At 8:20 AM on December 12, 1992 I left San Francisco on United flight 92 for Boston to attend the Fall Meeting of the Materials Research Society at Copely Place. We arrived at Logan Airport at 4:50 PM. Flight 92 is not convenient as I have to get up at 6:00. The other direct United flight was 128 that leaves at 10:00 AM and arrives at 8:20 PM. I would not get to the Hotel until 9:00 which is too late for the Sunday night mixer. (Naturally, I cannot take other airlines with more convenient times because I am a member of the United frequent flier program.) When I arrived at the Boston Marriott at 5:30, there was an urgent message from Tom Jackson. When I got to my room I called Tom who wanted to come up immediately.

I have known Tom for about 15 years. We first met when we were both doing solar cell research under the sponsorship of the Solar Energy Research Institute. He is a physicist working at the Research Triangle Institute in North Carolina, and I am a chemist specializing in the chemistry of electronic materials and processes for SRI International in Menlo Park, California. He was developing a theoretical physical model of the cadmium sulfide­copper indium selenide solar cell while I was working on a low cost manufacturing process for that cell in a joint project with Prof. Clayton Bates Jr. of Stanford University. The Solar Research Institute holds semiannual meetings of contractors working in similar fields. Since Tom was doing theory on the system that we were working on in the laboratory, we spent a lot of time together. With two three day solar meetings, a week at the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conferences, and two week­long Materials Research Society Conferences Tom and I had dinner together over 20 times a year for the five years of that program. During the eighties, the new administration de-emphasized alternative energy sources, and funding for solar cell research became hard to obtain. Since SRI and RTI are non profit research institutes, we had to move into other fields, although Clay has managed to keep his program going on other funds. We continue to meet twice a year at the Materials Research Society Meetings at Boston in the Fall and in alternating western cities in the Spring. If we complete the arithmetic, over the past 15 years, I have had dinner with Tom on over 200 occasions, so we know each other very well in spite of living on different oceans.

It is an odd personal friendship because we have little in common beyond our technical interests. Thomas J. Jackson is a true southern gentleman from a family that includes his namesake, the Civil War general Stonewall Jackson. Consequently, there is no one more southern than Thomas Jackson, although he long ago deserted the Democratic Party. He is now an unreconstructed Reagon Republican who actually believes that reagonomics was a success. He even listens to, and quotes Rush Limbaugh. In spite of the foregoing, he has a great sense of humor and is not very prejudiced with people of my ilk. We have enjoyed our 200 evenings together arguing our divergent viewpoints. It is difficult to define oneself, but if anything I think I am an open­ minded liberal who thought that Stevenson would have been a good President.

Clever conservatives have used the politics of ridicule to label liberals as taxers and spenders as if the process was the issue, not the problem. Liberals like me believe that government does not exist only to support the fortunate, the police, and the military. Government has an obligation to see that those who are not fortunate enough to afford education, health, and the necessities of life have at least a minimum support with a reasonable opportunity to be self supporting. Also, government must protect the environment, the economy, and the public from exploitation. When the powerful are not restricted to some degree the people who have been doing their work for minimal compensation and under consequent miserable living conditions will eventually revolt as in the cases of the French and Russian revolutions.

Tom arrived at my room in an excited state, and could hardly wait to tell me his story. He witnessed a serious accident while driving on the freeway near his home on the previous Tuesday. He managed to pull the unconscious driver from the wreck, just before it caught fire and exploded, saving the driver's life. The driver had regained consciousness by the time the ambulance arrived and asked Tom to follow to the hospital as he wanted to thank him. There was no serious injury so the driver was released. Tom drove him to his hotel and agreed to stay and visit. Over coffee his host told a most unbelievable tale.

"You may not believe what I have to tell you. You have saved my life and I cannot help but tell you who I am and how important it is that you have done so. My name is Raphael Spock and I live in San Francisco, but I am actually an astronaut from the third planet of Alpha Centuri, the sun's nearest neighbor. As you see, I am not green, I have two eyes, and my appearance is unremarkable. This is not surprising since life evolves over a very limited range of conditions, with the right size planet in the right orbit from the right star. Life forms on planets in that range are very similar. The name of our planet is unpronounceable in English or any other language, so we have chosen Utopia for obvious reasons, as you will see. The people are, as I am, very similar to humans because the planets are very similar. We estimate that we are about 500 years ahead on the scientific and cultural evolutionary scale. This is obvious considering that we have traveled here and earth astronauts so far have only managed to reach the moon. Our astronauts succeeded in interstellar travel about 400 years ago. Although unmanned spacecraft reached the solar system and discovered earth to be inhabited about 50 years earlier. The first manned flight arrived in orbit around earth in 1601."

"It is getting late," he interrupted himself," and I should let you get on your way. I would like to continue my story, but request that you have a friend with you. I ask this because I recognize that you are a conservative, and since we will be discussing things with a political context, I would like to have a liberal listening also."

"Since you are the bleedingest heart that I know," Tom remarked "I suggested you, and that he come to Boston this week so that we could continue. He will meet us for breakfast at seven."

The next morning I arrived at the coffee shop area of the cavernous Copley Marriott lobby a few minutes early to get a first peek at our visitor. He was an unremarkable person of about 5'10" and 160lbs., with dark hair and medium dark complexion. His brown eyes could best be described as oriental, although the rest of his features were not. He wore a well tailored business suit. He spoke without an accent as if he had learned English from the 6:00 news. We had a pleasant breakfast conversation not touching on the subject so interesting to us all because of the ease of being overheard in the restaurant. Tom and I had a busy conference morning, and we agreed to meet in Raphael's suite for lunch.

When I arrived at the suite shortly after noon, Tom was already there. We quickly ordered lunch and Raphael Spock began with a brief review of what Tom had already told me.

"As I have said before" he continued, "Our first astronauts arrived in earth orbit in 1601 and made a brief landing in a remote part of Asia. In those days of low technology detection was not a problem. They recorded the local languages and many feet of videotape. Realizing there was no common language, they moved around the world and made additional recordings. The early trips were difficult as they required over ten years coming and going, and our communication efficiency was not what it is today so they had to return to deliver their recordings and report on their adventures."

"Since then we have conducted a continuous program of investigation. Our technology has advanced. We have solved the long transit time problem by perfecting the nuclear fusion propulsion system so that we can travel at better than 90% of the speed of light with rapid acceleration and deacceleration. We now make the trip in five years. The five year transit time is not easily tolerated in the restriction of the transit vehicle. So our medical scientists have developed a method for automatically lowering our body temperature to save food and oxygen, and eliminate fatigue. Upon approaching earth, the computers automatically initiate a warming and regeneration cycle that brings us back to "life". We do not age during transit since we are in suspension the whole time. Frankly, upon our return it is a bit troubling to our friends and relatives who have aged 10 years more than we have. We volunteer at 15 with the consent of our parents, of course. Because we are so young and the commitment is for such a long time, we frequently renew it during training. We learn the languages and customs of one or more countries. I am a fair soccer player, and belong to a club in San Francisco. I'm a third rate short stop, an even worse wide receiver, and my jump shot won't drop from beyond 15 feet. I selected the United States, but others chose other parts of the world. After some minor cosmetic surgery to eliminate unique Utopian features such as pointed ears, we are prepared for our journey. Since we will be gone for over 30 years, we work in pairs. We select mates from among our astronaut classmates, and my wife, Ursula, is now in Chicago carrying out her assignment."

"Our interstellar transit vehicle parked in synchronous orbit where it can relay communications. Superconducting high­gain antennas and receivers can transmit over 4.5 light years, so we have adequate communication with Utopia. You can imagine our level of technology with a 500 year head start. With our advanced computer technology; we can handle data at terabit per second speeds and have mastered molecular memories for enormous data storage density. We are seldom detected as our landing vehicle touches down at very remote locations at unlikely times. We were seldom detected on our early trips, and superstition and myth covered the situation. As the population of earth grew, it was necessary to develop nonobservable technology. Our landing vehicle, which automatically returns to our transit vehicle, is effectively invisible as we have long ago developed the radar absorbing materials that you are just experimenting with in your Stealth technology. Still, we have been responsible for some UFO reports."

"We are easily self supporting as computer consultants, accepting assignments on a bonus basis with a healthy payment upon successful completion. We relay the problem to our super­super computers in the transit vehicle and almost instantaneously receive the optimum solution. Thus with only a few minutes of effort we can support ourselves, leaving most of our time free to pursue our assigned investigations and data gathering. Our consulting business is lucrative, as you can see from this suite."

"Ursla and I left Utopia in 1975 and arrived on earth on June 9, 1980. We live in San Francisco because we like the climate and culture, and good air routes are available. Our primary task is to continue to monitor societies of the United States, and collect information related to the evolutionary processes on this planet. I frequently refer to the evolutionary process of society. Desmond Morris, in his book The Naked Ape, held that physical and social evolution were both part of a total process."

"This week I have been in North Carolina getting the bugs out a program controlling a telephone distribution network. Obviously, we know how to design the system and I quickly solved the problem and spent most of the time collecting data for my primary objective."

After this unbelievable story, Tom and I responded with who we were and what we were about. Rafael quizzed us about our interests, likes and beliefs. He told us much more throughout the day about Utopia and its customs and institutions. "Perhaps I will say more at another time."

Raphael next spoke with great wisdom about those things that needed correction on earth, particularly in our country, certainly there are many. He also mentioned the many good things that he had found. Listening to him one would think that he had been born and raised here. He fascinated Tom. "You amaze me, Raphael" he said," that you have not entered public service. Your learning and Utopian knowledge would be invaluable to the government of some nation."

"No way," Rafael replied," I would be the subject of instant ridicule if I publicly repeated what I have told you. Furthermore, to lay out the results of our evolutionary process at this point in your history would be contrary to your evolution. It is impossible to design a society. The institutions are not healthy if they are not allowed to evolve in a natural environment free from external input, such as mine would be. There may be some exceptions, as we could discus later. As for working for the government of this or any other earthly country, I have no personal desire, and it is contrary to our Utopian assignment."

I replied, "I understand that you seek neither riches or power, which is admirable, but I believe that you could give the government the benefit of your knowledge and experience without revealing your Utopian background. As an advisor to the heads of government you could lead the way to elimination of many of our problems in health and welfare, for example."

"Your are wrong on two counts," he said, "first regarding me, and secondly, about the heads of government. I do not know that my Utopian experience would be applicable to the problems of earth, or that I have the talent to communicate it efficiently. Furthermore, I find that most heads of governments have little interest in solving the problems of their nations, only in protecting their power and lining their pockets and those of their friends and supporters. If a newcomer, such as myself, were to suggest solutions it would be an attack upon their own knowledge and so­called solutions to problems. They feel that they are so wise that they do not need advice. The advisors to the head of government rephrase the leaders statements and pass them off as advice that is very flattering to the recipient, but adds nothing to the state of government."

"If in such a group someone suggests something that comes from his unique viewpoint or experience, the other advisors will consider this a threat to their wisdom. They will respond by attempting to show that the new idea is of no value. When or if they cannot make the new idea look foolish, they resort to the argument that what is good enough for our forefathers is good enough for me. Constitutional experts call this the original intent of the Framers. We all know that the Framers of our Constitution were more interested in the liberty than the equality of the Declaration of Independence when they legalized slavery and compromised on the population problem by counting each slave as three fifths of a person. The amendments and history have changed this, but reference to original intent is a hollow argument. Still, many believe that reference to the Framers settles all and counter arguments can be ignored. These same people fail to see what was valuable in the original constitution and how it can be and has been modified by amendment and legal opinion to correct many of its grave faults making it fit the modern world."

"Were you ever in Washington DC?" I asked.

"I have been," he replied "During a recent visit I attended a social affair at the home of Senator Partick Moynihan of New York. He was a Harvard professor, and advisor to Presidents before becoming a significant force within the power structure of the Senate. He spent the last thirty years close to the seat of power in Republican and Democratic administrations, and then in the senate. On this occasion, I accompanied a business associate to an informal cocktail party given by the Senator. Another guest was a very talkative lawyer who praised the capital punishment laws. He praised the Supreme Court decision in Gregg v Georgia, permitting the resumption of executions, but he complained that the Court made the area so restrictive that few will be executed and the deterrent effect will be lost."

"At this point I, dared to interrupt in the presence of the Senator, saying 'Capitol punishment has never been a deterrent. I have heard that in the middle ages pickpockets worked the crowds at executions for the crime of pickpocketing. This has not changed. Yet it remains a very significant political issue. In California, George Dukmajain built his political career on this single issue, eventually being elected Governor. A few years later he led a successful recall campaign against the majority of the California Supreme Court Justices that was based on capital punishment. All the while, the school and University systems were in decline, drug problems were exploding, pollution was rampant, the environment was deteriorating due to industrial pollution and excessive logging, and youth gangs threatened the peace in Los Angles and other urban areas. In the meantime there are hundreds on death row at extreme costs per prisoner while appeals are continuing and, in California none have been executed. Tons of money is expended with no result. Many are arguing for a limitation on habeas corpus petitions, which may be valid, but we are fiddling with the fundamental protection of the Constitution. The real issue is whether humans have a right to kill their fellows under any circumstance. Arguments of self defense hold at the time of threat, but to kill one man so that you may prevent another murder is not self defense, rather it is retribution. I have not faced the fear of certain death by execution, but I believe incarceration in isolation would be equally severe punishment. Then, in the rare case that a mistake was made and the individual is not guilty, release remains possible, while return from death is certainly limited. The reason the Court temporarily stopped execution in 1976 in Foreman vs. Georgia remains. Execution is inhumane, often imposed at random, and racially biased."

"If retribution is your choice, consider the problem of Hamlet. After his father's ghost had told Hamlet of how his brother Claudius had murdered him, Hamlet found Claudius in prayer and thought of killing him. Then he had a second thought about the problem of capitol punishment:"

" 'A villain kills my father: and for that, I his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven'"

"Similarly, at modern executions, spiritual guidance is provided for the victim. How many old movies have you seen in which the Priest accompanies the repentant victim to the gallows and the executioner sends him directly to Heaven. While he is incarcerated we do not have the choices of Hamlet:"

" 'When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, or in the incestuous pleasure of his bed; at gaming, swearing, or about some act that has not relish of salvation in't; Then trip him that his heals may kick to Heaven.' "

"In prison he could die a natural, but not necessarily repentant, death, and at least he would not have a straight path to Paradise."

"Ah, there you are wrong," the lawyer replied, "murderers are inhumane and relinquish their rights based upon their humanity when they intentionally and too often brutally take another life."

"I disagree," I responded, "many murders are desperate and not inhumane. Often the ultimate cause is the condition of society. This leads to old arguments that I need not repeat as you will not accept them. But I hold that the problems of this nation are not the murder rate, as high as it is, rather the basic inhumanity of the power structure. Compare, for example, the displaced factory worker and the defense worker. When a manufacturer decides he can make much more money from his capital by speculating in real estate or other unproductive activity that produces capital gains, which until a few years ago received sizable tax benefits, and allows his manufacturing business to move over seas, he gets richer. His employees, who have been producing useful goods and with their fellows paying most of the taxes that the IRS collects, are on unemployment for a number of weeks then are often forced to take jobs at or near minimum wage that will not support their families. They will pay little or no taxes, and the general economy will suffer with the loss of a consumer and his family. Incidentally, if it keeps up real estate values will fall and even the smart businessman will lose. Yet he will still call his former employees welfare bums who are increasing his taxes."

"The defense worker, on the other hand, has never produced anything useful, and, mostly, thank God, the fruits of his efforts have never been employed. In other words his life's work has been useless in a societal sense. Now, I know that a defense is necessary, but let me finish. Yet, with the cold war ending, his services are often not needed. Does he lose his job? No, his company and the military, which make up the military­industrial complex that Eisenhower warned against, lobby to maintain the program to defend against a new set of dangers that they have discovered. Thus this individual who has been receiving good pay for not doing constructive work (in reality a much better paying form of welfare) retains his job because the real business of his corporation is more politics than defense. Before you jump all over me, I am not saying we do not need defense, but we do not have to invent needs which do not exist, or continue to support military dinosaurs such as most naval surface vessels. A rowboat with a rocket launcher can be as effective as a 16 inch gun."

"If we accept a peace dividend and force the defense contractor to disband his company, will the affluent managers be willing to work in fast food chains, No, they have golden parachutes that will provide the capital for them to enter other unproductive activities."

"Another example of affluent welfare, which is actually super affluent, is the corporate farmer who collects millions a year in subsidies for not planting, then gives much of it to politicians to eliminate those lazy bums on welfare who are increasing his taxes."

"The lawyer replied, 'Rather than ridicule the defense contractor, you should honor him because without his deterrent, we would be living under the Russians, or worse in a nuclear desert. These people and the military they support are the backbone of our country.' "

"That could be," I responded, "but because of the nation's concentration on defense and calculated attrition of the production base leading to massive fiscal and trade deficits, the flesh on that backbone has been wasted and the military­industrial complex will be our national skeleton. Can you picture your country as a third­world military dictatorship? I think it could happen. The nation could, however, create a market for the only thing they can manufacture with any profit, military equipment. This can be done by aiding, not solving, the conflicts around the world and then selling arms to antagonists. On occasion, we can have a "little war" for ourselves to keep the need for a defense in the minds of the electorate."

"I have heard that the number of general officers in the military as a ratio to the entire force has doubled or more in recent years. The military argued that if we have an all volunteer force we need a potential promotion opportunity to motivate the best soldiers to remain in the service. Consequently, we have many Admirals and Generals sitting in little offices in the Pentagon who have nothing constructive to do with their time, except to think of more ways to waste the taxpayers' money. Still, I do not believe that the problem of defense waste is the only cause of the increase in the number of individuals on the bottom who commit many of the crimes that lead to murder and capital punishment. Even though that was the subject that started this conversation, and my rehash of so many standard liberal arguments. I believe that there is one primary cause of the increase in the number of individuals on the bottom."

" What is that?" asked the Senator."

"The computer" I replied, "Forty years ago the computer was heralded as the invention that would eliminate human drudgery. In fact, it has eliminated human jobs. One example is the telephone company, or companies now, that have increased their volume continuously while gradually reducing force by computerization. How many exoperators are on welfare? Even small companies now use automated telephone answering where you push buttons instead of talking to a salary earning human. Manufacturing has to use automation to reduce labor costs and remain competitive. This means that someone is laid off, and is reduced to taking a minimum wage job. This means welfare for that individual or someone less qualified for the bottom of the ladder position and has in turn been displaced. These workers can no longer afford the housing that they have worked and saved for. Frequently, the housing market is down because the layoffs are regional, and they cannot even recover their equity. The downward slide continues until they can no longer afford rent on their minimum wage and they join the army of the homeless."

"In the meantime, the management of the newly computerized company is praised and receives bonuses for their contribution to the bottom line. Of course, they give some of their increases wealth to the politicians to remove the lazy guy on welfare who is such a tax drain, and limiting the amount that they can accumulate. They vilify those lazy bums who won't get out and work for a living like they do. In the extreme case, the laid off workers, or those bottom rungers who they displaced, and the youth, who because of their meager beginnings at the bottom of the rung, can't qualify for any job become the criminals that the law and order enthusiasts want to incarcerate or execute, of course, without raising taxes."

"The businessmen who have been so successful take their increased profits and invest in so­called service industries that do not have large labor forces and pay the lowest wages. Ultimately, they accumulate more with less being available for wages. This in turn increases welfare, crime, and prisons, while the businessmen are crying about high taxes, and claiming the homeless are mostly drunks, dopers, or mental cases. Certainly, computers have done wonderful things such as the CATSCAN and MRI. Yet the fact remains that the country must decide if it wants: welfare, prisons or jobs. Which do you think will cost less?"

"Computers were supposed to save labor and decrease costs, and increase the standard of living. In order to keep up with this increased standard of living in most families the wife and mother had to enter the work force. Then they could afford the extra car that she needs to get to work and labor saving devices that had freed her to go out to work to pay for them. Of course, with all kinds of factory made components and power tools, the labor content of housing went down while the children of the carpenters could not afford to own their home as their parents had. Something is wrong when the promise of the computer does not improve the lot of the people. The computer manufacturing industry was another heralded advantage for society. That was true in this country in the early stages of the growth of computers, with IBM growing to be one of the largest and most successful corporations in the world. Then the semiconductor industry made computers smaller, cheaper and easier to assemble. Thus the clone was born and the great American "down sizing" began. (They even had to invent a new word). Recently IBM, the cash cow, has joined the down sizing herd with reductions in force (RIF). (fancy words for firing their workers.) With the reduction announced last week, IBM will have eliminated 85,000 jobs since 1986. I must be fair to the management of IBM as they have done their best to let natural attrition and early retirement take up as much of the down sizing as possible. Many companies have also introduced "outplacement programs," a euphemism for here's your hat there's the door, but they have added a professional to carry the hat."

"I understand that some of the IBM layoffs have been the result of having more of the product built by vendors at reduced cost. This is similar to the long time Japanese practice. One way to lower cost is to use "just­in­time" inventory control. That is, the material arrives at the primary assembly facility as close as possible to the instant it is needed. This reduces the working capital, for inventory, that is needed by the manufacturer. It is the vendor who then holds the inventory. The vendor has a low overhead operation with low wages, low cost location, and paying little or no benefits to its employees. When there is a reduced demand from the manufacturer, the vendor work force does not work."

"IBM has a long history of good fringe benefits for it's employees. When parts of the manufacturing process transfer to vendors who cannot be competitive if they have such generous benefits, the general standard of living of the working population drops a bit. These conditions are very evident in Japan where there is a clear difference in the affluence of the company employees, or salarymen, and the people that you see on the back streets where the vendors are located."

"Worse yet for the American population, the vendor probably will be in a low­labor­rate area or country. In either case, the person that is doing the labor has a much lower standard of living than the person who lost his job at the manufacturing company. In the end, the company is more profitable and management gets its bonus. Again, the laid­off employee is usually better educated and will displace a less­qualified individual to the next lower rung of the labor ladder. Then, as dominos fall, someone at the bottom of the ladder is out of work, homeless, on welfare, or ends up in prison. The company has prospered, but taxes have gone up because we have welfare and prisons rather than jobs."

"When I paused for breath and a bite of a hors d'oeuvre, the lawyer jumped in. `Yours is an argument typical of the left. All problems are due to the avarice of businessmen. I'll show you how you are wrong. I'll list your points, then refute them one­by­ one.' The Senator interrupted before he could begin. 'Don't start or we will be here all night. Rather, let's continue this at another time, soon I hope. Raphael, I must ask, how do you reconcile your position on capital punishment with the fact that a significant majority of the public is in favor of it. You and others claim it is not an effective deterrent, and that it is often administered unfairly. Yet, whenever it is put to a vote, it always wins. What good does it do for you to argue against capital punishment when it is accepted by a democratic process.' "

"You are right," I replied "but there are many examples of peoples' attitudes changing with time. Go to the beach and look at the swim suits. Many of them would have landed a burlesque dancer in jail thirty years ago, but someone's daughter is wearing one in public now. Most fathers today would be listed as child abusers if they punished their children as their own fathers punished them during the "spare the rod and spoil the child" generation. There are many other examples, such as the changes in the attitude toward homosexuality and the whole civil rights movement, that can be cited as changes in public attitudes or acceptance of new ways of looking at things. In the same way, I believe that the public will eventually come to the conclusion that capital punishment is an unfair, costly, and ineffective way of dealing with the worlds problem's. Most other Western nations have eliminated capital punishment, but we still have the most murders. It's elimination in this country will surely take time because of the emotion associated with it. Particularly on the part of friends and relatives who cannot see how a murderer can be allowed to live when he has deprived another of life."

"There are new methods of punishment for noncapital crimes in which the criminal may live in his residence and go to work and certain designated activities. Electronic monitors confirm that he is following the rules. I don't know if they have gone to the extent of attaching a device to his wrist that can be monitored by a computer to verify his position, but it is technologically reasonable. This is expensive to install with radio location devices, but it would cost less than more prisons. An additional advantage is that the felon can hold his normal job and pay any fines or retribution."

"Of course, this would not work for a murderer who, I agree forfeits his right to be in society when he deliberately takes another's life. Yet it is still possible to allow murderers to work to earn and pay some kind of compensation. This would be possible if manufacturing organizations could build their plants within sections of the prison. Some argue that this deprives law abiding citizens of jobs; which is valid if we accept that less than full employment is a fact of life. However, if we can arrange our economy so that everyone has meaningful employment, working prisoners do not reduce the job opportunities of law abiding citizens. This concept provides solutions to many problems. It gives the prisoner a useful activity to occupy his time. If he does not owe compensation to his victim, he can save the money for the end of his term and reenter society as a self supporting member. If he has family, his wages would lessen the burden of support that his wife or the welfare system would have to share. At least part of his wages could go to pay for his support while in prison. Thus, prisoner employment, even of murderers, seems a practical solution to many these problems."

"This does not answer the questions surrounding the murderer whose crime is sufficient to warrant the death penalty. If, as I argue, we eliminate capital punishment, how does this most punishable prisoner fit into the work for wages program. I believe he can also work. The facility would be more secure, and probably not as pleasant, but if useful wage earning jobs can be established, compensation could be paid."

"If this prisoner or those convicted of less serious crimes refuses work or is careless or intentionally inefficient in his work, a very confining facility or cell could be provided, and, in the extreme, existence without any human communication would be a punishment greater than death itself. This argument that life in solitary confinement is a more serious punishment than death is supported by the recent arguments for legal suicide for the terminally ill. If death is preferable to a miserable life, then miserable confinement is preferable to capital punishment, and in certain cases would leave open the possibility of productivity."

"Remember," Rapheal said, "I had not identified myself as a Utopian. You know that you are the only humans that I have told of my unusual background. Otherwise, I would have told them of the Utopian practice of banishment of the most serious criminals. This is a common practice in remote societies where the banished is not then a burden upon neighbors. In Utopia, we move banished felons to a totally secure prison with no guards where they live in a society composed of their fellow outcasts. Tools and supplies for growing their food are provided, otherwise they are free to live or die as they please where they cannot endanger the law abiding society. Naturally, theirs is a very brutal world that they, by their actions have chosen."

"But, I digress. At this point, the lawyer interjected his thought that it was ridiculous to release criminals or lessen the level of security. This puts the populace at risk with only marginal benefit. The cost of this program would exceed any income. It would be cheaper for the government to pay the compensation directly. With this, surprisingly, he shrugged his shoulders and was silent. His friends murmured in agreement."

"The Senator responded, 'I've heard about the concepts that you bring up, and it may be a good idea to start a pilot program along these lines where private industry can provide in­ prison facilities where even the most dangerous criminals can work to provide at least some retribution for their crimes. A similar program of in­house employment for homeless shelters could also be tried' "

"Many listeners, particularly the friends of the lawyer commented favorably about the Senator's remark whereas they had ridiculed my prior statement of the same position. They particularly liked the homeless program that was the Senator's own idea."

"There was a loud­mouth present who had been making what he felt were humorous remarks that were actually boring. I should skip his remarks, but in some sense they are relevant to what I have been saying. When another person commented that the Senator and I had taken care of the criminal justice system and the homeless problem now only the care of the poor who cannot work because of age or illness remains. The loud­mouth responded, `Who cares about them. Id rather we did something about panhandlers, who I find offensive and have yet to give a red cent. They should be sent to a similar facility to work for the money that they begged for.' "

Raphael continued, "One of the group was particularly incensed about the remark. He was obviously, by manner and dress, a child of the sixties. He protested that the loud­mouth himself should be deported to one of the few remaining totalitarian nations where citizens were not protected by a Bill of Rights. The loud­mouth replied that the Senator's working homeless center should also have a compulsory shower program for unwashed types such as he. Many approved of this remark, but the Senator, seeing that his gathering was degrading into a shouting match, skillfully changed the subject and guided the conversation to a conclusion. The crowd, sensing his intention, began to leave, and the evening ended quietly."

"Look, Jack and Tom you have been very patient while I have told this rather long story of my experience at the Senator's party. I told it in such detail to impress you with the problems that arise if one gets too close to the seat of government, particularly if he chooses to express his own opinion. You notice that everything that I said was greeted with ridicule until it was repeated by the Senator; then it magically became a good idea. From this you can see that if I were to become an advisor to government, with my philosophy and personality, my advice and consul would be little appreciated."

I answered, "We have listened with interest, partly because Tom and I do not have any experience near the seat of Government. In our government contract research we work a long way down in the bureaucracy, like the man who reports to the man who reports to the assistant to the assistant Secretary. Thus we have never been to such a party. In fact, the most interesting thing that I have done in the evening in Washington is to see a play at the Folger's. I am unconvinced that you would not be of great value to our government or any other if you would only submit to the type of difficulty that you experienced on that occasion and persevere. Plato held that nations would be happy when Philosophers became Kings or something like that. Short of that a good Philosopher, as you clearly are, should be an advisor to help the "King" become a philosopher. It seems that the nations will not be happy until Philosophers such as you are willing to make the necessary sacrifice."

Raphael replied," Many already have in published books. In fact, Thomas Jefferson borrowed the words of John Locke: life, liberty and the pursuit of ________. He was also influenced by the ideas in the Virginia constitution written by George Mason. Interestingly, although Jefferson was a rich plantation owner and slave holder, he replaced the object of pursuit from property to happiness. In many ways the man was an enigma. In those days men of privilege were well read in philosophy. Life without TV and Monday Night Football was very slow paced leaving a lot of time for reading and study. Not today, politicians spend most of their time catering to special interests in search of the funds that they need to stay elected. It is the individual that is the best at that who progresses up the political ladder. The few philosophically literate politicians that you may recall that have reached some height did not stay there very long if they did not become like their opponents and be 'practical' and stop fooling around with fuzzy headed ideas. Practical means accept the next contribution and the associated obligation. How else is a person to pay the next TV bill and the hotshot campaign consultant. So I come along and say, `Forget about the campaign consultant, don't sell your soul. Think of the philosophical consequences of the legislation that you are considering, or the policy in the executive branch.' If he were so foolhardy as to listen to me and consider what he is doing, the campaign contribution tap would be closed. Then in a few years I would be an advisor to a private citizen. I do not know that what I say applies to all people of power in Washington DC because I have only my one evening at the Senator's party. In fact, to his credit, Senator Moynihan has worked to level the playing field, being a champion of the working man, and arguing for a reduction in Social Security taxes. I have only met him that one time and don't know how `philosophical' he is."

"I think it would be interesting if a candidate held a public auction to obtain campaign funds. Can you imagine someone being honest enough to get up and ask for bids for his vote on gun control, minimum wage, or welfare?"

"Washington DC is not the only seat of power, of course, but the same or similar results would be expected elsewhere or in another time. If I had been in Hitler's advisory group when he was attacking Russia, and had sided with many of his Generals against the campaign, would he have listened to comparisons with Napoleon's winter campaign? Logic is totally ineffectual on a man possessed by the ambition to rule the world and to conquer the unconquerable. Or would Tojo have listened to the concept of wakening the sleeping productive giant by humiliating the US at Pearl Harbor? No, he only focused upon proving his and his nation's invincibility."

"Do you think that as an advisor to President Wilson at the 1919 Paris peace conference I could have convinced Wilson, Orlando, Lloyd George, and Clemenceau that the terms of the German treaty would eventually lead to the rise of an extremist such as Hitler and the second World War. Or that the drawing of the political boundaries in eastern Europe would in 80 years lead to the bloodshed we are witnessing in Yugoslavia? They each had their view of the world that served their own political­economic interests in the short term."

"In this country, If I had told Roosevelt at Yalta that he was condemning the countries of eastern Europe to decades of Russian dictatorship by his agreements with Stalin, he would have replied that he would work out a solution with Uncle Joe; not knowing that he would have to do it from Heaven."

"How many Presidents would listen to me If I suggested that it was against the concept of democracy for the country to use the CIA to overthrow the governments of other nations? Do you think that Eisenhower and John Foster Dulles would have decided not to overthrow Iranian Prime Minister Mossadeq? That would have cost the oil companies too much. Again, in Guatemala in 1954, when President Arbenz started to nationalize the property of the United Fruit Company, do you think that the President or the Dulles brothers would have listened to a discussion on the nature of democracy, and the limitations that it placed upon the actions of the government. Let us say that I presented this discussion in an advisory council. The immediate reply from the ambassador to Guatemala, John Peurifoy, would have been as it was to a House committee, `I spent six hours with him (Arbenz) one evening, and he talked like a Communist, and if he is not one he will do until one comes along.' Once you have a proven Communist threat, the limitations imposed by democracy are out the window."

"Speaking of the CIA, if I were an advisor there in 1973, I doubt that I could have prevented that agency from aiding General Pinochet lead the coup against the democratically elected socialist President Salvador Allende. I even wonder whether the CIA had something to do with Allende's subsequent suicide. I wonder if the Congress or the Administration then or, for that matter ever would have considered my recommendation that the CIA be dispensed with. I guess that as an advisor I would learn about their successes. As a reader of newspapers and history, I only know of their failures such as the Bay of Pigs, the Iranian capture of the American Embassy in Tehran, and the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.

"I wonder what Franklin Roosevelt would have thought of a suggestion that welfare help to the disadvantaged during the great depression would lead to a breakdown of family life with single mothers having babies to get on welfare rolls. Would President Johnson have believed that we would lose the war on poverty? "

"Would President Reagan believe that the economic miracle of the eighties was the worlds biggest credit card binge? What family could not live high on the hog if they tripled an already enormous debt? Of course, if I told the economic advisors that the only trickle down was into the deep pockets. Do you think that they would reply, 'What do you know?'"

"I am getting long winded on the examples so let me list them The Bay of Pigs under Kennedy, The use of the Mafia to assassinate Castro, Johnson's elimination of the government of the Dominican Republic, and the Bay of Tonkin fiction. Nixon's list including the bombing of Cambodia, the overthrow of democratically elected Allende of Chile, and Watergate and the plumbers. Reagan had the Iran­Contra affair and Ollie North, in my opinion the foremost unencarcerated criminal walking the streets. He also had the HUD rip-off and the looting of the treasury by the unregulated S&Ls that is so well described in the book 'Inside Job' written by written by Pizzo, Fricker, and Mulolo. In the latter case members of the administration, the Senate, and Congress held the bag while the criminals reached into the pockets of taxpayers for generations to come. Some legislators who had done good things, one an American hero, tarnished their reputations because of their desperate desire to retain power even at the cost of their integrity."

"What about the war hero Dwight Eisenhower who while campaigning for President shared a political platform with Senator Joseph McCarthy. If I had advised Eisenhower that McCarthy had called General George C. Marshall a traitor and suggested that he denounce McCarthy in defense of the man who probably more than anyone gave Eisenhower the opportunity to advance to his exalted position, would he have listened while he had the vision of the Presidency?

"More recently, If I had suggested to Saddam Hussein that cutting off the access of the American oil industry to Kuwait was a mistake, my only warm feeling would have been from the blood running from the bullet wounds. On the other hand, my suggestion to Mr. Bush that his handling of the situation would have resulted in the death of tens of thousands of children in Iraq would have little to dampen his claim of a glorious victory."

Raphael directed his next example at me. "What do you think, Jack, about my advising some of your great liberal leaders that their attempts to help the poor with welfare would have the disastrous consequence of welfare dependency."

Tom replied for me, "Now the blood would be coming from their forever hemorrhaging hearts."

"In these cases and innumerable more, what do you supposed would have been the response of the advisory council if one such as I suggested that government is obliged to act in accordance with the law and the spirit of the Constitution, and it was the obligation of government to level the playing field, rather than to assist the biggest contributor to their reelection fund?"

"Nothing." I replied.

"They also would not listen if I told them of a Utopian nation whose leaders decided that they knew how to change the other nations to make a better planet. They spent all their energy and funds on their vast global plan while their own nation literally fell apart due to the lack of leadership. Suppose that I told the council of advisors that their obsession with international domination was bankrupting their treasury, and would generate such a deficit that their lender nations would at least economically control them. Do you think I would have influence?

"No."

"Now to another area, suppose that I were invited to join one of the campaign financing committees of a political party. With national election coming up, the objective is to develop a strategy to increase campaign contributions. A Congressman suggested that the administration be encouraged to award a large defense contract to a company that had its major facility in his district. He is sure that in response, the various political action committees (PACS) would be eager to respond. Furthermore, he could then send some of the money to the national committee as his seat would be secure because he had been instrumental in securing the contract."

"Another member, a Senator, said that a move to block the reregulation of the financial industries (after the S&L crisis resulting from mismanaged deregulation and costing up to $500,000,000.000) would result in vast contributions from the related PACs. Experience has shown that these are the largest campaign contributors."

"Sure they are," I commented, " because they are paid for by the full faith and credit of the United States government through deposit insurance."

Raphael continued, "This Senator knows because he is one of the many big recipients of the prior largesse of the financial institutions, including some great golfing and skiing vacations. Another Senator from a farm state proposed an increase in farm subsidies to counteract the loss in export trade in the agriculture sector. He knew many corporate farmers who would be eager to contribute if such a move were successful."

"A congressman who was a member of the Ways and Means Committee suggested that the FED be pressed to ease the money supply and to consider a decrease in the discount rate. This would have multiple effects, it would stimulate business making businessmen happy contributors, it would in turn generate jobs that would get votes if not funds, it would please Wall Street as the Dow Jones would jump and the rush from interest bearing investments would increase volume. A few phone calls might then generate contributions from many sources, particularly if we included the appropriate lobbyists early." Senator with a long list of developers in his bag suggested more pressure to get a capital gains tax break through would bring contributions not only from the development community, but from the investment area and affluent individuals in general."

"A Congressman from the Midwest said that several lobbyists from the smokestack industries would be generously pleased if the increase in emission standards would be postponed. Also, the automotive industry would appreciate delay in the requirement of a reduction in the gasoline mileage, pollution and safety requirements; not airbags, because they are selling them rather than fighting this year."

"A conservative Senator suggested that a program to reduce taxes by lowering welfare payments would encourage contributions from his constituency, and votes. You can always get a lot of mileage out of going after the welfare cheats."

"I could go on with one barrel of pork after another, but I am sure that you get my Idea. Now, what do you think would be the response if I got up and suggested that we were on the wrong subject? Instead of working to increase contributions we should work to reform the election laws. I suggested a constitutional amendment to, first eliminate the Electoral College, and secondly to outlaw political contributions, direct or indirect. We also could prohibit television, print media, or direct mail campaigns. With limited contributions, how do candidates get their message to the people? If we allow publicly financed television, radio and print use on a equal opportunity basis, every person with a special interest would want to be included. A method that will eliminate the less viable candidates has to be found. If we devise a plan that would reward the candidate that can develop a grass roots organization of volunteers we might decrease the number. For example, qualification for access to the media would be determined by a petition with a minimum number of signatures. The petitions would have to be circulated by volunteers, not paid canvassers. Then candidates would have to go directly to the people to initiate their campaign. Town meetings would allow potential candidates to speak to local gatherings and advancement to the next level could be based upon a vote. The objective of this approach is to eliminate the influence of money on the elective process and return to the concept of `may the best man win'."

"Now, what do you think would be the response?"

"You would be thrown out on your ear." replied Tom. "This is another example of having government doing what the private sector can best manage. Our present system has made us the greatest nation on earth, and as the saying goes if it ain't broke don't fix it."

"No Tom it is broke," I replied. "We are the richest and most powerful nation in the world, yet we are far down on the list of nations in terms of literacy, inoculatable disease, availability of health care, hunger, housing, and many others. We are high on other lists such as debt, unemployment, homelessness, and crime (particularly murder), to name a few. The average wealthy Japanese would gladly exchange houses with you, particularly considering the size of the house and lot with a real garage for your cars. Yet, I have not seen anything comparable to our intercity slums in Japan, and I don't think that they exist. One has to go to third world countries that suffered from feudal systems or colonial occupation such a Mexico and India to find conditions worse than ours. I believe that this country is feudalistic because it relies upon a large poor class to keep wages down and provide low cost services for the affluent. Take food for example, the conditions and pay of agriculture workers are so poor that farmers cannot get enough labor, so they import it from Mexico at low wages and miserable working and living conditions, which is OK by the workers since it is temporary and as I said they don't have it better at home. The affluent of this country probably eat as well or better than any nation for a smaller portion of their income at the expense of these laborers."

Raphael then said, "I have other examples that come from a book by Kevin Phillips that I recently finished entitled THE POLITICS OF RICH AND POOR. Suppose I were a consultant to the Council of Economic Advisers, the subject was the demise of Communism, and the group was praising the free market system. What if I rose and reminded them of Phillips' book and his discussion of Social Darwinists that said that unbridled competition was really economic nature at its most productive best. I believe that the one line summary of Darwinism is survival of the fittest. It is important to remember that fittest is not synonymous with strongest or largest; just ask the mastodons and dinosaurs. Phillips quotes J.R. Liningston of the Philadelphia Inquirer, `We have seen in this country in the 1920s and 1980s that money was used to make money and not to produce goods and services and raise the people's standard of living.' or something like that. What the Social Darwinists missed was that in a consumer economy there is what the electrical engineers call a feed back loop. If the workers are exploited by low wages how can they produce the market of the consumer economy."

"I believe that socialism fails because of the inequalities that exist. Didn't Marx say something like, `To each according to his needs and from each according to his abilities.' This does not work because in every society there will be individuals that want a larger share than their fellows and they will get it within any system that exists. In a democracy with a free market system they will profit from the needs and desires of others, in a fascist state they will join the party, and in the USSR they became commissars. These people who are driven to rise to the top of any social order will always exist and will work to satisfy that drive within any system in which they find themselves. I believe that a successful political system must accept this as a fact of human nature and arrange a compromise that allows the driven the freedom to do their thing but safeguards the general populace from exploitation."

"At this point they would be about to throw me out, but suppose I persisted. Another thing that I read, I can't remember where, was that when a bank in California was up for sale, the President lost the first two potential buyers because he spent the first day of discussions on his personal buyout, or golden parachute. Phillips states that executive pay is growing out of proportion to that of workers, yet the business schools say that you have to pay to get the best. Modern managers seem to be operating businesses for their own gain rather than that of the stock holders or, Heaven forbid, society. Now, what would happen if I suggested that they consider the system that evolved hundreds of years ago in Utopia in which the various nations used taxation to encourage socially desirable conduct of business?"

"It is very simple, the businesses and their investors receive tax credit for the taxes that employees pay. Utopians had experienced the same problems that this country had of vested interests getting tax breaks through political action, for example the oil depletion allowance, tax shelters that had dentists and doctors owning cows, and capital gains tax relief for gambling on real estate or the stock market. Under these laws, business decisions were based upon the tax effects rather than profit and loss. The Utopian solution was to reduce the taxes on the profits of businesses and investors by a fixed percentage of taxes paid by their employees. There are many advantages to this system. It is an incentive for the greedy of the planet to direct their energy to developing labor intensive businesses rather than speculation. Many businesses would operate tax free, but that's not new in this country where many wealthy people do not pay taxes. This program does not burden the working class, because it funnels tax dollars through more workers, and the individual burden decreases. The new jobs cannot be at minimum or low wages, because those employees do not pay taxes after legal deductions. Because Utopian business taxes are progressive and start at 75% discouraging speculative investment and profits from inflation. High salaries are eliminated from tax consideration so that owners cannot avoid the speculative tax rates by paying themselves high wages. This encourages investment in high growth, labor intensive business because capital gains taxes are tied to the employee taxes paid during ownership. This in turn encourages entrepreneurial businesses with high growth rates."

"Interest income is complicated because credit supply is necessary for business and commercial loans. The tax rate on interest income varies depending on the use of the principal. Speculative investment interest is taxed according to the accelerated scale, while interest on consumer credit, home loans, and loans to businesses that create jobs are granted tax advantages."

Raphael then asked, "How do you think these concepts would be accepted by present day politicians primarily interested in obtaining the most for their constituencies, and particularly their contributors? They are certainly not interested in the philosophy of government and particularly in changing the system in a way that would limit their advantages."

"You are correct," I replied. "You can never convince a strong minded person to accept an idea that is not his. The indirect approach sometimes works, for example, by including your ideas in editorial columns of newspapers and magazines. Of course this requires access to the columns either through influencing the authors or by obtaining a column of your own. Even then the approach needs be indirect. Only through repeated and often indirect reference to philosophical concepts can you gradually make them familiar enough to eliminate the appearance of being revolutionary or far­out. The campaign has to be rather subliminal."

"This is probably sound advice," Raphael replied, "but it takes an angel or saint to carry it through. This indirect approach takes too long. This is the problem, only those that are driven by greed or a desire for power have the ability to sustain the struggle while their opponents tire and capitulate or at least drift away from the struggle. Labor negotiations are a typical example. The negotiators will often sit across a table for many hours in `marathon sessions' waiting for their opponent to blink. I cannot tolerate these kind of interactions. It is my nature to be direct and tell people what I think or what I have seen that works in Utopia. When I function that way I am seldom effective because most people do not want to hear anything new. Conventional wisdom is alive and very well."

"This is a common American attitude. The number of citizens that do not vote is steadily increasing because they do not feel that they have any influence. They see one politician the same as any other, and none of them having the public welfare as their concern. The consequence is that the votes of people with a vested interest are important beyond their numbers."

"Yes, I know," I responded. "In the 60's I belonged to a neighborhood homeowners association in Saratoga California. I frequently attended city council meetings because the town was growing and there were many issues that concerned the home owners organization. In time it became clear that certain individuals, developers and real estate people, were regular attendees, and were often consulted by the city staff and the council. For example, we had carried petitions to have the main thoroughfare widened, and at a council meeting the city staff presented plans for a left turn lane into a proposed subdivision that was a few hundred yards from the entrance to our neighborhood. Those plans did not include a left turn lane into our street with over fifty existing houses until we had made an issue of it. This was a clear example of vested interests being the squeaky wheels that got the grease."

He replied," I know what you mean. This is an example of the problems that result from the concept of private property. The Utopians struggled with it for centuries. It is against their nature, which is essentially the same as human nature, to hold property in common. `Mine' is one of the first words a Utopian, or human, two year old learns, but the control of property must be limited. In this country, there are zoning laws to control development, and environmental laws that restrict practices such as logging of some old growth forests in the Pacific northwest. The California Coastal Commission limits development and protects public access to the water. The Utopians have developed a concept of private property being held in public trust, and property rights can be lost if the owners misuse their privilege of ownership."

This brought an immediate response from Tom Jackson, "You are wrong. This nation was founded on the right of property. We would still be an agrarian colony if it weren't for the vision of our property owning founding fathers. In fact, the restriction of voting rights to property owners, and their vision made the industrial revolution possible in this the greatest of nations. No one has a right to restrict my use of my property as long as it does not injure the property of my neighbor. I believe that Texas gets along very well without zoning or coastal laws. Property rights are at the base of the free market system which has, under the leadership of Ronald Reagan, defeated the evil of Godless Communism. We still do not know much detail about Utopia, but I am sure that it cannot be governed better than this greatest of nations."

That brought an immediate response from me. "Reagon did not destroy Communism, Gorgachev did. I believe that he thought that he could cure the ills of the Communist system by his Glastnos and Perostroica and probably let it go farther than he intended. If Stalin had still been in control, the Eastern European nations would not have been allowed to leave the fold, but would have been suppressed as was Hungary in the 50's. Yet, I think that socialist systems will eventually fail, because of human, or Utopian, Raphael, nature in which greed will triumph and can only be slightly limited by the majority of us ordinary people. Sooner or later, someone like Gorbachev will make a mistake and the socialist system will fall by its own accord. I must agree with you, Tom, we do not know much about Utopia, and I request that you, Raphael, tell us more about your planet."

It had gotten very late and we agreed to continue the conversation on the following day after Tom and I had finished with conference business.

THE GEOGRAPHY OF UTOPIA

Utopia is the third planet of the brightest star of the double star, alpha centauri, which is 4.3 light years (2.5 x 10¹³) miles. The two stars rotate about a common center with a period of about 80 earth years. Their motion follows an elliptical orbit such that the interstellar distance varies from 11 to 35 astronomical units (AU). Remember, an AU is the average distance from the sun to earth or about 93 million miles. The Utopian orbit around its star is very near the plane of the interstellar orbit. Maffei explained this complex geometry in his book entitled "Beyond the Moon."

Utopia, like the earth, has a magnetic field that is closely aligned with the principal or rotational axis of the planet. The presence of this magnetic field provides trapping of charge in the ionosphere similar to that of the earth. The rotational axis lies about 75 degrees from the plane of its orbit, slightly less than that of the earth. However, this does not significantly increase the extent of the polar regions or produce more intense seasonal variations than that of earth primarily due to the influence of the second star of Alpha Centauri.

Because there are two stars, or suns, there are two sunrises and sunsets. Yet, because the suns move relative to each other in an 80 year cycle, at times we have a normal night and day cycle for a few days a year when the suns and Utopia align with Utopia on the far side of its primary star. When it is between the two suns one rises as the other sets and there is no night even at the equator.

The intensity of the sunlight from the primary sun is about the same as earthly sunshine, while the second sun appears somewhat orange and its absolute intensity is between 0.1 and l% of that of the primary sun, and varying with their orbital separation. Utopia also has four moons so that there are always celestial objects in view and the light intensity varies widely and it is never truly dark. Naturally, this has significant effects on plant and animal life. Still, the general appearance of the countryside is similar to that of earth.

The Utopian year is 427.35 days, and we have determined that a day is about 26.5 earth hours. Utopian time is on a decimal system with 10 hours of 100 seconds. About 400 years ago Utopia adopted primary atomic time and length measures similar to that presently used on earth. The unit of length is similar to the earthly metric system with the primary unit being about a meter, or the length of a Utopian stride. Actually it is 0.973 meters or 38.3 inches. There are practical volume measures like the liter and cubic centimeter or milliliter.

Utopia is similar to earth with land comprising about 20% of the surface area. Utopia has ten evenly dispersed continents. There are also smaller islands and clusters of islands or archipelagos. The seas are salty, and weather originates in the larger ocean regions influenced by the seasons and water temperature in much the same manner as earth. The monsoonal zones and areas subject to violent tropical storms are decidedly different due to the more uniform distribution of the continents. Climatic zones depend upon latitude and the inclination of the rotational axis. The second sun provides enough energy to compensate for the greater inclination of the polar axis, therefore Utopia has a similar climate to the Earth. There are cyclical variations due to the influence of the 80 year orbital cycle of the two stars. The even distribution of continents causes different ocean currents and the climatic differences are less. Yet, weather moves in the direction of planetary rotation in the middle latitudes and in the opposite direction near the equator creating trade winds. The Utopian continents range from 1500 to 3000 Utopian kilometers in their greatest dimension. The evenly distributed continents enjoy a range of climates. Two are near the poles and are uninhabited except for those employed in scientific and mineral recovery occupations. The continents that have temperate and tropical climates have a uniform population density. The details about the continents are summarized in Table I.

Geography is similar to that of the earth with zones of volcanic and earthquake activity associated with the edges of tectonic plates. Even with over 500 years of intense study, earthquake prediction is still mostly guesswork.

Thus, the geography of the Utopian planet is similar to that of the earth except for the uniform distribution of the continents. The history of civilization is also similar. The hunters and gatherers evolved into herders and growers, and permanent locations or towns appeared about 10,000 years ago. Social evolution proceeded faster on one continent, Amaurot, and when seamanship reached the stage of intercontinental travel Amaurot made contact with the other continents and eventually conquered them all. There was a long period of warfare, and some continents eventually won their independence. Utopians eliminated warfare by mutual agreement when atomic weapons became a threat to the entire planet. The principal architect of the present political system was Utopus from whom the planet gets its name in recognition of his great accomplishments. He became ruler of Amaurot during the period of greatest threat of nuclear annihilation, and persuaded the other nations to convene a convention. Under his guidance they declared a planetwide government, and wrote and ratified a constitution. (See the Appendix) It outlawed nuclear weapons and the all national military. Stockpiles of fissionable materials, excluding limited research quantities, were blasted into deep space.

The police force whose members serve for a term of six years, and not on their home continent maintains order. This lessens the possibility of a power base developing, and graft and corruption is unknown, as the penalties are severe. A policeman or judge convicted of a crime receives the most severe penalty that was given to a criminal arrested or convicted by the individual. The police are compensated by a pension that allows them to enjoy a lifelong standard of living above that expected if they had not volunteered for this service. There is also considerable prestige associated with public service. They cannot gain enough administrative experience during their short service, consequently the police supervisors are experienced individuals from other fields of endeavor who are attracted by the compensation and prestige. Supervisors are an exception to the requirement that police serve on continents other than their home. It would be difficult to entice qualified administrators to take positions that require migration.

Utopians have eliminated all weapons, and the power of the police is strictly social. Naturally, there are still violent crimes, but the training and numbers of the police force are sufficient to control and incarcerate criminals.

Service in the police system fulfills the requirement of universal service. All able bodied Utopians provide six years of government service similar to the draft. This service may be taken at any time before retirement at 70. It can include legislative, judicial, or administrative service. Some individuals who have completed the requirement at a young age may choose to volunteer again for other positions, usually at a higher level. An individual cannot become a career employee of the government so bureaucracy does not exist.

I will speak further about the legal system later, but should first complete the discussion of the geography and communities. Even with over 400 years since constitutional elimination of national boundaries, but there remain some cultural differences among the various continents and former cultures. It was difficult to find a way to keep the good of ethnic cultures and not have the problems associated with the we­they problems that result. Utopians long ago learned that ethnicity was the easiest way to rise in the social pecking order. It takes no effort to be born into a superior society; especially when you are the judge of superiority. Even more so if the battle to prove superiority eliminates the other societies. Strange, but Utopians took a long time to learn that if you successfully ethnically cleanse you are no longer superior. Like humans, they learned slowly, but eventually they learned, and ethnicity is now limited to costume, architecture, cuisine, and other nonviolent measures of superiority, if it be.

With so many years since computerization, there is little that is new in architecture and the cities although pleasant to view are similar. Most Utopians live in communities of 50,000 to 100,000 that is in line with the political organization. They realize the extent to which private ownership of large land holdings led to much of the environmental problems of earlier times, so most live in high rise apartment buildings. Most own their apartments as Utopians wish to be kings of their castles; such as they are. Pride usually comes with ownership and results in a well cared for community. Each apartment has a patio or balcony with enough greenery to eliminate the concrete jungle effect. Community gardens are available for the green thumbed. Although none of the dwellings are shabby, there are differences in size and luxury depending upon the affluence and interests of the owners.

It will be evident as I describe Utopia that most of the social and political organization of society recognizes the strong need to be better than your neighbors as evidenced by possessions. Yet it remains necessary to put reasonable limitation on the over achievers who would succeed through exploitation. In every society the possession of land is a prime measure of success. Formerly most Utopian land was in private hands representing a fraction of one percent of the population. Eventually, land reform became a crucial problem. The Utopians realized that expropriation was not a practical solution, and, as usual, they used the tax laws to incentivize landholders to sell to the government, or to citizens not holding excessive acreage. There are four land tax categories: agricultural, forest, mineral, and scenic (wilderness).

Agricultural land is taxed as a manufacturing business with tax credits for employee income taxes. There are four categories of agricultural land for tax purposes depending upon the potential yield per acre. Market garden property requires significant labor, and its high property tax is offset by labor tax credit. Land that is not tillable for reasons of topography or rocky soil is subject to the lowest property tax.

Forest land tax is reduced by both labor tax credit and reforestation and maintenance credits. Thus, if the owner manages his property for high productivity, he gets both types of credits. Alternatively, he can declare his property as a forest reserve for the period of growth and receive tax credits for permitting recreational use.

Mineral land owners receive labor tax credits and credits for restoration to recreational or grazing classifications. Long ago Utopians depleted their natural resources and now recover most materials from sea water by ion exchange processes followed by chemical generation of the desired material. They tax scenic land heavily with only recreational tax credits available. Thus, ownership of property for personal use is prohibitively expensive, and most of it has reverted to public or foundation hands. There are tax credits to encourage donation to nonprofit or public parks. If a landholder does not have sufficient taxes to be offset, the government will pay reasonable prices for the property. Naturally, the acclaim given to those who donate land to the park system has been an incentive.

It is appropriate to point out that most of the social and political organization of Utopia is based upon the Utopian personality. Some of what follows is a repetition of earlier comments, but it will be summarized.

There are strong differences in the abilities of individuals be it physical, mental, artistic, or practically any other characteristic or subcharacteristic of them all. Probably the strongest social drive is dominance. In almost any sphere of activity Utopians will strive to develop a ranking and gifted individuals will strive to dominate. For example, in athletics, tournaments determine the champion team or individual. The athletes with the strongest dominance drive, the driven, will practice long and hard to prove that they are the best. Others who may be equally talented will play for the pleasure of it and do their best with as much preparation as they deem reasonable within the time limitations set by their other interests. It seems that the driven may have various motivations, among which are the personal need to be the best, or the public need for acclaim. In some individuals the dominance drive is so strong that they will change the area of competition as many times as needed until they reach the top of some list. It is recognized that there are both good and bad consequences for society. Driven individuals produce most of the significant advances in knowledge, art and technology, and it is important that this natural characteristic not be frustrated by the customs and laws. Yet, at some point dominance becomes exploitive when the driven uses others to obtain his goal without reasonable compensation. The dominance ordering of boys is a good example. If not controlled by adults, boys will usually fight until they establish a rank ordering. The victor may be a leader and lead or a bully and exploit. (There are some victors who are talented but not driven and are satisfied to have the contest ended and then go on.) The bully can be controlled either by the strength of numbers, or by appeal to adult authority. In the adult political sphere, the bully may become a tyrant who can only be eliminated by revolt or the intervention of a stronger power.

In business, some individuals are driven to accumulate more money than they will ever need. This is frequently not greed, but money that is the method of keeping score to determine who is best. Some Utopians will resort to exploitation of their workers through low wages or working conditions, and/or monopolistic practices to dominate the market. However, the Utopian system of tax credits for employee taxes insures a living wage for all workers, and the tribunal court system handles complaints of unfair practices from employees and competitors.

THEIR CITIES ESPECIALLY AMAUROT

As mentioned before, most cities have populations between 50,000 and 100,000 because that is the size of the Community political unit. The second political unit is a Region composed of 42 communities. Then there are Continental and Utopian­wide units. Each political unit has a legislative, administrative, and judicial governing branch.

Election of community legislators is by town meetings and campaign spending is illegal. Candidates may electioneer only at public meetings or in the television debate format. Private political meetings are illegal, and political parties do not exist. Thus, the legislators are totally independent. Because there is no organized pressure, they usually use their judgment in making political decisions. Consequently, the government is a republic with democratically elected legislators. The community legislators select the administrators and judges. They also select representatives or legislators for regional governments. All bills enacted by the legislatures at all levels of government must be approved by referendum before they become law. This assures democracy in a system with mostly appointed instead of elected legislators. At four times in the year the legislature publishes the approved bills on television with explanations provided by the authors. Ten days after publication an electronic commentary occurs. Individuals with comments register through interactive television. An appropriate number of randomly selected individuals present ten minute commentaries. The bills are approved or rejected by an electronic vote on the tenth day after completion of the commentaries. Bills approved by 50% of Utopians over 21 years of age and not currently serving penalties for felonies become law. Thus, failure to vote is a no vote.

This referendum is time consuming as this process is repeated for the Community, Regional, Continental and Utopian legislatures. Consequently, Utopians are politically active. Without intense public involvement, because of the 50% approval requirement and the 12 year term of laws, the body of law will disappear.

The regional legislatures appoint representatives to the continental legislature; which in turn appoints legislators for the Utopian legislatures. The planet wide Utopian legislature is bicameral with one house having equal representation by continent, and the other by population.

As I said before, most cities are small, but there are larger cities that are aggregations of communities. Amaurot is the principal example as the capital city. The central city constitutes a political region of 42 neighboring communities. Since the population of the metropolitan area is over 5,000,000, there are many surrounding regions. Each community and region has its own governmental system identical to small communities. Yet, because of the proximity, intergovernmental committees are common.

Amaurot itself is located on an ancient site in a wide valley fed by a large navigable river. Throughout history the city grew because it has adequate water, tillable land, and a good harbor at the mouth of the river. This favorable location enabled the citizens to become rich and dominate neighboring cities. When Utopia accepted a single government Amaurot the birthplace of Utopus was select as its capital. Before Utopus unified the planet there was a devastating war with seven nuclear bombs detonated. Finally the citizens realized that it is impossible to win a nuclear war, and they held a planet wide conference in Amaurot. This coincided with the emergence of Utopus who was the principal author of the present political system. The ancient city Amaurot was destroyed in the nuclear war, and the architects designed the new city as a capital city. The Utopian governmental buildings are in the center with a very uniform but beautifully designed park­like setting. The buildings are individual in design and coordinated to give an overall harmonious feeling. All transportation systems are below ground with the other utilities. There are no private vehicles in the government center. Not only is the transportation system excellent, but it eliminates parking problems. Anyone who has tried to drive a car in Washington DC knows the advantages of this system.

The residential communities surround the governmental center with their individual business districts. The financial district is the center of one community, and others around other specialty centers featuring entertainment, restaurants, food distribution, shopping, small local manufacturing, and service centers.

The densely populated central region is surrounded by more rural suburban regions. The rural regions are devoted to agriculture of market produce that assures a ready supply of fresh vegetables. One reason for high population density, is that the surrounding area contains some of the best agricultural land that the original planners preserved. The earthly contrast is the southern area of the San Francisco (California) Bay that converted from the nation's finest orchards of the Santa Clara Valley to the factories and workers residential cities of Silicon Valley. The Utopian planners realized that people and manufacturing plants can thrive anywhere, but food producing plants are very picky. Although they strived to conserve space, the planners provided for fresh air recreational space of parks and athletic fields.

There are other cities on the various continents that are not as large as Amaurot. Some are planned in a similar manner, and others that escaped destruction during the nuclear war, though modernized, have preserved some charming older streets and buildings. Thus there is architectural diversity in Utopia.

Most Utopians live in smaller cities or towns. These also have high density housing with wide recreational space. Rural residents have more space than city dwellers. The population density is low in the agricultural and mountainous areas. Still, the community system of government operates over regions large enough to contain the requisite number of citizens. Town meetings are more electronic in those places, but the same principles apply. Rural residents are not that isolated as the rapid transportation systems make the bullet trains of Japan and France seem more like horses and buggies.

Private vehicles do exist for travel in the most remote areas. In the more populated areas the private vehicles approach the main highways by entrance ramps and lock onto a universal guidance system in the roadway that controls the vehicle avoiding other vehicles and assuring maximum efficiency. The vehicle releases at the desired exit and switches to driver control.

Fossil fuels are no longer used. The primary power source is electricity generated by solar or thermonuclear systems. Vehicles are powered by electric motors using batteries or hydrogen power sources. The hydrogen power is supplied from compressed hydrogen tanks using reversible hydrides to reduce the explosion hazard. The elimination of fossil fuels has reduced pollution, and more importantly saved the natural resource for use as raw materials for synthesis of important chemicals and pharmaceuticals. The conversion to an all electric power system required the development of thermonuclear power, and hydrogen power using internal combustion or fuel cells. It required a lengthy development to produce reliable systems but the elimination of pollution and the conservation of fossil fuels was worthwhile. The movement away from private vehicles was painful because "fast is fun" was true there also.

THEIR OFFICIALS

The Utopian government consists of Community, Regional, Continental and Utopian units, as mentioned before, Utopians elect Community legislators at town meetings, and they in turn appoint legislators to higher bodies and the administrative and judicial appointees in their community. Communities have 50,000 to 100,000 residents who elect 12 legislators from 12 local districts. Thus, the elected officials who alone hold the power to appoint all officials either directly, or through their appointees, are elected by a constituency of 8,000 to 16,000 citizens. Most citizens know with their legislators. They elect or appoint one third of the legislators on even numbered years.

Since all administrators, judges, and legislators, except Community legislators, are appointed not elected, all appointments are subject to a vote of approval by the citizens of the appointee's home district. That is one of the 12 districts of their Community. Although most Utopian governmental positions are appointed rather than elected, they serve with the approval of the people who know them best.

The chief executive at each level of government is appointed by the corresponding legislature. He appoints heads of the Public Service, Finance, Education, and Public works Departments. The details of the duties and makeup of these departments at Community, Regional, Continental and Utopian levels are specified in the Utopian Constitution, and a copy will be provided for your consideration. (See the Appendix.) As you will see, legislators make all appointments including the executives in charge of the various branches of the departments. Executive compensation that is comparable to that of positions in the private sector.

Although the ceremonial obligations of executives are time consuming and a distraction from the important functions of government, the personal acclaim associated with the position is one of the attractions that insures that talented people will be attracted to a position with a single six year term.

Utopia has a tribunal system of justice. They abandoned the jury system centuries ago because it had failed as we have seen in recent years in the United States with sensational coverage, and carefully manipulated jury selection. Juries were no longer peers, but selected for their prejudices, race, gender, educational level, occupation and sex. The Utopians decided that the judgment of a small group of individuals that had demonstrated a high degree of integrity, intelligence, and common sense was a better safeguard of the interests of individuals and the public. Hopefully, all judges are Solomons.

There are no law schools or lawyers. Incidentally, Raphael Hythloday found no lawyers in Thomas More's Utopia. The staff of the tribunal investigates criminal cases, and submits reports to the judges. The judges then question the witnesses and the investigative staff. The accused also has an appointed support staff. The staff members alternate between prosecution and defense. The staff members serve six year terms. Consequently, there aren't any on­the­job trained lawyers. However, judges frequently recommend the outstanding staff members to the legislatures as candidates for judicial appointment.

Civil cases are handled in a similar manner with staff assistance. Where the issues are financial, the litigants pay the costs to the extent that wealth is not a determining factor. Any citizen may petition the panel to hear his complaint. The panel may then deny the complaint on its own merits, or request a response from the defendant. The panel may then order a formal hearing with staff support. Frivolous suits are denied and clear cut issues are settled instantly. The panel may access fines are if they determine that either party wasted the courts time and the public's money.

Because power tends to corrupt, all positions are for a single six year term. The administrative executive at any level is appointed by the associated legislature, and then he selects his department heads with legislative approval, and subsequent hometown agreement. Term limits are six years in all branches of government for all legislative, administrative and judicial positions. The term limitation applies to all managerial levels. Although there is a six year term, an individual may serve a term in each of the branches. Thus, one may be an elected legislator, then an appointed legislator, a judge, or an administrator in any order. There must be a six year interval between legislative positions. At any time the roster will contain members with governmental experience and those that are volunteers from private industry or foundations. The sole exception is in the judicial system. The various legislatures may appoint a judge to a term in a higher court. This is the one case where demonstrated judgment is more important than the risk of power concentration.

The objective of this system is to limit the abuse of power. One could argue that with no future governmental positions would not draw talented people, and that experience is important in all fields of endeavor. Still, government service attracts talented people by the prestige associated with the position during and after service. Ability is more important than experience, and management experience in the private sector is applicable to government. In any event, the problems of inexperience are more acceptable than the corruption of power.

The interruption for government service can be a problem when an individual is climbing the corporate ladder or developing a private business. Consequently, some talented people are not available. Usually, the prestige associated with prior government service is an asset in ones resume. The Utopian system does not solve all problems, but it does limit the abuse of power, and draws many talented people. Many experienced executives accept high level positions in the government after they have retired from their positions with public companies

Ultimately, it is the old pecking order that attracts the best people because the most honored citizens are present and former public officials, especially the judges. Public service receives more pecking order points than excelling in business, arts, or sports.

THEIR OCCUPATIONS

Because Utopian technology is 500 years ahead that of earth, it is possible to automate all work. In fact, they have reached the point where the living Utopian is not necessary, and the whole of existence could be run by machines. Since this is not a very acceptable situation to the society that invented the machines, they have limited automation and computerization by general agreement. There are many other areas where technical capability is limited or controlled. Computerization and automation are used for jobs that are distasteful such as sanitation, and where the need exceeds Utopian ability such as in ultramicro surgery.

Since most of the activities that occupy humans can be done by machines it could be that Utopians would be idle. Idleness does not generate a feeling of self worth, and most individuals need to feel that they are supporting themselves and their families. Also, not all individuals are technically inclined and are by nature manual laborers. These are the ones most readily replaced by machines, and many years ago that was the situation. There developed an underclass that was truly not necessary for the continued welfare of the society as a whole. As Professor Hill says, "The idle brain is the devil's playground." The populace refused to support the idle underclass on welfare so they were not enjoying the fruits of modern life. In fact, they could not obtain the bare necessities because they were not qualified, and could not become qualified, for the available jobs so they drifted into crime. Eventually the Utopians solved the problem of welfare, prisons or jobs with the obvious solution, jobs. The tax incentives of credits to employers for taxes paid by employees in many cases made manual or hand labor economical. Yet, it was necessary for the government to be the employer of last resort. The pay was at a level that was an incentive to obtain a job in the public sector. Presently, most of the unskilled public employees are temporaries. At times, skilled workers find themselves unemployed and may temporarily depend upon the full employment program at a reduced income while looking for a position in the so­called private sector.

The Utopians had to solve the problem of keeping the incentives of private enterprise in a computerized and automated society. A society based upon consumerism requires full employment. Full employment leads to rises in wages and prices. Utopian economists at one time believed that low unemployment resulted in inflation so they engineered a five percent unemployment level as a means of control. It was very clever to control prices at the expense of those who cannot afford to buy anything. Utopia now controls employment by having public employment salaries set low providing a ready supply of employees eager to accept jobs at present rates. Another solution to the inflation problem was to increase interest rates. This did control prices as there were fewer buyers among the low income citizens. Those who had to buy essential things paid more from less. Affluent citizens profited from the high interest rates. One might call these anti­Robin Hood solutions. Utopian economists have since decided to find a solution to inflation that did not make the low income citizens do all the suffering

With the guidance of Utopus the society has accepted the facts that the private sector is more efficient than the public in getting things done, full employment is preferable to welfare or prisons, and tax incentives can be used to regulate the system. The inflationary pressure of full employment is controllable through taxes. Higher taxes remove the pressure and lowered taxes prime the pump. Utopians accept this Keynesian solution, so abhorred by earthly businessmen, because as their employees' taxes rise their taxes fall. Again, the government benefits because the working classes pay most of the taxes in any case.

At this point a digression is important. In a society that is 500 years ahead of earth's science and technology, practically everything in nature is totally understood and, for the most part, can be controlled. Genetic engineering has developed to the point where new life forms can be manufactured. Parents are no longer necessary as life can be created in the testube to the extent that manufactured genes give the organism whatever characteristics the designer, or his computer, selects. It is possible to produce a being with the brain of the greatest genius, the agility of a monkey and the strength of an elephant. Although the NFL would like to get its hands on this individual, life would be very dull. Utopus recognized this potential situation and in order to prevent Utopians from developing technology that made themselves irrelevant, genetic research and engineering was firmly restricted to correction of genetic faults such as inherited diseases.

Strict adherence to this concept has been difficult as it is nearly impossible for scientists to ignore their greatest skills and ideas, because they are driven by a need to show their contemporaries just how good they are. To be fair, most have an inner drive to do the seemingly impossible, just because. Policing the ban on such research has been difficult, and requires special organization within the scientific community. It is hard for a free society to restrict the work of some of its most brilliant scientists, but it can be compared to the present earthly laws against yelling " FIRE" in a crowded building or joking about a gun or bomb on an airplane. It is a necessary evil.

The fantastic capability of the ultimate computer has been more of a problem than a benefit, so that it has had to be controlled in the above fashion to maintain a quality of life. In fact, there are many forms of competitionthat prohibit the use computers for assistance. For example today in American baseball computers tabulate individual player's hitting talents and determine the pitching strategies. " This guy only hits a curve ball in the lower outside corner 4% of the time, but he will hit 30% of the high hard ones out of the park." Utopians play a comparable game without recourse to data banks in any sense, even to record keeping. Similar computer bans exist for contests in such diverse activities as music, cooking, and horse breeding.

It has not been easy, but through the centuries the Utopians have evolved cultural and legal means to prevent the computer from destroying the quality of life. Still automation and computerization are used where appropriate. It is no longer necessary for the Ed Nortons of Utopia to work in the sewer.

The many problems generated by the conflict between technical capability and quality of life are the most serious that the Utopian society has had to face, and continues to struggle with every day. Technological ecology, as it is called, is an important academic discipline, and Techeco committees abound in the private and governmental sectors.

With this said, let us return to Utopian occupations. Utopians, like humans, object to paying for something in which they have no choices, i.e., taxes and public service. Since the infrastructure has become so large in transportation, health, sanitation, communication, electromagnetic propagation, and many other areas where absence of coordination will lead to chaos, governmental activity is necessary. Yet experience there as here has shown that in general public employees are less efficient than private. Consequently, private companies operate most public activities on a competitive bid basis. Closed bids are submitted and evaluated without the decision makers in government knowing the identity of the bidder so as to eliminate the effect of lobbying that is illegal anyway. Failure to perform to contract results in suspension of future bidding for a period of time depending upon the degree of failure. Computer evaluation of proposals or bids include evaluation of previous contracts with the bidding company. A score or rating is provided to the contract administrator, and factored into the bidding decision along with price and other considerations. The private sector performs most government functions except the police and justice system. This includes education and health.

The public health program is a special problem as Utopians believe that health should not be a matter of supply and demand. There are public and private health care systems. A competitively contracted agency manages the public system, while the private system is by supply and demand with professionals who paid for their own education. Medical education is interesting. All students attend the same university with most getting a free scholarship. Some want to be in private practice where their patients will pay for the privilege of selecting their own physician and treatment. These students pay for their education to obtain a private practice license. Physicians who wish to transfer from public to private practice may do so by paying the university for the full cost of their education. Interestingly, the care by those who approach their work as a profession is usually superior to that of those who approach it as a business. Of course, the individual public physician has to satisfy the bean counters of the public health system that he is being financially prudent in the care of his patients.

The competitive bidding to provide public services requires a maximum of efficiency to produce the required service at the best price. It seems that this would result in low wages and a maximum of automation, which is in conflict with concept of tax credits to owners for taxes paid by employees. Still, businessmen will always find a way to make money in any system that they face, so they include potential tax credits in their bid preparations.

Use fees are charged for government services such as highway use through energy taxes and tolls. Education is free at public schools, but since continuing education is common even for the older and retired individuals most citizens feel that they get their money's worth.

The public employment program is supported by taxes but operated by private contractors. It is a problem for the conservative citizens who do not want their taxes to go for a service that is received by "lazy people", but the majority is convinced that jobs are less expensive than welfare or prisons. Unemployment is always a serious problem, and many economists believe that a certain level of unemployment is necessary to avoid inflation; if it doesn't include them. Ultimately, there is no perfect solution to society's problems, but the jobs solution seems to be the best. If normal business does not supply enough jobs, the people must do so through their government, because the alternatives are more expensive.

Of course euthanasia is a solution for the chronically unemployed. In the United States there are some who indirectly favor this approach through their advocacy of a harsh death penalty. Since most who commit capital crimes are from the so­called underclass, it is a way to eliminate at least the most troublesome members. Still, legal safeguards, even with appeal limitations, are time consuming and expensive, and jobs remain the least expensive solution in the opinion of most Utopians.

Even with restricted use of automation, there are plenty of workers available, so work hours have steadily decreased. Some work shorter hours while others choose longer vacations. This is usually a choice of how to use leisure time. Those who like to travel or undertake extended personal projects will choose longer vacations, while those interested in daily activities such as sports or the arts prefer shorter hours.

Parents frequently take unpaid leaves during pregnancy and early childhood. Also, there is a privately managed universal health insurance program that includes pay compensation when unemployed for health reasons or to care for family members. Payroll taxes finance this program.

Homemaking is an honorable occupation, and many mothers are not in the work force. Of course, this limits family income, but living wages are paid making one earner families comfortable. The choice of a more pleasant home with concurrent savings through relying less on paid services is an acceptable lifestyle. Many parents feel that this arrangement is better for the children and the mother may return to the workforce when the children reach an age that is agreeable to the family. Of course, gender reversal in this matter is possible for families where the mother is more strongly driven by career, and the father wants to provide the family atmosphere. This arrangement is not common as most Utopians believe that there is a difference between the sexes and women are better equipped physically and emotionally to be the primary nurturer. Sometimes neither parent wishes to stay home and there is paid home care and child care. Family life is very important to Utopians. Most adults marry and divorce is very limited because of cultural pressure and the general realization that it is better to solve old problems than create new ones. Most married couples eventually have children. Population explosion was a problem centuries ago, but taxation has controlled it. Parents with more than two children must pay a head tax rather than receiving the standard tax exemptions. Birth control is convenient, safe, and reversible so there are no unwanted pregnancies. Some couples are willing to pay the excess tax to have the number of children that they desire, but the tax is set at a level that compensates for the couples that for various reasons do not have two children. The population is stable or is modified by changing the tax levels.

It is time for another digression to clarify the tax laws. Governmental control of the activities of the populace is mostly effected through taxation. Utopians like humans abhor taxes and would rather pay more for a service from a private source than be taxed for the same service simply because they have a choice. Utopus and his fellow framers of the constitution reasoned that the common good is better served by the threat of taxes than prison or fines. Thus, indexed, confiscatory income tax levels encourage employment and living wages when tax credits are available for income taxes paid by employees. Property taxes limit the size of private property and control land use. The general tax levels vary in the different continents to encourage the population to be uniformly distributed. Otherwise, the more pleasant climes would become overpopulated at the expense of the colder or warmer locations. In other words, you can live better if you don't mind freezing or roasting. Population control is obtained through limiting tax exemptions to two children per mother.

Is this system of tax laws a restriction on freedom? Yes, but so are traffic laws. Every society will organize itself out of anarchy; initially by the strongest being the chief who becomes the king as he conquers his neighbors. This evolved from the animal world where the strongest or bull elk or seal collected all the females and defended his kingdom by physical combat. When the chief became a king and had too many subjects to dominate through individual combat, he organized an army with officers who had privileges in exchange for loyalty. Revolt was still common because a strong rival might rise from the masses or an officer would decide that life is better at the top. The king and the priest worked together to convince the masses to accept their lot. The peasant would be rewarded in heaven, or the untouchable would be born into a higher class next time. Alternatively, there was fire in hell or a dog's life. In exchange for protecting his power, the king must submit to some laws or taboos that to a degree gave the priests power over him.

Eventually, the officers, or nobles, made a deal with the king to share power. Then the common citizens organized and demanded the ultimate power or democracy. This is a micro view of history that is true of Utopia and earth, and is only a natural evolutionary process. The evolutionary process has had its ups and downs, but eventually both planets got to a form of democracy for most of their citizens.

Now, to return to the occupations of the Utopians. Everyone who has finished their formal education and is healthy works about 300 days a year until they reach 70 and retire. There are no government career employees, because all able bodied citizens spend six years in public service. The requirement may be filled at any time in the legislative, administrative, or judicial branches. Most Utopians fulfill the requirement in their professional field after they have completed their education. They may postpone expecting to obtain a responsible position later in life or in elective or appointive office. If the requirement was met early in life, and the citizen qualifies for a position, a second six years are possible if at least six years intervenes.

Others work in manufacturing, education, retail, service, health, and other fields similar to earth. There are many one family operations especially artisans who make both utilitarian and artistic items. Art, music, and literature are both full time and leisure time activities. Foundations provide the funds to support these activities where revenues are not sufficient.

Most Utopians work with their hands in agriculture, manufacturing, and services including the building and maintenance roads and public facilities. While automatic equipment could replace many of these workers, the tax incentives to the owners and corporations insure enough work for everyone. The same tax incentives provide an adequate income for all workers. The unemployed workers are assigned to the contracting firms that build and maintain the public facilities. The size of this work force and the number of projects varies from time to time as private industry has it's ups and downs.

Some Utopians with a guaranteed income are lazy. They are then assigned to the least desirable jobs, and in the extreme lose their guaranteed wage. There are special tribunals to hear complaints from workers who believe that they have been unfairly disciplined.

Most Utopians live to 90 years of more because medical science has eliminated so many diseases. Accidents and old age are the primary causes of death. Medical science could extend the length of life considerably, but Utopia has determined that it is better to let life take it's course, and not use extreme measures to prolong it.

The Utopians realize that they have the capability of providing a comfortable and ennobling life for all citizens. There is no reason for hunger, poverty, or disease when there is an excess of labor and resources. The natural differences of ability and drive between individuals has to be considered, and some will have more than others if they work for it. Still, there is no justification for anyone going without if they are willing to try.

SOCIAL AND BUSINESS RELATIONS

Most Utopians marry and have children. Most couples have two children. Divorce is uncommon as they have learned that in former times when multiple marriages were common the same problems arose. Law cannot control interpersonal relationships, but with adequate help many problems can be solved. With perfect birth control available sex is no longer physically dangerous. Still, as a society, the Utopians have realized that loving sex is better than the recreational kind. Infidelity is not common. Most Utopians marry after they are 25. They delay their children until the relationship is well established. Trial marriages are common where separation is socially acceptable.

Sexual exploitation is a serious crime, but proof is difficult. Individuals who feel that they may be threatened can wear transducers that will record their refusal in a central message bank. A crisis will be recorded, and bring immediate help. The penalty for rape or child molestation is castration. This is not unfair as everyone knows that there are recording devices that cannot be defeated.

Family life is very important, and they are in close contact with all relations. Although families are limited to four, there are usually four generations alive. An elderly couple with all descendants married with children could have a family of 58 individuals including their great grandchildren. An individual can be a member of four families through their great grandparents. Family get togethers are frequent.

Most Utopians belong to social organizations based upon their professions, or interests. They long ago outgrew the television and seldom sit in front of the boob tube for hours at a time. There are music, art, craft, sport, literature, charitable, and other organizations that occupy leisure time.

TRADE AND TRAVEL IN UTOPIA

Utopians are travelers. Most individuals have plenty of time and money for travel. Congestion is the major problem, and reservations are required for travel and accommodations at resorts and parks. The reservation system limits frequent access to maintain a fair distribution of opportunity.

Public transportation is excellent. Congestion limits the number of private vehicles by heavily taxing second vehicle in a family. As mentioned before, major thoroughfares are automatically controlled by a system that locks the vehicle to a track that holds speed and separation to safe limits. Private aircraft for business and pleasure exist, but tightly controlled airspace limits congestion. Every pilot is allotted a number of hours a year to use as one pleases within the congestion limitations, and route reservations.

Business travel is handled separately, but reservations are required with extra fees for short notice. Thus, if you have an emergency you can get anywhere very rapidly, but it is more expensive.

Trade is free with little government regulation, but financial exploitation is a crime. For example, if one widget manufacturer creates a monopoly by underpricing its competitor then raises its prices after the competitor is out of the business, the subsequent profits are the property of the competitor that was unfairly put out of the market. Fairness of business practices is difficult to judge. If one can make a widget for less, so be it. If the competitor cannot compete he will lose market share as expected. However, it is a crime if artificially low prices eliminate competition then prices increase to profitable levels once the monopoly is achieved. The penalty of transfer of profits to the competitor is effective in limiting the practice.

There are many small businesses, particularly specializing in handmade products. Unique craftsmanship is highly valued, and Utopians will pay a premium for the privilege of owning one of a kind. After a while computer designed and manufactured items become bland and the slightly imperfect and often unique alternative is valued.

Utopians conserve their resources as they have learned from bitter experience that resources are finite and have essentially depleted their easily recovered minerals and fossil fuels. This was the main reason for the nuclear wars that eventually led to the formation of a planet wide government under the leadership of Utopus.

They manufacture for long life and maintain their possessions to extend the useful life. Thus maintenance and repair industries employ as many workers as manufacturing.

Economies of scale seldom apply to the maintenance and repair industry, consequently there are many small businesses. Raw materials are expensive as they are primarily derived through recycling or complex recovery processes such as ionexchange and separation of seawater. This raises the cost of manufactured goods economically justifying the maintenance and repair. The work of maintaining and repairing is more satisfying than assembly, and wages are high.

Over 40% of Utopians work in the public service area for companies that contract with the government. Consequently, taxes that support this expenditure are high. Yet they have learned that economic prosperity is the result of money circulation. It matters little whether the circulation is consumerism, speculation, or public spending. During the 1980s the United States generated good economic times that were credited to private industry. In fact, the driving force was private companies contracting with the Defense Department. Unlike Utopia the Government did not choose to pay as it went, but tripled the debt. Utopians understand this and do pay as they go, but the more wealthy a Utopian is the more he will hate taxes. Some things never change. This fact is the principal reason why Utopians use taxes to motivate responsible citizenship.

The Utopian government has few employees, and none make a carrier of public service. This is an area where computerization and automation keep the staff count low. Utopians learned that public employees are frequently inefficient so they organized in a way that computers keep track of contracts that are obtained by competitive bid and carefully supervised. They have designed the system so that the few government employees are limited to six years service, and compensated such that there is a ready supply of volunteers from the public service requirement. Volunteers are selected in a way that makes it impossible for them to influence the awarding or monitoring of contracts that will benefit past or future employers or their own businesses. Retired judges who have completed their six year terms on the bench frequently serve as the monitors of government contracts and the temporary government staff to insure that the system is free of corruption. Most government employees are the recent graduates of the education system who are performing their required term of public service much like a military draft. The universal requirement of public service may be fulfilled at any age, but failure to volunteer will eliminate retirement pensions when that time comes

.

The high taxation that results from the level of government services is strongly objected to by the wealthy, particularly in view of the graduated taxing system. They complain that they do not have control of how their money is spent. Most wealth has been earned by the individual as estate taxes have eliminated inherited fortunes or financial dynasties. In fact, the only way to gain wealth is to employ others and take advantage of the tax credits available from employees taxes.

Utopia had to solve another problem as a result of the inheritance taxes. Most driven individuals not only are greedy for wealth, but want to build monuments. Private ownership is not common; rather the owner sells stock or takes on partners and divides his fortune among many companies that will survive his death or retirement even if they are not in the hands of his descendants. The custom of retaining the founder's name encourages this practice.

Because they cannot pass on their wealth to their children, and they hate taxes, most successful individuals transfer their assets to charitable trusts. This is the source of funding for the academic and artistic foundations that provide the nongovernment services that serve as benchmarks for the public funded functions.

THEIR GOLD AND SILVER

Gold and silver are not valued as financial assets. Money does not exist as such. All transactions are through debits and credits to personal accounts. Salaries are directly deposited and bills are paid and things purchased by debits. Credit cards are not necessary as fingerprints are totally unique and transactions are made through the use of scanners.

Gold and silver are used for their oxidation resistance and electrical conductivity. They are also fabricated into jewelry. Jewelry is one nonexploitive method of standing above the crowd or distinguishing oneself. The drive to be in some way superior to others is among the strongest for Utopians. If one is personally inferior they believe they can improve their status by what they wear or how they decorate themselves. Others don't seem to care, and dress very casually for comfort and freedom of movement relying on other means of achieving selfworth. Since public acclaim is an important factor in attracting the most talented to public service, decorations signifying accomplishment are common. The badge of honor is very important.

THEIR MORAL PHILOSOPHY

Freedom from exploitation is the basis of Utopian moral philosophy. Exploitation may be physical, emotional, sexual, intellectual, or financial. Exploitation is the use of superior strength to force others to do what they do not want to do. In the physical realm not only superior muscular strength or athletic skill, but the use of a weapon provides strength also. In the emotional area, some individuals are able to dominate others who are less determined or strong willed. Sexual exploitation is usually physical, but also can be emotional particularly when the victim is a child. The melodramatic landlord using the rent to extract sexual favors is a form of financial­sexual exploitation. When the smart con artist extracts money or favors from a less clever individual he is guilty of intellectual exploitation. Many forms of advertisement are intellectual exploitation of less sophisticated or Utopialy individuals. Most emotional exploitation involves some degree of the intellectual. Financial exploitation is obvious.

Not all cases of exploitation are serious enough to be considered crimes, but are considered sinful to some degree. Sin is a matter of conscience and when public can have social effects. Frequently, the scorn of fellow Utopians is a more serious punishment than what the law can inflict. There is but one commandment in Utopia: Thou shalt not exploit. Which is similar to love thy neighbor.

Utopians know that everyone is not created equal. There are wide ranges of gifts or skills. Not only should they avoid exploitation, but in the positive sense to give support in a manner that is not demeaning. Not all matters of moral conduct are negative. Positive actions that help the less fortunate are more important than the negative or "thou shalt nots." That takes care of the positive part of love thy neighbor. To put it simply, exploitation is a matter of law and love a matter of conscience which is unlegislatable.

In former times when warfare was common, the most honored heros were military. Today, the heros of Utopia are those who have done the most to help less fortunate citizens. Not only those who have done heroic deeds such as life saving, but also those who have devoted their time and treasure to making the life of less fortunate citizens better. Finding meaningful employment for handicapped individuals is an example. Charitable contributions are not tax exempt. Charity is an act of generosity, not a way to avoid taxes.

It is impossible to legislate fairness. The Utopians rely upon public opinion to encourage individuals to be fair with their fellow citizens. The formation of exclusive groups or clubs has always been a means of effortlessly obtaining superiority. It is the ever present we­they issue. "Because I am a we I am automatically superior to all the theys." Wherever possible, the Utopians use harmless competition to fill this need to be superior. Thus teams in sports and other competitive activities are a very important aspect of Utopian daily life. Still, there are individuals who are not smart, strong, athletic, or talented, and it remains the responsibility of the heros to help these individuals to feel worthwhile by whatever means they can. Being a member of the rooting section helps. How often does one hear "we" used by noncombatants in reference to the exploits of the local team?

Although Utopia is about 500 years ahead of Earth in evolutionary development Utopians have not developed an understanding or a solution to the have or have­not problem. They have, however, done a lot to assure that what the haves have is not taken from the have­nots without reasonable recompense. All Utopians are created with equal rights, but not with equal talent or ability. It is inevitable that the more gifted will have more of the world's goods. Even if they have to convince the less gifted to help them get it. No government can legislate equality in this circumstance, but in Utopia there is a cultural obligation on the part of the gifted to go more than half way. The small minded may not end up in jail, but they will not be honored public citizens, which is very important in Utopian society.

The tax code and constitutional protection from exploitation have helped to lessen the oppression of the less talented or fortunate by the stronger element of the population. However, there remains the problem of low productivity of workers with guaranteed a job. This is the fundamental problem with the socialist solution to political organization. Low productivity by any other name is still laziness. Hundreds of years ago Utopians experimented with socialism in some sovereign nations. They had the expected results of low productivity and shortages that happened with Communism on earth. The full employment policies of the present day Utopia face the same issue. Incentive pay is the solution that they have selected. Where possible, piece work pay is available so that efficient employees receive more pay. Workers who are willing, but not skillful enough to meet the piece work goal transfer to jobs where other measures of productivity apply. Private employers may discharge workers for inefficiency. When these workers employed in the public work program exhibit poor productivity they may have their pay cut until they show reasonable efficiency. Labor review boards are available to hear complaints of workers who feel that heir productivity evaluation was unfair.

This system eliminates most of the productivity problems stemming from universal employment because incentives and penalties exist. No amount of government Intervention can change the fact that some individuals are born more gifted than others, and will inevitably gain more Utopialy goods than their fellows. All that government can do is to ensure that everyone who is willing to work has a good life. Social classes exist in Utopia based upon professional success and wealth. There are neighborhoods where the housing is more expensive which leads to rich communities. Again, this is an accepted fact of life as long as exploitation of the less fortunate does not occur. Utopia has done what it can to eliminate political power, but the class issue can influence it. Since all appointees are subject to approval by their local community, upper class neighbors are likely to approve a fellow member. Fortunately, the only elected legislators come from a cross section of all communities. Naturally, the less affluent communities are more numerous and their legislators will appoint talented people to higher legislatures with a careful eye to these issues of class. Again, differences exist and the more talented or gifted will and should be in control, but a politically aware population can prevent the formation of a political elite.

Another problem arising from the full employment tax incentives is that the wealthy who employ servants to do their household labor are not effected and they could pay low salaries. The public employment program provides a bottom wage that employers of servants must meet if they want to have applicants for their positions. The class issue presents a more serious problem. In most earthly societies it is the custom for servants to be servile, for instance the formal bow of the Japanese and the Peon­Patron system of Latin America. Laws cannot change this relationship, only custom. In Utopia public awareness programs instituted by socially minded individuals have engendered pride in most individuals so that they demand respect regardless of their employment. If the employer insists on being addressed formally then the employee expects the same in return.

Utopians enjoy universal health. Disease still occurs, but it is controllable so that long term illness due to bacterial or virus infection seldom occurs. This is primarily due to immunization and effective use of antibacterials. Most health problems result from accidents that are to some extent unavoidable for active Utopians. Centuries ago Utopians tried to legislate accidents out of existence. They achieved a condition where little could be accomplished because there were too many rules and regulations. Now they agree that if Utopians injure themselves they must suffer the painful consequences.

Individuals injured through the actions of others have access to the courts for compensation. If the appropriate tribunal finds that a business is responsible for serious injury due to conscious failure to correct a dangerous condition, the owners and responsible employees are subject to criminal penalty under the Constitutional guarantee of freedom from exploitation.

The Constitution also limits the number of laws to 100, and Laws repeal automatically in ten years. Consequently, most Utopian legal interactions settle on the issue of exploitation. Legal precedent and common law are not applicable in Utopian courts. Panels judge the evidence presented by the individuals involved who function without the benefit of legal counsel. Inequalities between the litigants due to intelligence, education, or other conditions are considered by the judges. The judges question the litigants with this in mind to make the most fair judgment. The panel has an investigative staff that may examine the evidence related to the issue. The litigants may not higher investigators, but may request the judges to have their staffs investigate their claims.

The judges are the most respected members of society, but those who do not live up to their great responsibilities become the most shunned members. Judges whose decisions show a significant bias may be removed from the panel by a vote of two thirds of the members of the panels of the relevant judicial organization. A petition of 10,000 citizens or 15% of the sitting judges may initiate the proceedings. The Utopian court and both houses of the Utopian legislature review a decision to remove a judge.

THEIR LEISURE

Utopians enjoy plenty of leisure time. They value learning, and many are perpetual students attending classes in literature, history, philosophy, sciences, art, and music long after they complete their formal education. Discussion groups and seminars are very common. Musical education is widely available in the schools so that many belong to groups or orchestras according to their skill levels and interests. Concerts are always available at the various levels, and the best musicians make their livings in this way. Artistic groups are also common, and arts and crafts are both a means of employment and a leisure time activity. As mentioned earlier, Utopians prefer handmade items to the manufactured form. Many make their living in this field, but the amateurs are very active,

holding arts and crafts fairs.

Many Utopians are not intellectually or artistically inclined, and concentrate on activities in the outdoors. Gardening is the principal leisure activity of many Utopians. Food is readily available and cheap, but many prefer to grow their own. In the congested communities, gardens plots are available for a reasonable rent. Their are also many who spend their leisure in decorative planting. Rural residents have gardens. City dwellers decorate their patios with potted plants, or grow flowers and ornamental plants in the neighborhood plots. There are gardening clubs, shows and competitions.

Theatrical groups are everywhere at all levels from the National Theater at the Utopus Center to local drama clubs in the small towns. There are also film and television productions.

Other Utopians participate in outdoor activities such as hiking, boating, and camping. There are many parks featuring these activities, and access controlled wilderness areas designed to lessen congestion and impact on the environment. Environmental awareness is very high and the parks are in excellent condition. The more adventurous take long trips on foot or by boat like earthly backpackers and cruisers. Those Utopians interested in outdoor activities take advantage of the long daily working options so as to have time available for lengthy trips.

Sports and games on land and water are very common. Physical conditioning is universal and most everyone belongs to an exercise or athletic club. Both amateur and professional contests exist at all levels. There are many games that involve a ball and are similar to earthly ones. Spectator sports are common also.

Games are played, again at all skill levels. Some individuals play board games similar to chess and other earthly games very aggressively, while others play to pass a pleasant evening with friends or family. Gambling is legal both in games with friends and in casinos. Gamblers must register with the casino and bank account verifications guarantee that their addiction does not endanger their financial future and that of their family. It is the responsibility of the casino to manage the system, and they are responsible for failure to prevent excess losses.

Gambling is not the only addiction. Chemical addiction is common and there are programs available to help the addicted and their families. The genetic aspects of addiction are well known and therapy is effective. There are programs to help those whose addiction stems from psychological problems. These programs are not always effective, Utopians deny just as readily as humans.

Spending time with family and friends in recreational activity is the rule. It is a custom for families to have a night each week together; not unlike the practice of the Mormons in the US. It is an opportunity for each member to report on their activities at work, school, or play, and to discuss plans for future activities. Most importantly, the parents drop their own work or personal interests and concentrate on the interests and needs of their children. The children get to understand their parents and their jobs and personal interests. There was a time when parents focused on their own problems and a gap between the age groups grew to where families literally fell apart. The modern practice of family evenings has greatly improved family communication, and resulted in closeness between children and their parents that lasts a lifetime.

Spending time with friends and relations both in the evening after work or on days off is very common. Going to a friend's house for dinner and a game of cards is an ideal Utopian evening. Clubs and organizations of people with like interests are everywhere. They have activities that are both entertaining and constructive such as charitable activities and community interests.

Drugs and alcohol are legal, because Utopians found hat making their sale or use a crime engenders even more crime. They found that it was more effective to treat the addict than prosecute and incarcerate him and his supplier.

LEGAL PROCEDURES AND PUNISHMENTS.

Much was said earlier about the legal system, but it will be explained more thoroughly. There are no lawyers in Utopia, and panels of judges decide cases without juries. Legislatures appoint judges the respective political level. As with all appointees they are approved by a vote of the citizens in their voting district. Single six year term limits apply to judges with the exception that the seven members of the Utopian Court are traditionally selected from the most respected judges of the lower courts. At the Regional and Continental level there are several judicial panels, and one judge who has completed a six year term is appointed by the Legislature, with the usual local confirmation, to a six year term as the judicial executive. The judicial executive is responsible for assignments of judges to constantly changing panels, and the assignment of investigators to the plaintive and defense when requested by the sitting panel. The judicial executive alternatively assigns investigators to defense and plaintive so as not to develop a bias.

The Utopian Constitution limits each political unit to 100 laws that have a life of twelve years if not renewed. This results in a judicial system based on good judgment rather than laws. In former times the legal system became one of laws and lawyers and not justice. It evolved to where winning was the issue, not the truth. Defense lawyers were judged for their number of wins, and prosecutors for their convictions regardless of guilt. Modern Utopians prefer to have judges selected by their neighbors for their demonstrated wisdom and honesty.

Article 3.4 of the Utopian constitution summarizes criminal law. "Citizens are free from exploitation by other individuals, organizations, and governments. Exploitation may be physical, social, intellectual, emotional, or economic." All criminal prosecution depends upon this clause and the good judgment of the judicial panel.

Four levels of courts hear cases: Community, Regional, Continental and Utopian. Minor crimes or misdemeanors and civil crimes involving sums equivalent to an average weekly income are tried in the Community courts. Simple felonies of exploitation that permanently affects the lifestyle of the victim and intermediate level civil cases are heard in Regional courts. They also hear appeals from the Community courts. The Continental courts hear capital crimes and the larger civil cases concerning local issues. They also hear appeals from the Regional courts. The Utopian courts hears appeals from lower courts, felonies against the Utopian people and government, and civil cases that have impact throughout the entire planet.

Their Constitution defines capital crimes. Possession of fissionable material in excess of 1/100 of a critical mass is a capital crime. A total of ten such quantities is authorized for the Planet, totaling 1/10 of a critical mass. Nuclear reactors are banned. The mining and purification of fissionable material is also prohibited, and crimes against the nuclear laws are punished by banishment. A small quantity of fissionable material is produced to replace that lost to radioactive decay. Decay products are periodically blasted into deep space. All unauthorized fissionable material was blasted into deep space ten years after the Constitution was ratified.

The Constitution bans the possession of an unauthorized lethal weapon. Exceptions to this law are for the guards around the banishment island and for hunters of dangerous or over populated animals. These weapons automatically destroy if there is a possibility that they may be misused.

Possession of poisonous and explosive materials is a second degree felony. Authorized individuals and organizations are legally responsible for the improper use of these materials. This clause is liberally interpreted because many everyday chemicals are poisonous if used in an improper way.

The burning of organic matter without a special permit is prohibited. Environmental damage is the responsibility of the perpetrator, and is punishable by triple the cost of restoration and repair. Organizations and individuals are personally liable to the extent of their interest in the activity.

Punishment for crime relates to the type and extent of the exploitation. Restitution to the victim, where possible, is a requirement. In cases where restitution is impossible, such as incurable injury, the victim is appropriately compensated by money or personal service. In many cases criminals have spent the rest of their lives providing their victims the services that their injury has made necessary. Most minor crimes are also punishable by house arrest in which the prisoner may go to work and essential personal services, but remain at home at all other times. Automatic locators assure that the restriction is obeyed. Second and most first degree felons are in prison where they work to pay for their support and the restitution that they owe their victim.

There is no death penalty on Utopia. Capital crimes such as first degree murder are punishable by banishment. A large island has been set aside as the banishment site. Upon conviction and review by the Utopian court, the capital felon is transported to the banishment island for life. There are no guards or government employees on the island so that the criminals live in a society of their own. The island is self sufficient in agriculture if the inmates choose to do so. If they choose to kill each other that is their problem. Exploitation exists on the banishment island as some evil people are stronger than others. Still, every individual is there because they chose to do the crime that got them there.

The essential items, such as tools and medicine that the inmates cannot produce, are delivered by air drop or at the pier that is used to deliver new inmates. The inmates feed themselves, build their own shelters and other desired facilities, and otherwise provide for their needs. Patrol boats and airplanes prevent escape. The members of the patrol staff are among the few individuals allowed to carry lethal weapons on Utopia. It is impossible for these weapons to be captured and used by escaping criminals. Because each weapon comes equipped with a fingerprint detecting device that must be activated frequently or the mechanism of the weapon will be disabled. Among all Utopians, only one individual has the fingerprint that will activate the weapon. This system provides total security.

The banishment system completely solves the problem of individuals who do not want to live within the rules of Utopian society. They are simply removed from that society to one of their own making. Utopians consider this superior to capital punishment as it eliminates the need for the government or the public being killers of even those that may need killing.

There remains a problem of those who commit crimes and use insanity as a defense. Since a truly insane individuals is not totally responsible for there actions, the normal punishment is not fair. Utopia has a separate system for handling these individuals. It is a maximum security facility where individuals remain for the normal sentencing period. If it is a capital crime that is for life. Special judicial panel whose judges professionally trained in psychology decide such cases with the assistance of a panel of experts. This system cannot work perfectly, and some criminals get to serve their sentence in more comfortable circumstances. Still the State does it's best to be fair, and the judges have to "call them as they see them" and then move on.

The banishment system essentially eliminates another problem, that of judicial and police corruption. As stated earlier, because police and judges are responsible for the criminal justice system, those who commit serious crimes are subject to the most serious penalty that they have inflicted upon others. When banished, they will be with individuals that they have banished who will be happy to see them for all the wrong reasons.

Graft and corruption by government employees other than in the justice system is handled differently. After serving an appropriate sentence, serious offenders receive marks or tattoos, like the scarlet letter, so that everyone can easily identify them. In the sense that public servants are universally admired, these individuals are universally vilified.

There is very little graft and corruption on Utopia.

INTERCONTINENTAL RELATIONS

With 400 years of planet wide government, one language, one legal system the cultural differences between continents have declined. Also, there has been a lot of migration. The Utopian legislatures have tried to encourage individuals to remain on the less attractive continents. They have used reduced taxes and special facilities that make living in less comfortable locations attractive. Racial and cultural differences have declined as a result of extensive migration, but there remain local customs rooted in historical and environmental conditions. This leads to some vestiges of we­they issues that channel into nonabrasive interactions such as contests in cultural and athletic activities.

Intercontinental trade is common, particularly in agricultural and forest products. Trade imbalances can lead to significant differences in wealth. If Utopia (the continent) has a 1% advantage in trade with Orthrombo, in 100 years the Utopian businesses will own Orthrombo. That is colonialism and no longer acceptable. Colonial masters always treated the natives as serfs, if not as slaves. The temperate climate of continental Utopia effects the productivity of its citizens and it is to be expected that imbalance will exist. Free trade between unequal entities is unequal. This is similar to the relationship between individuals with unequal abilities. On Utopia it is accepted as a fact of life as long as the relationship is not exploitive. When this condition exists between continents, it results in migration of gifted to the more favorable place. Consequently, the cultural, political, and economic status of the less favorable continent declines. As usual, Utopians used taxation and financial incentives to encourage businesses in the more favorable continents to invest in labor generating industries in the less favorable ones; including employing locals in management positions.

WARFARE

Utopian society evolved the same as that on Earth. Warfare increased in sophistication until battling nations could totally annihilate each other. As mentioned elsewhere, a nuclear war resulted with the expected devastation. A planet wide conference with the leadership of Utopus developed a plan for a single government and the outlawing of all weapons. Warfare does not exist on Utopia. Courts and legislatures settle disputes between localities.

RELIGIONS

Most Utopians belong to organized religions that believe in a personal Deity. Many denominations are based on ancient traditions, and are not evenly distributed between the various continents. Historically, religions evolved a priestly class who used their influence over the masses to secure the rule of the kings. With the rise of democracy and the disappearance or kings, the influence of the priestly class declined, and the hierarchy has had to share power with the members of the congregations.

The more traditional denominations have retained the priestly class, but have decreased the political power of the priests. Since services of the traditional religions are more ceremonial, priests are necessary for the conduct of devotions, and continuity of the traditions is essential. Otherwise change will be rampant and the church will disperse. Modern hierarchies concentrate on theology and define the ceremonial forms. Individual congregations may choose to accept the precepts as defined by the hierarchy or define themselves as belonging to a different religion. Thus if you wish to call yourself a ______ist you must accept these precepts. Otherwise call yourself and your congregation something else. Thus the hierarchy has control of its trademark, and continuity and freedom can coexist.

Massive cathedrals and other shows of opulence are no longer built. The remaining ones are architectural masterpieces preserved and operated in the traditional way, but more for their value as museums rather than functioning churches that they are. Modern congregations direct their efforts to charitable activities rather than exclusively to the glorification of God who they feel has enough glory of His own. Ceremonial devotions verify the congregation's service to their God with opulence reduced to a minimum. The members of the most popular religion (if that is a proper adjective) devote most of their energy and finances to service of the unfortunate. They still have frequent ceremonies and devotions, but other activities are charitable.

Most of the priests earn their living in the secular world and conduct their ecclesiastical duties on their own time. They are not responsible for the administration of the church, rather that is handled in the manner of public administration. There a few salaried administrators and employees, but because power corrupts they have the six year limitation. Local administration is voluntary and limited to six years. Many congregations have a few tens of members and meet in private facilities and homes frequently combining with other congregations at the larger congregations or even rent the space. Organization remains loose under the copyright of the parent hierarchy.

Other less formal churches are a grouping of individual congregations that have a parent organization with elected officials and little if any central theology. Again, the parent organization has a set of principles or by­laws that are required if individual congregations wish to use the trademark. Even though they are organized democratically individual congregations agree to agree with the fundamental creed or change their denomination name. Knowing that rapid change leads to chaos, most denominations are very slow to change, and require large majorities for support of changes.

There are many churches that are even less structured and their members independently establish their creed and practices. Frequently, these are similar to the more organized religions from which the local congregation has separated for its own reason. There are also congregations, started and operated by an individual or small group, that define the creed and practices and invites individuals to join.

In the past there have been serious religious conflicts of the we­they variety that have often resulted in wars that left many killed in the name of God. Modern Utopians agree that this historical fact was part of the evolution or the society. It had it roots in the power game between Kings who used their Priests to encouraging the common people to risk death with the expectation of instant heavenly reward. It also served to give the dominant population a means of securing more of the utopialy goods by taking them away from the weaker group that obviously did not have God's approval. Knowing that God wants you to have what you want is very satisfying especially if you and your fellows have the strength to get it. Of course, a little praying to God to help me and not that other guy helps. Like Phil Harris said, "If you can't help me Lord, please don't help that bear."

With this Raphael concluded his discussion of the planet Utopia and its society. It was late on Friday evening when he finished and we were scheduled to return to our homes on Saturday morning. Raphael was going to San Francisco so he arranged his flight so we could travel together. During the flight I attempted to convince him to identify himself in the public and tell the whole world about Utopia. He said that he could not do so under his Utopian rules, but in a way I could. He suggested that I describe Utopia in a small book patterned after that of Thomas More. I should be able to repeat much of what he told us in the order that More used subject by subject. Then if I could pull it off, the public would not know if it were real or a device. That is much the reaction that More received after publication of his little book as he understood from the records of Utopians who were in England in the 17th century.

We parted at the airport exit. Raphael turned north to San Francisco and I south to San Jose. He did not give me an address, telephone or other means of contacting him. I have never seen him or heard from him. Exactly as he intended it.

I have thought long about this experience and have concluded that Utopia has, after five centuries worked out most of the problems of the organization of a society of differing individuals. They have arranged the laws and evolved customs that while recognizing that all Utopians are not created equal the strong are not allowed to exploit the weak. Also, the less privileged by ability or circumstance are expected to provide for themselves with work and opportunities that are always available to them if they are willing to perform.

The Utopians recognize that everyone is not blessed with a sense of fairness and will exploit others if they can. There are criminal justice and civil courts that are responsible to see that exploiters are punished by prisons or fines. These courts are not dependent upon the judgment of juries, but those of carefully selected and monitored judges of impeccable reputation. Taxes are universally (in the truest sense) hated by all individuals, and in direct proportion to their wealth. The Utopians use the tax laws to control noncriminal but antisocial behavior such as the income tax that provides tax breaks for employers whose employees pay taxes. Taxes control excess traffic and population. Taxes also control the economy. I believe that it will be a long time before all of the Utopian concepts will be accepted on earth. Mostly, because it would require too many in power to give up their privileges. Take the matter of campaign finance that is so important in the time that I am writing this. Present day politicians are unwilling to electioneer on a level playing field where they present to the voters what they claim to believe so they can decide on its merits. Rather they want the voters to decide based upon the advertising that they can get those who want special privilege to pay for. They are kept in power by this system and they are the only ones who can change it.

Our society is moving in the direction of feudalism. Where the working class is losing purchasing power because of job loses due to automation and the transfer of manufacturing to low labor countries. Thus those who still have jobs have to have two family incomes to keep even. During the middle of the twentieth century one family member could provide an adequate income. Not with two cars and a boat, but with enough food, clothing, and housing. Furthermore most owned the home. For example, my neighbor was a carpenter who earned a good salary of $14 an hour in the 1960s. Now the unions have been destroyed and nonunion carpenters work for the about $14. Then a new small car cost less than $4000 (I bought a 1967 Pontiac for $3800), and a comparable one costs about $15000 today.

Agricultural workers are another example. Food for the average family costs a small fraction of income. The prices are kept low by low wages paid farm workers whose working conditions and wages are so low that even poor locals will not accept the jobs. Labor is imported, frequently illegally, because the wages are still better than the worker can find in his own country that is even more feudal.

This condition cannot continue for long. Henry Ford is the main example of the consumer economy. He is supposed to have said that he intended to build a car that his workers could afford to buy. If the present trend of down sizing, automation, and overseas manufacture continues, the consumer economy will collapse. Then the remaining service, financial, and communication companies can serve themselves and communicate about their lack of business. If we buy manufactured goods from overseas, we have to sell them hamburgers or get them to use our credit agencies. They can't afford hamburgers, and they have their own banks.

Increases in productivity are praised as if people were working harder. Actually, it is due to automation and computerization. Does this mean that more will be produced or fewer workers will be employed?

Would the Utopian system help. Yes. If the Utopian taxing system were introduced, labor intensive industries would thrive and exploitive ones would fail. This is nearly impossible to accomplish because the exploitive ones are politically powerful, and would contribute heavily to politicians to protect their turf. The present labor intensive industries are doing OK with their overseas plants and automation so they have no incentive to lobby for the Utopian system. It can only occur when the working population declines to where they decide that they will vote their interest, and not that of the politician with the biggest budget. This will be a revolt; hopefully a political rather than violent one.

The other Utopian concept that would certainly work is the welfare, prison, or jobs. Maybe I should include starvation but most will steal rather than starve and they will get prison; won't they. I have read that it costs $25,000 a year to keep a prisoner. That is about a million dollars or more if the individual goes to prison at 20 and lives to 60. If 5 percent of our population were in prison, that is about $300,000,000,000 a year. That would pay for a large public employment program with considerable improvement in the infrastructure.

I doubt that a public employment program would eliminate crime as it has become part of the culture in certain communities. Still in time combined with education the crime rate would fall. Similar savings could be made in the welfare area. still, people do not want to pay taxes for public employment, not realizing that the alternative is more expense and contains a lot of fear.

The Utopian system applies to the whole planet. I have said a lot about shifting jobs overseas. People of other countries need to work also. Solutions to our problems that have a negative effect on others are not solutions. If the world is ever going to have a uniform standard of living, most have to improve, but some may lose. However, the profits of the exploiters should not be the defining issue . Rather it should be equality with freedom and justice for all.
 
 
 
 
 

Ratified and Effective on the first day of the year 3175 of Modern Time. This constitution is intended for the continued peaceful governance of Utopia through its ratification all formerly sovereign governments are dissolved and a single governmental system that is uniform for all lands and peoples is established. This system allows a maximum freedom for all citizens. We the citizens by ratification of this constitution agree that the function of government is to provide services and facilities such as education, health, communication, transportation, public utilities, parks and recreation, and public safety. These services are fundamental to a peaceful life, and all citizens have an equal right to access.

The second function of government is to protect its citizens from physical, economic, political, social, and environmental exploitation.

The third function of government is to provide a legal system for determining the guilt or innocence of individuals accused of exploitation of their fellow citizens, and establish the relevant penalties. Another function of the legal system is to adjudicate civil disagreements between citizens.

The fourth function of government is to provide a legislative system to pass laws and to establish the rules by which the government functions

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1. THE GOVERNMENT OF UTOPIA

1.1 Legislatures

1.1.1 The legislative body of a community has twelve members elected by the citizens of twelve equal districts of that community four of whom are elected by popular vote on the 377th day of odd numbered years. District boundaries are redrawn by a committee appointed by the legislative body every twelfth year six months preceding the general election.

1.1.2 The legislative body of a region has 42 members one each appointed by the Community Legislatures.

1.1.3 The Continental Legislature has a member from each region who are appointed by their Regional Legislatures.

1.1.4 The Utopian Legislature is bicameral with the National house consisting of 21 members three each appointed by the continental legislatures of the seven populated continents. The Popular Legislature consists of one each appointed by the regional legislatures.

1.1.5 All legislators are elected or appointed to a single six year term and may serve in more than one legislature but not in consecutive terms.

1.1.6 New legislators are elected or appointed on even years with a third of the seats being filled every other year.

1.1.7 Community legislatures convene on the first day of the calendar year following elections. Regional legislatures convene on the 50th day of the year. Continental legislatures convene on the 100th day. Utopian legislatures convene on the 150th day. Retiring legislators hold their seats until the new legislature convenes.

1. Legislators appointed to Regional, Continental, and Utopian legislatures serve after a vote of approval by a majority of the eligible voters of their home district.

All executives are appointed to a single six year term on the 50th day after convening of the legislature. They in turn appoint heads of departments of Public Safety, Finance, Education, and Public work. These appointments are for six years and are subject to approval by the citizens of their voting district. It is the duty of the executive to supervise department heads, and provide support to the legislature as needed.

1.2.1 Public safety departments.

1.2.1.1 The community public safety department is responsible for police, fire, ambulance, disaster services, and the operation of the misdemeanor penalty programs.

1.2.1.2 The regional public service department operates training schools for the various community services. It coordinates mutual aid between communities. It maintains special equipment and personnel for major problems beyond the capability of community departments. It operates penalty programs for second degree felons.

1.2.1.3 The continental public service department supports the regional departments. It operates management training programs for community and regional departments. Maintains special equipment and personnel for problems beyond the scope of regional departments. It operates penalty programs for first degree felons.

1.2.1.4 The Utopian public service department operates a research, development and engineering institute for emergency services. It organizes and operates Utopian wide conferences and training for public services. It operates the banishment program.

1.2.2 Finance departments

1.2.2.1 The community finance department collects all taxes and disperses funds to regional, continental, and Utopian governments as prescribed by the budgetary laws enacted by the Utopian legislatures. It pays salaries and obligations of the community.

1.2.2.2 The regional finance department pays salaries and obligations at the regional level. It audits and reports the finances of the various communities.

1.2.2.3 The Continental finance department pays salaries and obligations at the continental level. It audits and reports the finances of the various communities.

1.2.2.4 The Utopian finance department pays salaries and obligations at the Utopian level. It audits the finances of the continents. It collects data and recommends budgets for the approval of the Utopian legislatures. The Utopian finances are audited by the staff of the Utopian legislatures.

1.2.3 Education departments

1.2.3.1 The community education department operates local schools through secondary education, and continuing adult education. It operates libraries, sporting facilities, stadia, and auditoriums.

1.2.3.2 The regional education department operates colleges through the first level of higher education. It operates central libraries, sporting facilities, stadia, and auditoriums for the region.

1.2.3.3 The continental education department operates the university program for advanced study. It operates the scholarship program for private institutions. It operates a quality assurance program for private education.

1.2.3.4 The Utopian education department operates the Utopian University and research institutes. It provides testing services for all levels of educating, public and private.

1.2.4 Public Works Departments.

1.2.4.1 The public works departments at all governmental levels are responsible for the construction and maintenance of all public facilities including those occupied by other departments under article 2. It is also responsible for operation and maintenance of public transportation, power, sanitary services, and communication under article 2. The community public service departments operate the public employment program as specified under article 2.

1.3.1 Judicial Branch

The Utopian justice system no longer uses the jury system to determine guilt or innocence, or to settle civil cases. Judicial panels hear and decide all cases There are no prosecuting or defense lawyers. The judges question witnesses and the courts investigative staff obtains and presents the facts. Accused citizens have a right to a speedy trial with investigative assistance supplied by the judicial staff.

The judicial staff may also assist defendant or claimant in a civil case if a majority of the judicial panel finds that a sufficient inequality of resources exists. This is to assure that wealth is not a factor in any legal proceeding.

Judges are appointed to single six year terms, except for Utopian judges according to article 1.3.1.4, by their respective legislatures. A reputation for integrity and good judgment is the necessary and only qualification.

1.3.1.1 The community courts have three judge panels. They hear misdemeanor criminal cases and civil cases where amounts and issues are minor, as established by the Utopian legislatures.

1.3.1.2 Regional courts have three judge panels. They hear second degree felony cases, and civil cases of a local nature and amounts set by the Utopian legislatures. They hear appeals from the community courts.

1.3.1.3 Continental courts have five judge panels, and hear first degree criminal cases and civil cases of large amounts and substantive issues. They hear appeals from the regional courts.

1.3.1.4 The Utopian court has a seven member panel. It hears appeals and review all felony convictions with life in prison penalties. Utopian judges may be selected from individuals that have been judges in lower courts.

1.3.1.5 The judges of all courts select a court executive from among former judges with legislative approval. The executive assigns judges to panels, and supervises the courts investigative staff. The executive serves a single six year term.

1.3.1.6 Judges whose opinions display a significant bias may be removed by a vote of two thirds of the sitting members of all panels of the relevant judicial organization upon a petition brought by 10,000 citizens, 15% of the sitting members, or an appellate panel of a higher court. All removals are reviewed by the Utopian court and approved by a vote of both houses of the Utopian legislature.

1.3.1.7 Employees of the criminal justice system including judges, staff, and police convicted of a premeditated crime will be subject to the maximum penalty that has resulted from any case to which the official has contributed. Banishment is the penalty for acceptance of a bribe by any government employee. Cases under this article will be heard by a committee of six members from each of the Utopian legislatures.

1.4 All appointments to legislative, administrative, judicial, and public safety positions including the first level of departmental management are approved by a affirmative vote of 50% of the eligible voters of their home community voting district.

2.0 Articles of Government

History has shown that the profit motive leads to more efficient operation in the private sector than has been demonstrated by public employees, however, some services, such as police are not well suited for competitive private industry. All citizens have an equal right to services including fire, police, disaster, justice, education, parks and recreation, libraries, local transportation, power, sanitation, and health regardless of their financial situation. When possible the relevant department will contract with private industry for the operation of such services.

2.1 The public sector has traditionally operated an education system at no cost to qualified citizens. Private schools are also available and provide a valuable benchmark for the public school system, yet they can lead to the existence of an elitist group. In order to have the best of both systems, the private institutions must have 50% of their students on public scholarship, accepting tuition equal to the average amount spent for students of a comparable public system.

1. The education departments administers standard tests prepared by the Utopian education department to assure equal education to all citizens of public and private institutions.

1. Health

1. Medical licensing for public and private health care are different. Qualified students are educated for public practice with full financial support. Individuals in private practice must finance their education. If an individual wishes to transfer from public to private practice he must refund the education department the cost of his education.
2. Regional hospitals will operate advanced care facilities for accidents and illnesses not practically handled at community hospitals. They will also operate central diagnostic clinics that use expensive equipment beyond the reasonable budget of the community.

Every citizen is entitled to gainful employment at a wage sufficient to support himself and his dependents.

2.3.1 The community public works departments operate employment programs that aid individuals seeking employment. When employment is not available, individuals are employed in public works at 90% of the wages for similar private employment.

2.4 Taxation

Public funds are derived by taxation of income, property, and certain activities. All taxes are levied by the Utopian legislatures. Taxes are accessed and collected by the community finance departments, and dispersed to the regional, continental and Utopian governments as specified by the Utopian legislatures.

2.4.1 Income taxes are graded from 10% to 75% as specified by the Utopian legislatures.

1. Individual income taxes of corporations, owners, and stockholders of private businesses will be reduced in proportion to the income taxes paid by their employees. The ratio of the deduction to be established by the Utopian legislatures.
2. Personal deductions on income are permitted for an individual and one dependent. Single parents whose spouses have died or been banished may have a second dependent.
3. Inheritance is treated as ordinary income for taxation.

2.4.3 The Utopian legislatures may specify taxes on commodities and activities to defray public expenses that they generate.

2.5 Criminal laws and penalties

2.5.1 Only the Utopian legislature may pass criminal laws.

2.5.2 The body of law in existence on the first day of the 3176th year of modern time will continue to be enforced except as specified in this constitution, or repealed, for a maximum of 10 years.

2.5.3 All laws are written in 100 words or less.

2.5.4 All laws are automatically repealed in 12 years.

2.5.5 Bills passed by the various legislatures do not become law until approved by a 50% majority of the eligible voters of the relative jurisdiction.

2.5.5.1 Legislative approval will be scheduled four times yearly. It will involve publication of bills approved by the legislature in the period, a public commentary 10 days after publication with a random selection of commentators, and an electronic vote of approval of each law 10 days following commentary.

2.5.6 There are three categories of criminal laws and penalties.

2.5.6.1 Misdemeanors are crimes that impinge in a minor manner on the rights of citizens. They are punishable by fines and community service.

2.5.6.2 Second degree felonies are crimes that temporarily impinge upon the rights of citizens. Including but not limited to theft of moderate amounts, assault, economic exploitation, monopolistic practices, embezzlement, and environmental pollution. Secondary felonies are punishable by up to 10 years and/or triple restitution. Penalties double with every repetition of a crime.

2.6 First degree felonies

2.6.1 First degree felonies are crimes that permanently impinge upon the rights of citizens, and are punishable by detention from twenty years to life. The penalty for capital crimes is banishment as defined under article 2.5.5.4.

2.6.2 There is no death penalty. Crimes such as premeditated murder and murder committed while committing a felony whether intentional or accidental are punishable by banishment to a prison island. There criminals exist for their remaining life in a society of their own without any contact with the rest of Utopia.

2.6.3 Possession of fissionable material in excess of 1/100 of a critical mass.

2.6.4 Possession of a lethal weapon. The only exception being those on patrol boats around the banishment island, and hunters of dangerous animals. Even those weapons will be automatically destroyed if there is danger of misuse.

2.6.5 Possession of poisonous or explosive materials is a second degree felony, except as authorized by the relevant government agency for beneficial uses. Authorized organizations, managers, and owners or stockholders are legally and civilly responsible for damages resulting from the use of even authorized materials.

2.6.6 Possession or manufacture including construction of facilities for manufacture of fissionable material by any individual or organization is a capitol felony subject to immediate banishment. Nuclear reactors are outlawed and the mining of fissionable elements is a capitol offense. All existing fissionable materials except for laboratory quantities authorized in section 2.6.1 will be transported into deep space within one year of ratification of this constitution. Only 10 such authorized quantities, that is 1/10 of a critical mass, may exist at any time.

2.6.7 The burning of organic fuel is prohibited without a special permit.

2.6.8 Environmental damage is the responsibility of the perpetrator, and is subject to fines equal to triple the cost of repair. The fine to be born by the company, managers, owners and/or stockholders equally, and according to their interest.

2.7 Public Service

2.7.1 All terms in office for legislators, executives, and judges are limited to a single six

years in any legislature or executive position in a lifetime.

2.7.2 Public service will be compensated at levels comparable to similar positions in the private sector. Legislators may not set their own salaries.

2.7.3 Community legislators are compensated as are middle managers of companies hiring 500 persons.

2.7.4 Regional legislators are compensated as are middle managers of companies hiring 1000 persons.

2.7.4 Continental legislators are compensated at 1.5 times the rate of regional legislators.

2.7.5 Utopian legislators are compensated at 1.5 times the rate of continental legislators.

2.7.6 Executives are compensated at the same rate as their legislators.

2.7.7 The Utopian actuarial office of the public works department will determine the average salaries every six years from statistics generated from tax records and a census taken every six years starting in the year of ratification of this constitution.

2.7.8 All able bodied citizens are responsible for six years of public service. Failure to commence public service before the individual's 70th birthday will result in forfeiture of 50% of earned retirement pension and property.

2.7.9 The Utopian legislature will establish salaries for other government employees.

2.7.10 Employers must grant six­year leaves of absence for public service with no loss of position upon return. The legislatures shall establish commissions to adjudicate disputes arising from this article.

2.8 Illegal activities.

2.8.1 No individual may act as a legal advisor or representative.

2.8.2 Lobbying of legislators or executives and their staffs to influence legislation is a second degree felony. Public oral statements at town meetings are not lobbying. Written political discussions in public media are not lobbying if they do not pertain to issues involving personal gain.

3.0 Rights of citizens.

The freedom of citizens is not limited by government except where it impinges upon the equal or greater rights of other citizens.

3.1 Freedom of speech and the press is guaranteed, except legislatures may require notification of the intent to publish material contrary to accepted morals.

3.2 The legislatures may make no laws limiting freedom of religion, but traditional celebrations may take place in public facilities.

1. The private residences of citizens may not be entered without an extreme emergency.

1. Citizens are free from exploitation by other individuals, organizations or government. Exploitation may be physical, emotional, intellectual, social, economic or environmental.

A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR

This is an unedited draft and I would appreciate any comments on typos and other errors. Also, it is a work in progress and I would appreciate discussion, comments, arguments, and constructive criticism. Reply: srmooney@gte.net