Mar 17 2009
Investmentocracy: A Challenge to Conventional Democratic Principles and a Framework for a New Free Society
The Rational Argumentator
A Journal for Western Man
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Investmentocracy:
A Challenge to Conventional Democratic Principles and a Framework for a New Free Society
G. Stolyarov II
Issue CXC - March 17, 2009
This essay is part of a series of papers by Mr. Stolyarov discussing an improved constitutional blueprint for a free society. Such a constitution is now publicly available and is called the Freecharter.
Abstract
The system of investmentocracy, described and defended here, offers a viable alternative to the conventional democratic principles of “one man, one vote” and the illegitimacy of vote transfers and vote pooling among individuals. Investmentocracy, which rewards contributors to the government with a number of votes proportional to their contributions, permits a viable elimination of compulsory taxation. Investmentocracy also entails remedies for voter irrationality and strong protections for all individual rights, including the rights of non-contributors. I use the Freecharter, a constitution of my own design, to provide a specific framework within which investmentocracy can be viably embedded. Here, both protections for individual rights inherent to investmentocracy itself and protections contained in other parts of the Freecharter will be examined.
***
Sections of the Paper
An Introduction to Investmentocracy
I. Existing Literature Regarding Investmentocracy and CDPs
1. Walter Williams’s Arguments on Ownership Shares in Government
2. Literature Critiquing Conventional Democratic Principles
II. Problems With Conventional Democratic Principles
3. Incompatibility of Compulsory Taxation With Individual Rights
4. Ownership Shares in Governmental Entities
5. Lack of Sanctity of the One Man, One Vote Principle
III. Mechanics of Investmentocracy and Transition from CDPs
6. Investmentocracy and the Elimination of Taxation
7. Transferability of Votes Under Investmentocracy
8. Pooling of Votes Under Investmentocracy
9. Cosmopolitanism, Non-Discrimination, and Investmentocracy
10. Investmentocracy and Incentives for Voter Rationality
11. Defeating the “Social Quacks” Through Investmentocracy
12. The Transition from Conventional Democratic Principles to Investmentocracy
IV. Resolution of Objections and Concerns Regarding Investmentocracy
13. The Incentive to Invest Under Investmentocracy
14. Addressing the Welfare Loophole Under Investmentocracy
15. Why Investmentocracy Will Not Create a Hereditary Aristocracy
16. Why the Wealthiest Few Will Not Take Over Under Investmentocracy
17. The Elimination of Forced Carrying and the Mitigation of Free Riding Under Investmentocracy
V. Protecting Rights Under Investmentocracy
18. Protections for Individual Rights Inherent to Investmentocracy
19. The Bill of Rights, the Restrictive Clauses, and Investmentocracy
20. The Tricameral Legislature and Investmentocracy
21. The Nullifier and Investmentocracy
22. The Opt-In Constitution and Investmentocracy
Concluding Thoughts on Investmentocracy
***
Find out more about the Freecharter.
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G. Stolyarov II is a science fiction novelist, independent philosophical essayist, poet, amateur mathematician, composer, contributor to Enter Stage Right, Le Quebecois Libre, Rebirth of Reason, and the Ludwig von Mises Institute, Senior Writer for The Liberal Institute, former weekly columnist for GrasstopsUSA.com, and Editor-in-Chief of The Rational Argumentator, a magazine championing the principles of reason, rights, and progress. Mr. Stolyarov’s new blog, The Progress of Liberty, offers a combination of commentary, multimedia presentations, educational materials, and suggestions for effective activism in favor of individual freedom. Mr. Stolyarov also publishes his articles on Helium.com and Associated Content to assist the spread of rational ideas. He holds the highest Clout Level (10) possible on Associated Content. Mr. Stolyarov has also written a science fiction novel, Eden against the Colossus, a non-fiction treatise, A Rational Cosmology, and a play, Implied Consent. He has made YouTube Videos since the beginning of 2008, which have been watched over 28,500 times to date. Mr. Stolyarov can be contacted at gennadystolyarovii@yahoo.com.
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