of consciousness are very likely to exist. There are some evidences about symmetry between phylogenesis and ontogenesis. According to Ernst Haeckel, the ontogenesis is a brief and rapid recapitulation of the phylogenesis. ^[2] Dr. Spock also said: “Each child as he develops is retracing the whole history of mankind, physically and spiritually, step by step. A baby starts off in the womb as a single tiny cell, just the way the first living thing appeared in the ocean. Weeks later, as he lies in the amniotic fluid of the womb, he has gills like a fish”.^[3] So if such similarities exist for physiological development this law of evolution could be expected for psychological development of both rational systems as well. For instance Ken Wilber in his book, A Brief History of Everything, suggests that cultures evolved consciousness following a similar path that children mature through, from magical thinking to mythical and ultimately objective thinking, and for some, holistic thought.^[4]

In fact similarities between individual and social consciousness are overwhelming: perceptions, emotions, memory, thinking, behaviour, even pathologies are comparable. ^[5] Keeping in mind emergence and development of individual consciousness it is possible to predict with high degree of probability the next level of evolution of social consciousness. This upcoming step is -

Emergence of social self-consciousness and transition of society from “puberty to adulthood”

So far social consciousness evolved from: mythological, religious (polytheism & monotheism) and nowadays dominated political social consciousness.

Those levels of development resemble emergence and development of individual consciousness up to emergence of individual self-consciousness during late teens. The self-consciousness or “knowing yourself” is a crucial and critical period of transition from puberty to adulthood. Recently emergence of social self-consciousness or understanding that we are all in one boat and society is a single organism is a sign this process is already underway. The engine of this process is Globalisation of society especially during last few decades.

If emergence of social self-consciousness is comparable with the emergence of individual self-consciousness, this comparison could produce a rough idea about the “age” of our society. Recently the emerged global self-consciousness is a sign of transition from youth to mature age; hence our civilization is still in its “teens”. This means humanity is in the middle of the road of its evolution, still very young and there are plenty to explore ahead. This is also qualitative leap in social evolution and can be considered as Cultural Revolution which inevitably will lead to dramatic changes in social being as sub-system.

Perhaps most important upcoming change is replacement of money with knowledge as fundamental values. This seems understandable. Money is a bloodstream of economy and base of capitalism as economic system. However knowledge is the bloodstream of society as a whole, i.e. bloodstream for both sub-systems, therefore more important for sustainable development and surviving of society compare with money.

The second crucial change is adopting of new decision-making mechanism. Democracy, general election and voting system on all levels is a collective decision-making mechanism. It works satisfactory today, for resolving relatively simple national and regional problems, but will be insufficient in resolving global problems. This is so, because global problems are very complex, few people have sufficient knowledge to comprehend and make decisions. Global problems are like scientific problems, which are solved by verification of hypothesis. Apparently voting system in such situations is meaningless. Most likely social self-consciousness will form something as

Virtual brain and Global mind

Imagine a network of experts related to one particular problem across the globe, collaborating in an attempt to elaborate solution in form of hypothesis, which will be tested in real life to proof its validity. This job actually is very similar to collaboration of several authors in writing an article in Wikipedia or another wiki site. Apparently any particular problem will form a specific network of experts contributing to find right solution. The experts will act as “brain cells” and created networks will resemble something as virtual brain. The function of this virtual mind could be considered as Global mind.

The virtual brain and global mind is collaborative decision-making mechanism which exclude voting system by definition. It is next and higher level of democracy, because all decisions will be made in favour of society as a whole not particular privileged group of people. Emergence of virtual brain and global mind is embodiment of social self-consciousness into society as a single organism. It is Cultural Revolution, which inevitably will result in dramatic changes in both sub-systems of society. Nobody could predict how future society will look like and how will work, because the future of society will entirely depend on solutions made by global mind.

Notes

1. No doubt if Germany was succeeded to wine WWII, the fascism would collapse thereafter as communism did due to same reasons.
2. Ernst Haeckel, Riddle of the Universe at the Close of the Nineteenth Century. 1899.
3. Dr. Benjamin Spock, Baby and Child Care, 1957, p. 223.
4. Ken Wilber, A Brief History of Everything, pp 330, Shambhala; 2 edition, 2001.
5. A new interdisciplinary formal science “Social Psychopathology” is needed to research pathological deviation of social consciousness.

Society is a living and rational system composed by two subsystems: social being and social consciousness. In applied sciences they are known as economic and culture. Qualitative changes in both subsystems could be considered as revolutions. The revolutions are most dramatic changes in human history. Economic revolutions lead to replacement of socio-economic systems. First such revolution was Agrarian, which took place 10000 years ago and most recent – Industrial revolution few centuries ago. The Cultural revolutions lead to replacement of dominated form of social consciousness: from mythological to religious (polytheism & monotheism); to currently dominated politics. Social Evolution is a process of “amalgamation” of components of both subsystems. The final outcome is well-known socio-economic systems: slavery, feudalism and capitalism. In modern time — utopian project communism and dystopias like fascism and so-called New World Order.

Economy and Culture present objective and subjective factor in Social Evolution. Apparently both subsystems are intertwined & internally related and any changes in economic lead to the changes in cultural subsystem and vice versa. Therefore the parallel between economic stages and level of social consciousness is obvious. The mechanics of interaction is interesting and edifying. Subjective factor or social consciousness has two important layers – ruling élite and freethinkers. The ruling élite include the most important official decision-makers. The freethinkers are unofficial, elusive group of people representing the rest of society. In time of peace and prosperity they form and influence to a great extent public opinion, and behaviour. In time of perils they recruit rebels, freedom fighters and dissidents. The ruling élite make their decisions laws, the freethinkers value morality – unwritten laws of social sustainability.  Ultimately, the Social Evolution is a clash between objective and subjective factors and social revolutions periodically “correct” the mistakes and ambitions of subjective factor. This peculiarity of Social Evolution is crucial to comprehend the function of objective and subjective components throughout history, Modern society and more importantly to foresee forthcoming changes.

In the past cultural revolutions precede economic revolutions with centuries. For instance emerging of Christianity is a cultural revolution, which replaced existed polytheism with monotheism, contributed to collapse of Roman Empire and eventually prepared society for transition from slavery to feudalism. The role of newly born Church as institution is controversial. It makes Christianity global and powerful religion. In long run however obsessed with Heavens Christianity gradually degenerate from peaceful religion to Saint Inquisition and eventually – plunged society into religious Dark Ages.

Italian Renaissance and French Enlightenment turned attention of humanity from Heavens to Earth. These changes of social perceptions make French Revolution and transition from feudalism to capitalism possible; replaced religion with politics as dominant form of social consciousness and eventually give birth to modern democracy. The democracy is balance of powers. It is collective decision-making mechanism, which involve general elections and elaborated voting system.

Nowadays changes in social being and social consciousness are more complicate due to complexity of society and accelerated speed of Social Evolution. They are near simultaneous processes and very often difficult to be distinguished from each other. Unsurprisingly studying society, most of the researches described ongoing processes selectively from economic or from cultural perspective only, instead to analyse dialectic between them or at least to take into account interactions between both subsystems. This approach inevitably leads to so-called “in-the-box” thinking.

Modern society is on the brink of transition in social consciousness from domination of politics to domination of moral, respectively transition in economy from Industrial (capitalism) to “post-industrial” (post-capitalism) society and there is a lot of misunderstandings.

During its existence as economy the capitalism evolve enormously from a simple entrepreneurship to multinational corporations. The capitalism today creates colossal wealth. Privatisation of Central banking system made “invisible hand of free-market” visible for very few people. This is turning point in modern capitalism. Replacing objective self-regulation of economy in particular and society in general with subjective control of economy and society make possible collectively created wealth to be redistributed to the hands of very few oligarchs. Stock Market is a mechanism for redistribution of created wealth and do not contribute to social prosperity and growth.^[1] The side effect of that dodgy act is – misery, outcast, drugs abuse, organised crime, corruption, deception, greed, cynicism, media manipulation and hypocrisy in unimaginable scale. Ultimately, financial capitalism creates hierarchy of “self-made” money-masters, posing as permanent unelected government and pretending for world dominance.

The mechanics of financial capitalism is simple. Society create wealth, financial system (Stock Market) redistribute these resources to the pockets of very few; accumulated money are transformed into political power and returned back to society in form of corruption, destroying democracy and oiling the propaganda machine. Apparently this system does not serve humanity, therefore it is doomed.

Social consciousness was changes as well. Unsurprisingly it is under control due to fearsome propaganda and deliberately manipulations about ongoing process called Globalisation. Money controlled American’ stile of “democracy” (i.e. corporatocracy) made general elections and voting system farce. Politics as dominated form of social consciousness is in disarray and decline. Political parties are near identical. There is no “left” and “right” wings any more. Politicians are considered by many international polls as most corrupted part of society. There is no trace from politicians of extraordinary abilities like Founding Fathers of the United States, Disraeli, Gladstone among many others, servicing their nations according broadly accepted moral values and political ideas. Nowadays politicians are bureaucrats, mediocre minds, corrupted and manipulative people working for themselves. Just look around. Both political parties and politicians are divided between sponsors and voters. That “split of personality” is near pathological. Global politics is most destructive force on Earth. The general elections are meaninglessness. Politics today lead society inevitably to political Dark Ages.

So, as obsessed with Heavens Saint Inquisition destroyed Christianity, obsessed with money modern financial capitalism destroys dominated form of social consciousness and lead society to moral crisis. This crisis originates in a long-lasting flirt between power of money and political power. Unfortunate marriage between both powers gives birth to financial capitalism, which at the beginning abandoned geographically based colonial system, replacing this barbaric system with more sophisticated financial imperialism. Later on created multinational corporations and Sock Exchange, secured total control of society and finally elaborated sophisticated and evil plan to fix this system as New World Order. Now money are not simply economic tool, they are lever for control of politico-economic system and world spread religion.

Modern society is gravely ill. It suffers from “cancer of morality”, which destroys very fabric of society and inevitably lead to radical changes in both subsystems – transition from Modern society to “post-capitalist” society and this process is underway. In fact there are two processes –

Globalisation and Globalism

Terms “globalisation” and “globalism” sound similar, but they have completely different meanings and disambiguation is crucial to comprehend Modern society. The globalisation is natural process of evolution of society starting with Agrarian revolution an assimilation of thousand tribes into two hundred nations and nowadays unification of those nations in single social organism known as humankind. This is entirely objective course of Social Evolution. The globalism is an attempt from power élite to manipulate deliberately this process of integration and create social-economic system working in favour of money-masters, which is pure subjective project. Therefore globalism is just one more “ism” or another name of carefully mastered New World Order.

Apparently there is a contradiction between globalisation and globalism. However dramatic clashes between objective laws and subjective ambitions of ruling elites run like a scarlet connecting threat through history. The differences come from level of complexity of society and peculiarities of subjective factor or mindset of ruling elites. So, which process – globalisation or globalism will prevail eventually?

Theoretically there are two alternatives – society will transit smoothly, peacefully and successfully from “Industrial” to “Post-industrial” structure according to objective laws of Social Evolution or alternatively – New World Order will put under control the rest of the population according to the already elaborated plan. No doubt there is a room for a lot of speculations, but history teaches us that:

• Objective laws of Social Evolution are more powerful compare with subjective ambitions and aspiration of ruling elites. Nowadays power élite is not an exception.
• Ruling elites become increasingly inadequate to new reality, which is suicidal reflex.
• All ruling elites have been swept out of Social Evolution in times of perils and replaced with new one more adequate to realities.
• Society is extremely complex system and cannot be pre-designed by human mind. Throughout history from Plato’s Republic to Orwell’s Big brother society, could be counted around 50 man-made projects called utopias or dystopias. No one was implemented. Therefore, as men-made project the New World Order is doomed.
• Unfortunately the mindset of rulings elites always has been inadequate during times of qualitative changes. Therefore possibilities the modern power élite to trigger major disaster with terrible consequences, including outbreak of nuclear holocaust is very high. Such unfortunate even could destroy part of society or even humanity as a whole.

After Wall Street Capitalism – What and How?

Eventually current corrupted financial capitalism as form of socio-economic and political system (corporatocracy) will collapse as all artificially created structures. Nowadays politician’s mantra is “There Is No Alternative”. However it is a modern myth that liberal capitalism is the “end of history” and if communism is not an alternative to capitalism, hence there is no alternative to capitalism at all. This is profoundly naïve if not stupid view. Nothing last forever and evolution always has an alternative.

For good or bad human mind cannot see deep in the future, but in our case it is not necessary. In eighteen century nobody had clear understanding how future capitalism will look like and how emerging democracy will work; not to say how unfortunate marriage between money and political power will destroy democracy to level of plutocracy. Once again – society is very complex system and cannot be pre-designed, it just happened. Therefore the future “post-capitalist” society could be outlined only in very general terms:

• Money and decision-making process will be separated in principle.
• Economy will be knowledge based, not profit-maker. “Free-market” will serve society instead to be master.
• Redistribution of created wealth will be redirected to society itself, instead to the pockets of few oligarchs.
• All natural and created resources will be controlled by society.
• Dominated form of social consciousness – political will be replaced by domination of moral social consciousness. Hence political parties and leaders gradually will disappear as medieval religious orders and half-literate monks.
• Collective decision-making mechanism will be “upgraded” to collaborative, which is higher form of democracy.
• Society will be self-governing system without institutionalised ruling élite. Nowadays power élite will disappear as aristocracy of eighteen century.
• New élite will be knowledgeable people.

So, how current corrupted politico-economic system called financial (or Wall Street) capitalism will transit to post-capitalist society is a speculative question, although some lessons from history are clear. The collapses of Roman Empire and recent collapse of communism is a blueprint for destruction of unbalanced powers. Those are not only economic blunders; those are destruction of social consciousness, moral degradation, which lead inevitably to radical changes in both subsystems – economy and social consciousness or to Economic and Cultural revolutions. The most fundamental changes are presented in the mechanism of their interaction:

1. Ruling elites tend to conquer society and modify in a way to serve their own interest making decision in favour of themselves, instead of society as a whole. However increased complexity of society insists changes, which contradict to ruler’s interest.
2. Mindset of ruling elites become increasingly inadequate to the level of already achieved complexity of society. Behaviour of the ruling élite destroys morality and push society into “dark ages”.
3. Only solution is Cultural Revolution, which change social perceptions and values to more adequate to the level of social development. Normally this is replacement of existed dominated form of social consciousness with new more relevant one.
4. Cultural Revolution provokes Economic Revolution, which replace existed ruling élite with new one, more adequate to new realities.

Most influential theory of economic revolutions is based on K. Marx ideas of class straggle and working class as an engine of social revolutions and “gravedigger” ^[2] of capitalism. Russian revolution makes this view more visible but more controversial, distorted and misrepresented due to Lenin’s theory.

Cultural revolutions are another matter. They are triggered by “critical mass” of freethinkers and in this case “class division” is not so important factor. (Buda was prince, Jesus – carpenter). For instance Christianity has been initiated by “critical mass” of 12 disciples. For three hundred years Christianity grows, destroyed polytheism, laid foundation of monotheism and contributed to collapse of Roman Empire. In fact set of tem moral values known as “Ten Commandments” transformed polytheism to monotheism. “Critical mass” of dozen Italian artists (Renaissance) and dozen of French philosophers (French Enlightenment) “enlightened” social perception, replaced domination of religious form of social consciousness with domination of political form of social consciousness and inspired leaders for French Revolution. Once again entire philosophy of changes is concentrated in one principle – separation of powers (executive, a legislature, and a judiciary) and three moral values: Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité. “Critical mass” of very few Russian dissidents has shown the ugly face of totalitarian system and contributed enormously to recent collapse of communism.

All artificially or men-created projects like communism and fascism have been elaborated with ambition to rule the world at least 1000 years. It is pure irony of fate that they ended infamously with destruction of their creators – the ruling élite. The agenda of New World Order is set up in same way by greedy, egocentric and corrupted sociopaths. It is an attempt society to be divided into “patricians” and digitally controlled slaves, creating Roman Empire in 21^st century. As a men-made construction like communism and fascism the New World Order is simply weapon for self-destruction of ruling élite. The communism has a life spam of 75 years, the fascism just 12, the New World Order most likely is to be born dead.

“Division of labour” between objective and subjective factors in Social Evolution is simple. The objective factor create the new socio-economic systems, the subjective factors just trigger this process outlining the new moral values and principles of society. If ruling élite pre-design new social system, for sure it is a weapon for self-destruction.

The logic of Social Evolution suggests that radical or revolutionary changes in society started with changes in social consciousness, triggered by freethinkers. The world is ruled by creative ideas. Therefore forthcoming revolution is primary Cultural by nature and need only two little steps: a) “critical mass” of very few freethinkers to collaborate in outlining basic principles and moral values for new society, and b) planted these values in the public domain “enlightening” ^[3] social consciousness, nothing more. The rest of the story is a chain of domino effect changes known as Economic revolution (not necessary bloody uprising) or replacement of one socio-economic system with another. Simply this is a course of Social Evolution.

Notes

1. Today 2/3 of all economic growth went to top 1%. The top 1% of wealth holders owns 41% of all the assets in the US alone while the bottom 40% own absolutely nothing. Equality is not the point. Some differences are necessary for healthy competition and motivation, but the gap between reach and poor, which feudalise society, is out of question.

2. Perhaps Marx will be astonished to realise that nowadays “gravediggers” of capitalism is a power élite instead of working class!? However the ruling elites of all times eventually destroyed themselves. That happened in Roman Empire, Absolute monarchies and recently totalitarian communist’ system. This is so because society is extremely complex system, comparable only with human brain. The wisdom of Mother Nature is unquestionable and beyond doubt. If she created human brain as heterarchical structure, society and economy should be restructured from hierarchy to heterarchy.

3. According to Kant “Enlightenment is man’s emergence from his self-imposed immaturity”. (Immanuel Kant - An Answer to the Question: “What is Enlightenment?” a  philosophical essay, 1784. http://philosophic.li/kant/what_is_enlightenment/). Only difference between eighteen century “self-imposed immaturity” and twenty-first century “self-imposed immaturity” is that in the first case immaturity is due to obsession of society with Heavens and in second case – obsession with money.

Both society and human brain make decisions. Becoming more complex, society change its decision-making mechanism from autocracy (single ruler: king, emperor etc.) to democracy, which is collective decision-making mechanism. The last one includes voting system and final decisions are made in favour of majority. Human brain works in different way. To make a decision most “competent” brain cells are associated and collaborate in an attempt to find a workable hypothesis, which is verified in real practice. There is no voting system at all. This is collaborative decision-making mechanism.

In modern society there are clear indications for moving from collective to collaborative decision-making mechanism.

• Perhaps Internet, which was born twenty years ago, is the first significant change in this direction. The Internet is something like global “nerve system”, connecting all human beings in just one network. However the Internet is still not a “brain”. It is a predisposition, facilitating further structural changes in society resembling human brain.

• The second such change is emerging of discussion forums. Specially designed software facilitates global communication among people sharing similar interests. These communications resemble associations among brain cells exchanging information.

• The third change is a boom of social networks. Also specialised platforms facilitate not only communications but social activities like dating, entertainment, professional actions etc globally. Social network services resemble specialised areas of human brain.

• Forth change is creation of repository resembling human memory preserving data for generation to come. A good examples of such repository is www.archive.org, which keep records of websites from Internet and “Google Books Library Project”, which is an effort to scan and make searchable the collections of several major research libraries. (See http://books.google.com/ and  http://books.google.com/googlebooks/partners.html

• Perhaps the most significant such change for the time being is wiki movement. Best known wiki based collaborative project is Wikipedia. Thousands of people across the world collaborate to select and organise existed knowledge, creating cyclopaedia, which look a lot like the memory of mankind. Wikipedians (wiki collaborators) work as “brain cells”, resembling processing power of human brain and cognitive functions of human mind. Currently there are around 3000 websites based on collaborative MediaWiki platform (see www.wikiindex.org for last updates), which are truly up-and-coming virtual global brain.

• The next level in development of modern society is emerging of collaborative decision-making networks (CDMNs). As a platform they are still in infancy, available for limited corporative projects. Nevertheless emerging of collaborative platforms and decision-making mechanism is a core in transforming society from hierarchical to heterarchical structure resembling virtual global mind. (See www.netsmind.org as a flavour of collaborative decision-making network).

Collaborative decision-making mechanism is not entirely new phenomenon. Scientific knowledge is build up through collaboration among scientist in an attempt to find solutions of scientific problems. To do that, the scientists do not vote; they elaborate hypotheses, which are verified through experiments. The final solution is established truth. Only difference is that scientific collaboration is based on printing press as a platform until CDMNs are based on digital platform like MediaWiki and decisions could be made globally in real time.

As was mentioned above, the CDMNs are still in infancy. At the first place it is necessary to upgrade collaborative software like MediaWiki adapting to necessity of decision-making process: templates for two, three and even more alternative feasible models of decisions etc. Secondly CDMNs need to grow up to level of “critical mass” to become fully functional mechanism. Perhaps some of existed discussion forums and think-thanks will go online, creating CDMNs in an attempt to solve one particular social problem.

In short term CDMNs could act as a jury in jury trail system, confirming which decisions should be implemented. In long term CDMNs will gain “self-consciousness” or will become fully functional global “brain and mind”. As a result CDMNs will act as “global mind” taking most important decisions on all levels: local, national, regional and global. For long period of time collective (institutional) and collaborative (self-selected and truly independent) decision-making mechanisms will work in parallel supplementing each other. So, if collective decision-making mechanism is a foundation of democracy, “upgrading” to collaborative decision-making mechanism should be considered as higher level of democracy. At this point society will become self-governing, which is qualitative different from self-organisation of society as a living and rational system.

Perhaps in very distant future people will be divided not depending on how much they take from society, but how they contribute to society – as “brain cells” or as “somatic cells”. Who knows?

London, December 2009

“They’ve Seen the Future and Dislike the Present” is very interesting point and generally speaking I agree with 90% presented by “Zeitgeist” movies and the Venus Project. Now I will comment very briefly only the rest 10%:

1. There is huge gap between Mr. Joseph’s description of current situation, the money-based economy etc. and J. Fresco’s very distant futuristic society. In fact entire transitional period (perhaps the next 5-10 years) is missing. This is very important, because transitional period is job for our generation; dream-cities are job for the next generation and Fresco’s ideas are impossible to be implemented without transition to new socio-economic system.

2. Indeed, in the meantime Mr. Joseph has mentioned that grassroots movement will put such a program into action. I am very sceptical that “bottom up” movement is a real solution. If 100 money-masters are in a position to pull successfully the strings of 6 billion people, they definitely will do that with any grassroots movement doesn’t matter how many – 1, 5 or even 10 million people are included, if such movement become treat to their power. Perhaps ID cards with bio-data are beginning and implanted chips will be final solution for such control.

3. The idea of technology (Artificial intellect) as decision-making mechanism is wrong. The machines, which would control government and industry is a myth proclaimed by Ray Kurzweil and uncritically accepted by many technocrats. Yes, machines are unemotional and unaggressive, but this is not only advantage, this is disadvantage as well. Unemotional AI is pure logic or model of left hemisphere only, which make machines fast and accurate, but very stupid indeed. If Mother Nature discovered emotions and evolved them throughout ages mean they are very important for human evolution. The emotions make human thinking “unreliable”, but morally sound and creative. Above all AI can’t make responsible decision. AI could solve “diagnostical” type of problems, but not social problem. Social problems are morally based, responsible and future oriented. For this purpose is needed right hemisphere. Perhaps technologically is possible to create such sub-system as part of AI, although in this case AI will become vulnerable to common errors as human mind. In short – the possibility to create AI is a technological problem and answer is – yes it is possible. To be created or not such machine (“to be or not to be”) is a philosophical decision and answer is – definitely not. Not because it is not possible, but because it is not necessary. Philosophy is complicated science and not for amateurs. Jumping from technological problems to philosophical conclusions is misunderstanding and very funny mistake indeed.

4. If grassroots movement and AI are not solutions to current socio-political situation then what? Well, theoretically there are five alternative solutions: theocratic (world Caliphate); political (restoring republic and democratic values); technocratic (above mentioned AI option); New World Order and humanitarian alternative. As options they are incompatible and could be elaborated independently. The first three are impossible (we could discusses in full details if necessary). Only real alternatives are NWO and humanitarian solution (changes in social consciousness or transition from political to moral values). Both solutions are diametrically opposite and could be discussed in parallel and as alternatives.

Unlocking Democracy – options & alternatives

Current situation

Democracy is a form of political decision-making mechanism which gradually replaced autocracy. The autocracy dominated Agrarian societies for 6000 years. Democracy is typical for more complex Industrial societies and has a history span of about 300 years.

As a decision-making mechanism representative democracy includes spectrum of competing political parties, voting system and final decisions are made in favour of majority.

From antiquity to modern times democracy evolved significantly. This evolution reflects increasing complexity of society throughout centuries simultaneously as economy and culture and most dramatic changes took place during the last few decades:

• Free market economy creates enormous wealth and redistributes it to the pockets of very few people. So, modern society suffers from unfair redistribution, which creates injustice, greed, hypocrisy, misery, social outcast, and eventually influences democracy as decision-making process on all levels: general elections, representatives, institutions and so forth.
• Election campaigns deliberately become excessively expensive for both political parties and candidates. Funding of political parties and candidates depend of donations which inevitably influence future decisions.
• Elections are influenced by non-voters, voters penalising particular subject, forgeries, baying votes etc.
• Lobbing groups officially have rights to lobbing for particular cause. This is industry of 1 bn worldwide.
• According to World Bank about 1 trillion are spend annually for bribery to government official worldwide. This is most brutal form of baying decisions.
• Many problems nowadays are so complex and very few people are in a position to comprehend the point in full details. The rest of population vote according simplified suggestions. There are huge room for media manipulations. Final results are more likely to reflect better funded campaigns, rather decisions which are better for society.
• At the end of the day decisions are made in favour of people controlling resources instead in favour of majority which is negation of democracy.

Above mentioned changes is not exhaustive list – just flavour of ongoing changes. In short — during last few decades we are witnesses of “unlawful marriage” between political power and power of money. No doubt this “marriage” undermines and transforms democracy into plutocracy. So, modern democracy is something like “demo-plutocracy” i.e. plutocracy presented by orchestrated media propaganda as democracy; to be more precise – corporatocracy.

Basic contradiction

The basic contradiction of modern society is between political power and power of money. To exist and work properly democracy need more resources than ever before. Politicians, elected representatives and government officials could secure funding for its existence only by selling decisions. However, selling decision is exactly the opposite of democracy; at least – road to plutocracy.

Solution

Theoretically solution of resolving contradiction between both powers is in separation of democratic decision-making process and power of money. However, any already taken measures to unlock democracy with transparent funding, legislation of lobbing activity, beating corruption, campaigns etc — remain ineffective and even contra productive. All measures affect the forms but not the content itself. This is so due to several reasons: a) both powers reject any attempts of “divorce” and “separation” is not possible without such consent; b) Pressure groups, Grassroots movements, NGO’s, Societies etc straggle to “repair” already caused damages on democracy instead to “upgrade democracy” with something new. In fact democracy needs evolution reflecting complexity of modern society, not “repairs”.

So, is it possible to resolve this contradiction and separate both powers today?

Similar situation has emerged in 18th century between increased complexity of emerging Industrial society, inheritance of political power and autocratic decision-making mechanism. This contradiction has been resolved trough introduction of completely new decision-making mechanism – democracy and “born to rule aristocracy” have been replaced by elected representatives. So, only possible option to unlock Democracy or to separate both powers is in introduction of new alternative to official decision-making mechanism and there is no alternative.

Fortunately modern society does not need to reinvent the wheel. Mother Nature had had invented and perfected such mechanism for millions of years. This is human brain most complex system known so far; as complex as society itself. To make a decision brain’s cells do not vote. Only most “competent” neurons associate in network to find a solution. The solution itself is not always truth and need to be tested in real practice. So, human brain and mind could be a blueprint for future decision-making mechanism which is adequate to complexity of modern society, comparable only with complexity of human body and brain.

In essence – most competent experts from around the globe create ad-hoc networks and collaborate on platform similar to MediaWiki in resolving various problems. This work is similar to writing and editing Wikipedia, although collaboration is more specific due to very nature of decision-making process. For instance in many cases are likely to be made two, three and even more theoretically possible solutions and platform should offer option for such alternative decisions. Therefore the decision-making network (DMN) does not offer final solutions, but feasible models for further testing, exactly as human brain do.

Decision-making networks are key to unlocking democracy, because involved experts are impartial; they work on complementary basis free of charge and in favour of society as a whole. It is a matter of discussion how such DMN should be organised and maintain. Perhaps existed pressure groups, think-tanks, social movements etc. could reorganise their activities from campaigns to setting up DMNs and offer alternative solutions to official decisions. It is not necessary such decision to be endorsed by official institutions, it is enough to be put in a public domain and compete with official decisions.

Conclusion

Unfair redistribution of created wealth into pockets of very few people undermines democracy. Modern society is very complex compare with times of emerging Industrial society and need adequate decision-making mechanism reflecting this complexity. Restoration of democracy is impossible because the factor which damaged democracy insists evolution or “enrichment” of decision-making mechanism not “repairs” to meat this challenge. The biggest challenge today is transition from money-driven to knowledge based society. Creating independent and fully impartial DMNs is only peaceful option. In practice this means at first step to reorganise grassroots organisations into DMNs, collaborating on digital platform and offering alternative solutions on all levels: global, regional, national and local. Perfecting of this model is the future of democracy, because as mechanism DMNs resemble processing power of brain and cognitive functions of human mind and they are truly impartial & alienated from external factors. DMN is a model of decision-making mechanism for Post Industrial society and mission of our generation is to make it workable.