Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains

As the world writhes in the grip of rapidly increasing extremism and greed, it would be well to imagine what a better world would look like.

A peaceful but profound revolution is needed in the way society is organised to achieve the highest possible degree of equality.

It is sad to witness the behavior of the ruling US political class, and it would be unfair to blame the appalling shift in emphasis on the President alone. Primarily one must blame the voters, although once in, it is difficult to dislodge a rogue president, especially when his own party has a majority in both Houses.

Behind Trump stand men and women equal or worse, ready and no doubt willing to take his place as age withers him. The talk is of aggression and power: we shall take what we want from the rest of the world whether you like it or not. Their playbook is depressingly familiar.

Not satisfied with inflicting violence on foreign sovereign states, the ruling elite is also intent on coercing and subduing its own people. Those who dissent are swiftly dealt with by branches of the state which ought to be separate and impartial, but which are quickly becoming part of the political machine. How many times in history have we seen the same moves played out. Fear is rampant and the state has its boot on the face of the people.

ICE and the National Guard send chilling reminders of the jackboots which paraded roughshod over people in another century. Killings are no longer to be investigated – might is right. The elite is right and woe betide anyone who gets in the way.

The US has been riding down this brutal road for a while. Guantanamo Bay and extraordinary rendition, torture and murder come to mind. Now the ruling elite seems to be turning on its own people.

Leaders in Europe and elsewhere refuse to call a spade a spade. Refuse to express their disgust and distaste for what is happening in the US. So far, no action is being taken on the threats to Greenland and elsewhere, and it is difficult to see much that can be done if the military juggernaut and its violent drivers are determined to invade.

But it is certainly time to cut dependence on the US. Time to cease being yes men. Time to stand up for decency against greed, violence and hypocrisy.

Time to accept that what is happening is inherently evil, and that such evil is by no means new. And by no means an American monopoly. What country in the past has not relied on violence to subdue both its own population and that of its neighbours. What country has not invaded, enslaved, stolen. Murdered.

And so I come to the point of my post once again – the need for draconian reform of human society. Everywhere. The need to make sure that people like Trump cannot rule over us.

The need to make sure that no one can: that we have rules but no rulers. I am a Utopian but it does no harm to dream.

So here are a few well rehearsed ideas on egalitarianism. Which will, of course, never see the light of day.

Tax Reform

Establish global high progressive wealth and income taxes, close tax loopholes, shut tax havens. Abolish inheritance to prevent the inter-generational concentration of wealth. Abolish “wealth mountains”.

Asset and Resource Redistribution

Abolish land ownership to ensure that all individuals have equal access to essential resources and opportunities; provide fair use rather than ownership. Establish a Universal Basic Income to cover basic needs and Universal Basic Services including housing, education, food and healthcare.

Political Reform

Abolish elitism, elite institutions and the political class to give equal participation to all citizens. Move to proportional representation. Moving decision-making power away from central “corridors of power” toward local and regional bodies. Expose and outlaw vested interests. Establish and enforce credible legal sanctions for corruption.

Legal Reform

Abolish all forms of legal immunity for elites and ensure every human has access to the same quality of legal defense and due process.

Environmental Reform

Treat natural resources and the atmosphere as a “global commons” – a paradigm shift away from national sovereignty and private ownership toward collective stewardship and equitable distribution.

Social Reform

Enforce anti-discrimination laws that dismantle hierarchies based on race, gender, religion, and sexual orientation.

Workplace Reform

Mandate the transition of corporations into worker-owned cooperatives where employees have an equal vote in management and profit-sharing.

Technological Reform

Ensure that life-saving innovations and AI advancements are open-source and publicly owned to prevent a “digital divide” in human capability.

Relational Reform

Shift societal norms away from status-seeking and meritocratic elitism toward a culture of mutual respect, co-operation and horizontal social relations.

Environment

Encourage a severe reduction in the world population. Give rights to animals and prevent their use as food. Stop the concretisation of land and restore a nature based landscape. Stop pollution.