Page 5 - A Social Dividend: An Income Guaranteed to Each Citizen
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What does Social Credit teach? Do we ask Instead of distributing the earthly goods to
that property be taken from those who have it? the population, “real credit”, that is, the capacity
Not at all. We do not ask that a farm be taken to produce, is instead often diverted toward
away from a farmer nor a factory taken from its destruction. We hear: “We must take up arms!
owner. But we ask that all people and each per- We must take up arms!” Conflicts are fomented
son be allowed access to the products made in everywhere. Conflicts about oil or any matter
the factory and on the farm. The owners of the can lead countries to war.
factory and the farm will be the first to applaud What is the answer? What is the remedy for
when their products are found in every home. these problems? The solution is the distribu-
Social Credit stands by the principle of pri- tion of earthly goods so that all might have their
vate ownership but would nevertheless ensure share, whatever their age, sex or intelligence;
that everyone has access to the great capital and whatever a man’s virtues, be he good or
created by God and cultivated by people. Laws bad. Does the sun not shine on everyone, what-
exist to protect the rights of money, but there ever the colour of their skin and whatever their
are none to protect the right to earthly goods. It nationality? “Material goods have been created
is high time there were! by God to meet the needs of all men.”
The Social Dividend and
Commonly-Owned Capital
1. What is a dividend? one person’s work. Their development might
A dividend is money given to a capitalist in be but not their existence. Natural resources
recognition of an investment which resulted in are a gift of the Creator which belong to every-
a profit. The dividend is a share of the profit and one. They make up a real capital that is com-
is a reward. Note monly-owned and
that dividends which is the great-
are not based on est factor in mod-
work performed ern production.
by the investor. 4. Are natural re-
2. You have de- sources a large
fined a cap- factor in pro-
italist’s divi- duction?
dend. Can you Of course. If
define a So- there were no riv-
cial Dividend? ers there would
A Social Divi- be no electricity!
dend is a share Natural resources make up real capital; If there were no
of a country’s a capital that is commonly owned. forests we would
production that is not have lumber,
given to each citizen. All citizens are members paper and other products.
of society and each owns an equal part of the Without mineral deposits there would be
commonly-owned real capital. no manufactured goods that required their use.
3. What is the “commonly-owned real capi- Even if natural resources cannot satisfy our
tal”? needs directly they still represent the wealth
It is a capital, or asset, that is both real and from which we manufacture products to meet
commonly-owned. Natural resources fall into the population’s needs.
this category: forests, lakes, rivers, water falls, 5. Do a nation’s citizens have rights over their
minerals and oil are examples. natural resources?
Natural resources are not the fruit of any Yes! Natural resources are commonly- u
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