Tokyo Babylon

Consider that methods of research, power generation, power storage, sanitation, water management and food production are all by virtue of better tech or better processes coming back within the ability of the common man to handle himself. It wasn’t that long ago that all of these services were outsourced, either to local government service provision, private firms or food chain management.

What would it mean for our society if your average citizen became more independent and self sufficient both economically and socially.

What would it mean if instead of purchasing power month on month from a monopoly that is less than interested in energy use efficiency, you created it yourself and set about making it go as far as possible by means of better building design, increased insulation, efficient appliances, good power storage and computer based command and control systems to run it intelligently? Would you be less vulnerable to economic downturns and have more freedom to decide how you sold your labor?

What would it mean if your methods of sanitation and refuse management translated by virtue of system design into a thriving vegetable garden that not only reduced your shopping time and your exposure to God knows what chemicals but also reduced your monthly grocery bill, water bill, and refuse management bill. Would you be less vulnerable to economic downturns, downsizing, outsourcing and the like? Would you have more freedom to choose what you want to do rather than what your wallet tells you you have to do?

Looking at the trends in material development, smarter buildings, highly productive but low maintenance systems of food production it is becoming ever easier for individuals and communities to chart their own course economically. The political ramifications of that are mind boggling. People mired in debt are easy to frighten and exploit, they don’t have freedom of action but individuals and communities that have their own resources to fall back on for everyday necessities and a system which increases their cashflow and savings are much more difficult to manipulate.

Tech, Systems and Processes all underlie the economic and political order. Bringing them within the reach of the common man will bring the economic and political order back within the sphere of control of the common man. There’s a word for that - Democracy.