I’m a political scientist I have spent 20 years analyzing the problems and
20 years analyzing the problems and
20 years analyzing the problems and shortcomings of democracies and
shortcomings of democracies and
shortcomings of democracies and economies in Burford places of the world
economies in Burford places of the world
economies in Burford places of the world most of my work has been about racism
most of my work has been about racism
most of my work has been about racism exclusion and nationalism about five
exclusion and nationalism about five
exclusion and nationalism about five years ago I decided that instead of
years ago I decided that instead of
years ago I decided that instead of becoming as specialism problems I want
becoming as specialism problems I want
becoming as specialism problems I want to become a specialist on solutions
to become a specialist on solutions
to become a specialist on solutions instead of asking what went wrong and
instead of asking what went wrong and
instead of asking what went wrong and now want to ask what has worked where
now want to ask what has worked where
now want to ask what has worked where when and under what conditions I’m still
when and under what conditions I’m still
when and under what conditions I’m still a political scientist so my focus is
a political scientist so my focus is
a political scientist so my focus is still on democracy in economics but now
still on democracy in economics but now
still on democracy in economics but now I am studying examples of people or
I am studying examples of people or
I am studying examples of people or groups who have successfully addressed
groups who have successfully addressed
groups who have successfully addressed or even overcome the two problems I find
or even overcome the two problems I find
or even overcome the two problems I find the most relevant today for all of us
the most relevant today for all of us
the most relevant today for all of us the crisis of capitalism and the crisis
the crisis of capitalism and the crisis
the crisis of capitalism and the crisis of politics let me explain I think there
of politics let me explain I think there
of politics let me explain I think there are two Universal crisis’s today and the
are two Universal crisis’s today and the
are two Universal crisis’s today and the two are related one is the crisis of
two are related one is the crisis of
two are related one is the crisis of politics most politicians do not
politics most politicians do not
politics most politicians do not represent us politics has deteriorated
represent us politics has deteriorated
represent us politics has deteriorated into a spectacle the average citizen
into a spectacle the average citizen
into a spectacle the average citizen Miller watches but no longer controls as
Miller watches but no longer controls as
Miller watches but no longer controls as a result most people feel powerless and
a result most people feel powerless and
a result most people feel powerless and alienated from politics the other crisis
alienated from politics the other crisis
alienated from politics the other crisis is economic it seems that there is no
is economic it seems that there is no
is economic it seems that there is no end to competition
most markets have become so crowded and
most markets have become so crowded and expensive that average people need to
expensive that average people need to
expensive that average people need to wait for a financial crash or natural
wait for a financial crash or natural
wait for a financial crash or natural disaster to find opportunities there are
disaster to find opportunities there are
disaster to find opportunities there are the severe natural disaster forcing all
the severe natural disaster forcing all
the severe natural disaster forcing all current homeowners of st. Pete Beach to
current homeowners of st. Pete Beach to
current homeowners of st. Pete Beach to abandon their homes most of us will not
abandon their homes most of us will not
abandon their homes most of us will not be able to buy a house their ever most
be able to buy a house their ever most
be able to buy a house their ever most democracies and most economies have lost
democracies and most economies have lost
democracies and most economies have lost their core promise equal opportunity and
their core promise equal opportunity and
their core promise equal opportunity and fairness for markets and self-rule for
fairness for markets and self-rule for
fairness for markets and self-rule for democracy let me say this again the core
democracy let me say this again the core
democracy let me say this again the core promise of democracy is self-rule and
promise of democracy is self-rule and
promise of democracy is self-rule and the core promise of markets is equal
the core promise of markets is equal
the core promise of markets is equal opportunity in fairness in most
opportunity in fairness in most
opportunity in fairness in most countries we have lost both we are told
countries we have lost both we are told
countries we have lost both we are told that there are no alternatives to
that there are no alternatives to
that there are no alternatives to capitalism and to a representative
capitalism and to a representative
capitalism and to a representative democracy which relies on varying to
democracy which relies on varying to
democracy which relies on varying to select some people to do politics for us
select some people to do politics for us
select some people to do politics for us this is a lie in fact my research has
this is a lie in fact my research has
this is a lie in fact my research has shown that there are many alternatives
shown that there are many alternatives
shown that there are many alternatives and possibilities practiced all over the
and possibilities practiced all over the
and possibilities practiced all over the world our options are literally
world our options are literally
world our options are literally limitless from ancient Athens to
limitless from ancient Athens to
limitless from ancient Athens to contemporary Switzerland in Vermont and
contemporary Switzerland in Vermont and
contemporary Switzerland in Vermont and among many first native or indigenous
among many first native or indigenous
among many first native or indigenous people of the Americas and Africa we can
people of the Americas and Africa we can
people of the Americas and Africa we can find examples of societies where
find examples of societies where
find examples of societies where politics is the business of everybody
politics is the business of everybody
politics is the business of everybody and the regular people get to back get
and the regular people get to back get
and the regular people get to back get together on a regular basis to decide
together on a regular basis to decide
together on a regular basis to decide how they want to live and how they want
how they want to live and how they want
how they want to live and how they want to spend their money they practice
to spend their money they practice
to spend their money they practice direct democracy instead of leaving it
direct democracy instead of leaving it
direct democracy instead of leaving it to politicians some of those societies
to politicians some of those societies
to politicians some of those societies can also teach us lessons
can also teach us lessons
can also teach us lessons on how to organize markets in such a way
on how to organize markets in such a way
on how to organize markets in such a way that extreme inequalities are avoided an
that extreme inequalities are avoided an
that extreme inequalities are avoided an equal opportunity and fairness protected
equal opportunity and fairness protected
equal opportunity and fairness protected the opportunity and fairness on markets
the opportunity and fairness on markets
the opportunity and fairness on markets requires that we all start from the same
requires that we all start from the same
requires that we all start from the same position because of the nature of
position because of the nature of
position because of the nature of compound interests and perfect that most
compound interests and perfect that most
compound interests and perfect that most Goods only deliver benefits as long as
Goods only deliver benefits as long as
Goods only deliver benefits as long as they’re not broadly shared which people
they’re not broadly shared which people
they’re not broadly shared which people can never catch up with those from the
can never catch up with those from the
can never catch up with those from the early or inherited millions and a 5%
early or inherited millions and a 5%
early or inherited millions and a 5% return 1 million dollars we’ll give you
return 1 million dollars we’ll give you
return 1 million dollars we’ll give you fifty thousand dollars in interest alone
fifty thousand dollars in interest alone
fifty thousand dollars in interest alone every year that is more than the average
every year that is more than the average
every year that is more than the average American earns in a year of work the
American earns in a year of work the
American earns in a year of work the world now has almost two thousand
world now has almost two thousand
world now has almost two thousand billionaires cities like Tokyo New York
billionaires cities like Tokyo New York
billionaires cities like Tokyo New York and London now have between 300 and 400
and London now have between 300 and 400
and London now have between 300 and 400 South thousand millionaires living in
South thousand millionaires living in
South thousand millionaires living in them just imagine how much space they
them just imagine how much space they
them just imagine how much space they occupy and how difficult they make it
occupy and how difficult they make it
occupy and how difficult they make it for all of us to find affordable housing
for all of us to find affordable housing
for all of us to find affordable housing there or think of education the average
there or think of education the average
there or think of education the average family income of a student attending
family income of a student attending
family income of a student attending Harvard is four hundred and fifty
Harvard is four hundred and fifty
Harvard is four hundred and fifty thousand dollars a year if you cannot
thousand dollars a year if you cannot
thousand dollars a year if you cannot afford Harvard your chances of getting a
afford Harvard your chances of getting a
afford Harvard your chances of getting a job over a Harvard Graduate are next to
job over a Harvard Graduate are next to
job over a Harvard Graduate are next to zero this is the end of fairness and
zero this is the end of fairness and
zero this is the end of fairness and equal opportunity what can be done the
equal opportunity what can be done the
equal opportunity what can be done the societies I have studied have developed
societies I have studied have developed
societies I have studied have developed some very promising measures to protect
some very promising measures to protect
some very promising measures to protect equal opportunity and fairness on
equal opportunity and fairness on
equal opportunity and fairness on markets and to ensure that average
markets and to ensure that average
markets and to ensure that average people can have a say in politics here
people can have a say in politics here
people can have a say in politics here are some of the main lessons they can
are some of the main lessons they can
are some of the main lessons they can teach us first
teach us first
teach us first if we want democracy we need to do
if we want democracy we need to do
if we want democracy we need to do something for it and become actively
something for it and become actively
something for it and become actively involved particularly lawmaking can and
involved particularly lawmaking can and
involved particularly lawmaking can and should be the business of every citizen
should be the business of every citizen
should be the business of every citizen not just of a few lawmakers I propose
not just of a few lawmakers I propose
not just of a few lawmakers I propose the creation of legal duty similar to
the creation of legal duty similar to
the creation of legal duty similar to jury duty for every citizen number two
jury duty for every citizen number two
jury duty for every citizen number two the democracy to work local communities
the democracy to work local communities
the democracy to work local communities need to be able to make serious
need to be able to make serious
need to be able to make serious decisions about how they want to live
decisions about how they want to live
decisions about how they want to live and how they want to spend their money
and how they want to spend their money
and how they want to spend their money number three we need laws rules and
number three we need laws rules and
number three we need laws rules and regulations that limit the power and
regulations that limit the power and
regulations that limit the power and influence of politicians after all
influence of politicians after all
influence of politicians after all democracy’s rule of the people not rule
democracy’s rule of the people not rule
democracy’s rule of the people not rule of politicians and number four instead
of politicians and number four instead
of politicians and number four instead of debating minimum wages we should
of debating minimum wages we should
of debating minimum wages we should start thinking about maximum wages and
start thinking about maximum wages and
start thinking about maximum wages and upper limits to wealth and we should
upper limits to wealth and we should
upper limits to wealth and we should find ways how the wealth a kilo but some
find ways how the wealth a kilo but some
find ways how the wealth a kilo but some becomes available again to all of us
becomes available again to all of us
becomes available again to all of us after they die if we do that we will
after they die if we do that we will
after they die if we do that we will need to wait for a financial crash to
need to wait for a financial crash to
need to wait for a financial crash to find opportunities if these proposals
find opportunities if these proposals
find opportunities if these proposals seem utopian to you I have two things to
seem utopian to you I have two things to
seem utopian to you I have two things to say first we need new utopias different
say first we need new utopias different
say first we need new utopias different from the ones we currently have the
from the ones we currently have the
from the ones we currently have the liberal democracy or socialism cannot be
liberal democracy or socialism cannot be
liberal democracy or socialism cannot be our only choices and second all of the
our only choices and second all of the
our only choices and second all of the measures proposed here are already in
measures proposed here are already in
measures proposed here are already in practice or they have been in the past
practice or they have been in the past
practice or they have been in the past they all have proven to work some of
they all have proven to work some of
they all have proven to work some of them can be easily achieved with the
them can be easily achieved with the
them can be easily achieved with the right kind of laws regulations and taxes
most of our political and economic
most of our political and economic problems are caused by relying
problems are caused by relying
problems are caused by relying much on leaders instead of taking
much on leaders instead of taking
much on leaders instead of taking matters into our own hands the line is
matters into our own hands the line is
matters into our own hands the line is not central to democracy capitalism is
not central to democracy capitalism is
not central to democracy capitalism is not our only choice the possibilities of
not our only choice the possibilities of
not our only choice the possibilities of organizing our political and economic
organizing our political and economic
organizing our political and economic lives are limitless
lives are limitless
lives are limitless we need the imagination and the courage
we need the imagination and the courage
we need the imagination and the courage to step up and become equally involved
to step up and become equally involved
to step up and become equally involved in politics instead of leaving it to a
in politics instead of leaving it to a
in politics instead of leaving it to a few elites elected or not together we
few elites elected or not together we
few elites elected or not together we can take back politics and once we do so
can take back politics and once we do so
can take back politics and once we do so we can take back and control markets
we can take back and control markets
we can take back and control markets particularly in our own local
particularly in our own local
particularly in our own local communities democracy means self-rule
communities democracy means self-rule
communities democracy means self-rule and self-rule cannot be delegated
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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