Should we be reopening…or restructuring?

I am concerned about ‘reopening’.

Not because of the dangers from Covid-19 (although it is a dangerous virus), but because of the dangers of not looking carefully at ‘getting back to normal’.

We have just gone through a case study on our economy and found it not resilient or durable in the face of dramatic, rational change (we have planned our reactions to the virus…for better or worse).

1. We have a ‘concentration’ problem. Concentration of people in urban areas. Concentration of wealth in a consumer society. Concentrated ownership of the means of farming and food production. Concentration of ideas about public education. Concentration of great financial power in the Federal government.
2. Ironically many of these concentration problems occurred with the support and encouragement of our society. How much money can I make…and how to build a larger corporation? How do we ‘preserve’ open space and ‘grow smart’? How can farming and food processing become more ‘efficient’…how much milk can we get from a cow? How can we ensure that ‘experts’ are making our decisions?

I would hope we recover in a manner:

1. Allowing a careful look at what economic methods will build the most durable, just society. One that cares reasonably for the neediest amongst us at the same time it is ensuring free, equitable enterprise in a truly democratic system of government.
2. Examining our farming and food production economy to determine how to quit using cheap, undocumented labor to produce and process much of our food – and how to adequately protect those at-risk workers as we transition to a fair food economy.
3. Realizing ‘experts’ have their limitations… and understanding that respect for all opinions is critical to a free society.
4. Encouraging every city, town, and state to examine its law and remove the scores of intrusive statutes that attempt to legislate social mores – replacing those misguided laws with guidance systems that aid societal and community cohesion without either financial or penal coercion (Even in the case of the serious dangers of Covid-19 I believe we should give knowledgeable guidance – sternly).
5. Rethinking our educational systems to make certain civics, home economics, and ethics are critical parts of education – equals to measured reading, writing, and arithmetic.

These are just a few of many issues needing a careful look as we progress through our social recovery. It will not be simple – and the financial costs and need for capital will be great.

Even though most of us were aware of the possibilities of a pandemic I think we are all shocked at the last three months. Enormous amounts of good-hearted actions have taken place. We have adapted on a daily basis – and continue to do so.

Finally, there are two current societal positions I find false:

1. That the best wealth creation occurs by limiting ownership and driving down costs. I believe broad ownership – and dynamic interaction between owners – creates the best environment for wealth creation.
2. That an agriculture based upon small scale landowners cannot ‘feed the world’. There are a number of studies that show distributed diverse farm operations can feed an expanding population with a more resilient, disease resistant agriculture.

Can we take time as a community to rethink how we recover as good, caring neighbors?

I think we can.