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The Social Dividend

u which belong to everyone. They make up a real cap- ly-owned capital?
ital that is commonly-owned and which is the greatest Yes, life in society contributes to the commonly-
factor in modern production. owned capital. When individuals form a society, they
4. Are natural resources a large factor in production? do so to improve their living conditions, to make
Of course. If there were no rivers there would be things easier, faster and with less individual effort;
no electricity! If there were no forests we would not things they believe useful and necessary.
have lumber, paper and other products. The fact alone that people live in society means
Without mineral deposits there would be no manu- that production is increased. Life in society results in
factured goods that required their use. Even if natural a productive asset and is another example of a real
resources cannot satisfy our needs directly they still capital that belongs to everyone.
represent the wealth from which we manufacture 10. Can you explain the difference between individ-
products to meet the population’s needs. ual production and group production?
5. Do a nation’s citizens have rights over their natural Yes. Let us look at both types of production. First,
resources? consider the lonely life
Yes! Natural re- of Robinson Crusoe.
sources are common- He tilled a plot of soil
ly-owned assets. They with his bare hands and
belong to the entire sowed a few seeds. He
population and to each made dishes out of clay
man, woman and child. and domesticated wild
No one can say: “I am goats. His efforts were
the one who feeds the intended for his use
waterfalls by evaporat- and were made by him
ing the seawater and alone. Survival was his
turning it into rain”. Nat- goal.
ural resources are God’s Let us now look at
gift to all. production within an or-
6. Is the Social Dividend Natural resources make up real capital; ganized society. Indus-
based on the com- a capital that is commonly owned. trialized nations benefit
mon ownership of from collective energy
natural resources? sources and collective means of transportation. Mod-
Yes! To which we must add that science and ern production methods feature specialization and
benefit from the division of labour. Production is made
technological progress comprise a “cultural heritage”; by the many for the many.
a heritage passed down from earlier generations.
7. What is the cultural heritage? 11. What would happen if life in society came to a
halt?
It is the sum of knowledge that was acquired and Let us imagine that life in society came to an end.
passed down from one generation to the next. It is the Each person would go his own way; there would no
know-how that was increased over the centuries. It is longer be conversation and no more buying or selling
the fruit of the social order we inhabit and the division of goods.
of labour. All of this makes up a huge capital at the
service of those who are now alive. Each individual would make his own food, clothes,
8. Do citizens have rights to this cultural heritage? shelter and tools. There would be no more schools,
books, no more social relationships, no more roads
Of course! This capital does not belong to one and no more bridges. No matter how hard individuals
person in particular. It is a huge common heritage and worked in this scenario their total output would be
its heirs are the population alive today. much less than ensues from the enhanced benefits of
People who work deserve to be rewarded and no association afforded by an organized society.
one would consider taking away the reward for work
done. But the rightful owners of the cultural heritage,
that is each member of society, is and remains right- Make sure MICHAEL moves with you!
fully entitled to this legacy. If you have just moved or are about to
Thanks to the application of science and progress, move, it is very important to send us your
fewer raw materials and less labour are required for an new address. If you do not send us your new
improved and increased production. Is it not fair that
all heirs should get their share of the resulting bounty address, the post office returns your MI-
of products? CHAEL magazine to our office and we bear
9. Are there other factors that make up this common- a cost for each journal returned. Thank you!

36 MICHAEL May/June/July 2019 www.michaeljournal.org