The Social Artist

Structure

Child Care

TTIP

Summer 2015 The Social Artist Summer 2015 The SOCIAL ARTIST (incorporating The SOCIAL CREDITER)

THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIAL CREDIT SECRETARIAT Quarterly Review for Economic Democracy Summer 2015 Vol.3, No.2 ISSN: 2053-5236 (online 2053-5244)

Contents

Editorial 21 The Tyranny of Structurelessness Jo Freeman 24 The Opposite of Structurelessness Frances Hutchinson 29 Who Controls the World 33 The Midas Touch Frances Hutchinson 34 Book Reviews Born to Buy 38 Obituary: Alan Armstrong 39

Editor: Dr. Frances Hutchinson Mail and Editorial: The Social Artist Willow Bank, Riddlesden Keighley, BD20 5AN Tel: +44 (0)1535 600356 Email [email protected] Website: www.douglassocialcredit.com

Front Cover Photograph: Rural Landscape with Pylon by Linda Lockwood Typeset and printed by Imprint, Victory House, Dalton Lane, Keighley The Social Artist Summer 2015 21

Editorial

Some decades ago Jo Freeman’s essay was to share ideas and improve our “The Tyranny of Structurelessness” understanding of the world in which we circulated widely in the women’s live. But things started to fall apart when movement, and was much discussed in it came to planning practical actions, to the UK and elsewhere. Women form agreeing on who would do what, how to a hefty 50% of the population. Yet set about preparations, what resources despite the social and political changes were available and how they were to be of the last century, women remain a used. ‘minority’ group, allowed to participate in public affairs only to the extent that Structure is crucial in any organisation. they follow the rules laid down by the Whether in a small voluntary group men’s organisations. Perhaps, thought organising fund-raising for a charity, or the women in the peace, liberation and whether it is a business or the affairs of green movements of the late twentieth state in a national government, or a trans- century, perhaps women have better national body like the TTIP (see page ways of setting about things. Men are 29), structure is vital. If the decision- often confrontational, and seem happy making process cannot be identified, with military-style leadership where the dominant and powerful characters hold lower ranks comply unquestioningly sway over a powerless and frustrated with the orders issued by the top ranks majority. When it comes to the economy of the pyramid of power. Women do as a whole, ignorance about how the rules things differently. They discuss matters and structures are constructed allows the gently from all angles, sharing opinions, economically powerful to dominate. And listening to each other and taking time where power is wielded irresponsibly, to come to a consensus. That, at least, war, poverty and environmental was the theory, and it served well enough destruction follow. when the purpose of the gathering

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In a lecture delivered in 1916, at the Douglas had the answer. During the height of World War I, Rudolf Steiner First World War he studied the practical pointed to the necessity for all to seek workings of the financial system within out the truth. “Knowledge of the whole the economy. Before war broke out there picture always serves the whole of was never enough money for essential mankind. Portions taken out of context new projects which would benefit the always serve the egoism of individual community as a whole. When war groups.”1 A century later, despite the was declared, money was to be had in strenuous efforts of seekers after the plenty. People could now be employed truth, the broad mass of humanity are in making tanks and guns, uniforms and lulled by an educational system and all the necessary support services for the mass media into a fatal laziness, the massive destructive project, creating inattention and gullibility, allowing prosperity for all. But when peace came secretive groups to continue their there was no money for reconstruction, devious manipulations of the truth. In workers were laid off and trade the absence of thoughtful study of public stagnated, because the financial system affairs leading to knowledge of how was not based upon sound common the structures and organisations of the sense principles. Douglas predicted political, economic and cultural spheres the Depression years long before they work, a little bit of the truth can be made happened, making the elementary to seem to be the whole truth. And that is observation that finance – money – is a exactly what happened in the UK General man-made system which does not have to Election. The fear and uncertainty of the dictate policy: ‘Precariat’ was skilfully played upon by the press and media. People were made to “Money is only a mechanism by means believe that tuition fees and the bedroom of which we deal with things – it has no tax could be abolished, the NHS retained properties except those we choose to give and welfare services provided, but only it. A phrase such as ‘There is no money on condition that everyone works harder in the country with which to do such and to create the economic growth necessary so’ means simply nothing, unless we to cover these costly luxuries. Trident are also saying ‘The goods and services and other ‘defence’ systems, on the other required to do this thing do not exist and hand, can be afforded because they create cannot be produced, therefore it is useless jobs and create mayhem which has to be to create the money equivalent of them.’ repaired through the creation of further For instance, it is simply childish to say jobs. that a country has no money for social betterment, or for any other purpose, Exactly the same tale was told during the when it has the skill, the workers and Depression years of the 1930s. The new the materials and plant to create that technologies, the resources, the skills and betterment. The banks or the Treasury knowledge and the need is there - but can create the money in five minutes, where is the money to come from? and are doing it every day, and have been doing it for centuries.”2

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Douglas wrote those words in response to controls. For the full story of the ability of a general public mood of questioning as to finance to frustrate the will of the people, how the Great War had happened, and why see Understanding the Financial System: the peace looked set to bring unprecedented Social Credit Rediscovered, available from poverty amidst plenty. His books, published www.douglassocialcredit.com . by mainstream publishers from the early 1920s onwards, were studied throughout The banks, backed by the forces of the English-speaking world, and far government, have controlled finance for beyond. Hence by the 1930s a politically centuries. It is not a closely guarded secret. and economically knowledgeable And yet, as the debate before, during movement presented a powerful challenge and after the General Election in the UK to the world-wide business-as-usual demonstrates, men and women know less warmongering elite. Informed debate was about how the political process works, how carried to countless homes through groups access to money incomes is determined, studying Douglas’ books, mass meetings where money comes from or who creates and the close reading of The New Age, The policy in welfare, education, international Social Crediter, the New English Weekly affairs, health and the economy as a whole and other weekly broadsheets. As a result, than they did in Douglas’ day. As long in 1935 a well-informed electorate in as individuals fail to live with intention* Alberta elected a Social Credit government (see Maria Lyons’ article in these pages of with a mandate to free the resource-rich Spring 2015) a tyranny of structurelessness economy of Alberta from external financial will continue to reign supreme.

*[email protected] 1 Rudolf Steiner The Karma of Untruthfulness: Secret Societies, the Media, and preparations for the Great War, Vol.1, Rudolf Steiner Press (2005) 2 Clifford Hugh Douglas, The Control and Distribution of Production, (1922) p9-10.

God of Gadgets Murray McGrath Head bowed, eyes down, My gratitude will overflow, Frantic thumbs, furrowed frown. With faith in you, I truly know This crucifix I bow to you, That all the world’s in touch with me. My loving duty I will do. What more in heaven could there be? I’ll worship gizmos, this I vow. But wait! - the battery’s running low Connect me, swipe me, link me now. I need a plug, I need to go Someone will call email or text, To save my soul, I’m feeling sick I’ll call them back, one click, I have to have a top up quick who’s next. Oh no! A power cut, not alive I matter now, at last I know. Without my phone I can’t survive. My gadget tells me, it is so. Is this my life, is this my fate? Oh God of Gadgets I trust thee, How could I get in such a state? My hope and joy, technology.

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The Tyranny of Structurelessness Jo Freeman (1970)

During the years in which the women’s method, as consciousness-raising, and the liberation movement has been taking “structureless rap group” was an excellent shape, a great emphasis has been means to this end. The looseness and placed on what are called leaderless, informality of it encouraged participation structureless groups as the main — if in discussion, and its often supportive not sole — organizational form of the atmosphere elicited personal insight. movement. The source of this idea was a If nothing more concrete than personal natural reaction against the overstructured insight ever resulted from these groups, society in which most of us found that did not much matter, because their ourselves, the inevitable control this gave purpose did not really extend beyond this. others over our lives, and the continual elitism of the Left and similar groups The basic problems didn’t appear until among those who were supposedly individual rap groups exhausted the fighting this overstructuredness. virtues of consciousness-raising and decided they wanted to do something The idea of “structurelessness,” however, more specific. At this point they usually has moved from a healthy counter to floundered because most groups were those tendencies to becoming a goddess unwilling to change their structure in its own right. The idea is as little when they changed their tasks. Women examined as the term is much used, had thoroughly accepted the idea of but it has become an intrinsic and “structurelessness” without realizing the unquestioned part of women’s liberation limitations of its uses. People would try ideology. For the early development of to use the “structureless” group and the the movement this did not much matter. It informal conference for purposes for early defined its main goal, and its main which they were unsuitable out of a blind

24 The Social Artist Summer 2015 25 belief that no other means could possibly group is about as realistic as a “laissez be anything but oppressive. faire” society; the idea becomes a smokescreen for the strong or the lucky If the movement is to grow beyond these to establish unquestioned hegemony elementary stages of development, it over others. This hegemony can so will have to disabuse itself of some of easily be established because the idea its prejudices about organization and of “structurelessness” does not prevent structure. There is nothing inherently the formation of informal structures, bad about either of these. They can be only formal ones. Similarly “laissez and often are misused, but to reject them faire” philosophy did not prevent the out of hand because they are misused economically powerful from establishing is to deny ourselves the necessary tools control over wages, prices, and to further development. We need to distribution of goods; it only prevented understand why “structurelessness” does the government from doing so. Thus not work. structurelessness becomes a way of masking power, and within the women’s Formal and Informal Structures movement it is usually most strongly Contrary to what we would like to advocated by those who are the most believe, there is no such thing as a powerful (whether they are conscious “structureless” group. Any group of of their power or not). As long as the people of whatever nature that comes structure of the group is informal, the together for any length of time for any rules of how decisions are made are purpose will inevitably structure itself known only to a few and awareness of in some fashion. The structure may be power is limited to those who know the flexible; it may vary over time; it may rules. Those who do not know the rules evenly or unevenly distribute tasks, and are not chosen for initiation must power and resources over the members remain in confusion, or suffer from of the group. But it will be formed paranoid delusions that something is regardless of the abilities, personalities, happening of which they are not quite or intentions of the people involved. The aware. very fact that we are individuals, with different talents, predispositions, and For everyone to have the opportunity backgrounds, makes this inevitable. Only to be involved in a given group and to if we refused to relate or interact on any participate in its activities the structure basis whatsoever could we approximate must be explicit, not implicit. The rules structurelessness — and that is not the of decision-making must be open and nature of a human group. available to everyone, and this can happen only if they are formalized. This means that to strive for a This is not to say that formalization of structureless group is as useful, and as a structure of a group will destroy the deceptive, as to aim at an “objective” informal structure. It usually doesn’t. But news story, “value-free” social science, it does hinder the informal structure from or a “free” economy. A “laissez faire” having predominant control

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and makes available some means of Elites are not conspiracies. Very seldom attacking it if the people involved are does a small group of people get together not at least responsible to the needs of and deliberately try to take over a larger the group at large. “Structurelessness” is group for its own ends. Elites are nothing organizationally impossible. We cannot more, and nothing less, than groups of decide whether to have a structured or friends who also happen to participate structureless group, only whether or in the same political activities. They not to have a formally structured one. would probably maintain their friendship Therefore the word will not be used whether or not they were involved in any longer except to refer to the idea political activities; they would probably it represents. “Unstructured” will refer be involved in political activities whether to those groups which have not been or not they maintained their friendships. deliberately structured in a particular It is the coincidence of these two manner. “Structured” will refer to those phenomena which creates elites in any which have. A structured group always group and makes them so difficult to has formal structure, and may also have break. an informal, or covert, structure. It is this informal structure, particularly in These friendship groups function as unstructured groups, which forms the networks of communication outside any basis for elites. regular channels for such communication that may have been set up by a group. The Nature of Elitism If no channels are set up, they function “Elitist” is probably the most abused as the only networks of communication. word in the women’s liberation Because these people are friends, because movement. Correctly, an elite refers to a they usually share the same values and small group of people who have power orientations, because they talk to each over a larger group of which they are other socially and consult with each part, usually without direct responsibility other when common decisions have to to that larger group, and often without be made, the people involved in these their knowledge or consent. A person networks have more power in the group becomes an elitist by being part of, or than those who don’t. And it is a rare advocating the rule by, such a small group that does not establish some group, whether or not that individual informal networks of communication is well known or not known at all. through the friends that are made in it. Notoriety is not a definition of an elitist. The most insidious elites are usually run Some groups, depending on their size, by people not known to the larger public may have more than one such informal at all. Intelligent elitists are usually communications network. Networks smart enough not to allow themselves to may even overlap. When only one become well known; when they become such network exists, it is the elite of an known, they are watched, and the mask otherwise unstructured group, whether over their power is no longer firmly the participants in it want to be elitists or lodged. not. If it is the only such network in

26 The Social Artist Summer 2015 27 a structured group it may or may not be Because elites are informal does not an elite depending on its composition mean they are invisible. At any small and the nature of the formal structure. group meeting anyone with a sharp If there are two or more such networks eye and an acute ear can tell who is of friends, they may compete for power influencing whom. The member of a within the group, thus forming factions, friendship group will relate more to each or one may deliberately opt out of the other than to other people. They listen competition, leaving the other as the elite. more attentively, and interrupt less; they In a structured group, two or more such repeat each other’s points and give in friendship networks usually compete amiably; they tend to ignore or grapple with each other for formal power. This with the “outs” whose approval is not is often the healthiest situation, as the necessary for making a decision. But other members are in a position to it is necessary for the “outs” to stay on arbitrate between the two competitors good terms with the “ins.” Of course the for power and thus to make demands of lines are not as sharp as I have drawn those to whom they give their temporary them. They are nuances of interaction, allegiance. not prewritten scripts. But they are discernible, and they do have their The inevitably elitist and exclusive nature effect. Once one knows with whom it is of informal communication networks important to check before a decision is of friends is neither a new phenomenon made, and whose approval is the stamp characteristic of the women’s movement of acceptance, one knows who is running nor a phenomenon new to women. Such things. informal relationships have excluded women for centuries from participating The criteria of participation may differ in integrated groups of which they were from group to group, but the means of a part. In any profession or organization becoming a member of the informal these networks have created the “locker elite if one meets those criteria are pretty room” mentality and the “old school” much the same. The only main difference ties which have effectively prevented depends on whether one is in a group women as a group (as well as some men from the beginning, or joins it after it has individually) from having equal access begun. If involved from the beginning to the sources of power or social reward. it is important to have as many of one’s Much of the energy of past women’s personal friends as possible also join. If movements has been directed to having no one knows anyone else very well, then the structures of decision-making and the one must deliberately form friendships selection processes formalized so that the with a select number and establish the exclusion of women could be confronted informal interaction patterns crucial to directly. As we well know, these efforts the creation of an informal structure. have not prevented the informal male- Once the informal patterns are formed only networks from discriminating they act to maintain themselves, and against women, but they have made it one of the most successful tactics of more difficult. maintenance is to continuously recruit

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new people who “fit in.” One joins such a myth of “structurelessness,” there can an elite much the same way one pledges be no attempt to put limits on the use of a sorority. If perceived as a potential power. It becomes capricious. addition, one is “rushed” by the members of the informal structure and eventually This has two potentially negative either dropped or initiated. If the sorority consequences of which we should be is not politically aware enough to actively aware. The first is that the informal engage in this process itself it can be structure of decision-making will be started by the outsider pretty much the much like a sorority — one in which same way one joins any private club. people listen to others because they like Find a sponsor, i.e., pick some member them and not because they say significant of the elite who appears to be well things. As long as the movement does not respected within it, and actively cultivate do significant things this does not much that person’s friendship. Eventually, she matter. But if its development is not to be will most likely bring you into the inner arrested at this preliminary stage, it will circle. have to alter this trend. The second is that informal structures have no obligation to All of these procedures take time. So be responsible to the group at large. Their if one works full time or has a similar power was not given to them; it cannot be major commitment, it is usually taken away. Their influence is not based impossible to join simply because there on what they do for the group; therefore are not enough hours left to go to all they cannot be directly influenced by the the meetings and cultivate the personal group. This does not necessarily make relationships necessary to have a voice in informal structures irresponsible. Those the decision-making. That is why formal who are concerned with maintaining structures of decision-making are a boon their influence will usually try to be to the overworked person. Having an responsible. The group simply cannot established process for decision-making compel such responsibility; it is ensures that everyone can participate in it dependent on the interests of the elite. to some extent. Jo Freeman Although this dissection of the process of Originally published in 1970, revised in 1984 elite formation within small groups has For the full version see: been critical in perspective, it is not made Bureau of Public Secrets, PO Box 1044, Berkeley CA 94701, USA in the belief that these informal structures http://www.bopsecrets.org/CF/ are inevitably bad — merely that they structurelessness.htm are inevitable. All groups create informal structures as a result of interaction patterns among the members of the group. Such informal structures can do Hard copies of The Social Artist/Crediter very useful things. But only unstructured and other Social Credit publications are groups are totally governed by them. available from the Publications Page at When informal elites are combined with www.Douglassocialcredit.com .

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The Opposite of Structurelessness Frances Hutchinson

“Thus structurelessness becomes a way have both.” He cites the effects of the of masking power, and … it is usually Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) most strongly advocated by those who mechanism through which the proposed are the most powerful (whether they are TTIP will protect corporate power conscious of their power or not). As long from democracy within nation states. as the structure of the group is informal, He cites examples where the ISDS has the rules of how decisions are made are already been used. Canada was sued known only to a few and awareness of by the Ethyl Corporation for banning power is limited to those who know the the chemical MMT, produced by Ethyl, rules.” In making this observation in her considered by Canada and the US to be historic article on structure, procedure a dangerous toxin. “Canada was forced and organisation, (see page 24) Jo to pay huge compensation, and reversed Freeman raises a fundamental question its ban.” Other examples are cited . If it requiring our most urgent attention. It is is a ‘good thing’ that corporate power not simply a question of how we choose should have absolute control over the to conduct a voluntary society in our political economy in which we currently local community, but of how our rights live and work and bring up our children, and obligations are settled within a world all we have to do is to sit back and economy now seemingly beyond our chunter quietly under our breath whilst comprehension or control. continuing to work-for-money under the wage-slavery system, whilst shopping “TTIP or Democracy?” asks Michael until we drop to keep the economy on the Meacher in a recent edition of course of progress. If, however, we want Resurgence and Ecologist, (Issue 290 to carry on the dedicated work of Alan May/June 2015 pp14-16) “You can’t Armstrong and the countless contributors

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to these pages since the 1930s, it is through collusion. The sum of gains will absolutely necessary to search out the always equal the sum of losses, the whole truth about the structures operating to summing zero.” render democracy an empty sham at local, national and international levels. The world economy which encompasses all aspects of life on this planet has The first question to answer is – what evolved over little more than a century. is The Economy? The answer is quite Pockets of industrialisation existed, but simple: The Economy is a man-made over the world as a whole 80% of people game super-imposed upon society and its were born on self-sufficient farms, where natural resource base. The game is based children learned that cooperation was upon three premises. more productive than self-interested competition. Even in urban areas, 1. The initial allocation of ownership of children played by the roadside, chanting property is taken for granted, i.e., some traditional rhymes in long-established players own physical resources such as patterns. games flowed in a natural land, buildings, machinery and so on, progression, one following another as the whilst others, having nothing to sell but mood took the group. The question of their labour, are effectively out of the who had ‘won’ and who had ‘lost’ in the game (they can make trouble but have no playing of the games was of little interest. power and so do not ‘count’). Play was a social occasion, a chance to test one’s personality as an individual and 2. The game is facilitated through the to learn the rules and roles of operating man-made financial/money system. as a social being. The fun was in the playing, in the process, not in the end 3. And the rules of the game are result. Through games children learned determined by the most powerful players to work together, developing the social in the last round of play. skills they would need to participate in the adult community. By contrast, the In short, the world economy of the games of the twentieth century fostered twenty-first century has evolved into a the desire to win, at the expense of other zero-sum game in which the players use players, preparing children to operate in a local communities and the resources of very different world. the natural world as playing counters whilst they seize power from one another The Story of Monopoly to declare themselves overall winner. The Penguin Dictionary of Economics Monopoly is an excellent teaching aid describes a ‘zero-sum game as “… a for the development of the TTIP-type game in which one player’s gain is equal mentality. Where individuals maximize to another player’s losses, whatever their own benefits and minimise their strategy is chosen. The players can only own (financial) costs, community, kin, compete for slices of a fixed cake: there friends, family and locality are eradicated are no opportunities for over-all gain from the surreal, but all too real, world of

30 The Social Artist Summer 2015 31 competitive fantasy. Monopoly enables the centre of your home town or city people to be everywhere and nowhere are owned by speculative investors. at the same time, ignoring social and The original version of Monopoly was environmental reality. All that counts is designed as a teaching aid to illustrate staying in the game, playing to win, and the inherent flaws in monopoly control of forcing opponents (other people) off the land. The idea was to move beyond mere board. Since its reproduction by Parker protest and towards practical alternatives. Bros in 1935, the game has been a best The alternative, socially responsible, seller. Available in 80 countries, billions view of landholding, and proposals for of little green houses have been sold, and a Single Tax based upon land ownership the person who has never heard of the originated in the work of the American game is regarded as a curiosity. economist Henry George.

But although the game has been Progress and Poverty translated to portray the familiar street names of the towns and cities of many “You make the laws and own the different countries, there the concession currency, but give me the land and I to the locality of culture ends. Players will absorb your wealth and render your buy and sell land and buildings without legislation null and void. Give heed to regard to the local culture of the region the land question” (Henry George 1839 where they operate. Players compete – 97). as ‘rational economic men’, seeking personal gain, free from any restraints A powerful speaker, Henry George was of practical responsibilities which moved by the evidence of dire poverty might balance their claims of rights. amidst affluence in the New York of Geography, ecology, flora, fauna, the 1860s. His observations caused him folkways, everything relating to place to turn his journalistic talents to the and community is eradicated. The game relationship between private property in is played in a timeless continuum, where land and the necessity for labourers to people are neither sick nor old, where subsist on wages offering no more than there are no children to be cared for and a ‘bare living’. Progress and Poverty questions of food, fodder and the careful (1879), his major publication, has been tending of the land do not arise. As a translated into many languages, while his teaching aid for the ‘real world’ of the proposals to replace taxation of labour all-powerful global capitalist economy, with taxation of privately owned land Monopoly is excellent. As a blueprint still attract the attention of reforming for operating in the non-fantasy world legislators in many countries. of the natural economy and the real-life community, it is terrifying. In an address in 1889 at Toomebridge, County Derry, Ireland, George drew Wherever you live in the world today, a distinction between production and the chances are that your local hills and creation. People may hew coal from the mountains, fields and shorelines, and rocks, catch fish in the seas, bring

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together timber, stone and iron to shape huge profits. A Georgist system of land a house, produce cloth from the wool of taxation can be introduced gradually, sheep or the fibre of plants, and produce following informed public debate on the crops by tilling the soil. Labour on the issues involved. The Landlords’ Game, land brings forth the necessities of life, from which Monopoly was later devised, but it does not create. God is the Creator was designed to stimulate such informed of all, and gives equal use of the land to debate, the essential to creating the all. No individual can justly claim the political will necessary for reform.* right to own the reservoirs of nature, or seize the property of others created from George’s proposals have been their own labour upon the land. implemented in various countries. Pittsburgh and several other American Incomes derived from ownership of cities have, since the late 1980s, property in land were, according to started to raise the taxes on land whilst George, unearned incomes deriving lowering those on buildings, following from social change such as occur when the Georgist proposals. In Denmark the a city expands, causing a many-fold Justice Party held the balance in the rise in the value of nearby land. In these coalition government of 1957, using their circumstances, speculation for private position to tax land values while reducing gain prevents the land from being used income tax along Georgist lines. These to benefit the community as a whole. Yet schemes have the effect of strengthening it is from the community as a whole that local economies, and demonstrate the the rising value of land occurs. A tax on continued interest in Henry George’s land at or near its full rental value would, work. George argued, reduce the price of land. The tax would rise as the value of land The early Georgist games circulated in rose, and fall as it fell, eliminating the the USA and the UK in the first decades motivation to speculate in land. Land of the twentieth century under various would be held for its use-value, not for titles and drawing upon the streets, speculation on its scarcity-value. buildings and landholdings of the local city. Their creators held profound faith However, under the Georgist system, in the human capacity for practical owner-occupiers of homes, farms and action based upon reasoned argument. other properties who make improvements The games followed a common pattern, would not have to pay higher taxes and were designed to be played in three because their improvements are phases. Monopoly was developed from benefiting the community. Farmers who stage one of the Landlords’ Game, where improve their land would benefit, while the effects of the greedy, selfish pattern commercial speculation in land would be of landholding is demonstrated. The discouraged, opening up the possibility later two phases, which form games in for interspersing agricultural zones near themselves, are much more demanding. cities. Under the present system it pays They demonstrate the potential for farmers to sell to ‘developers’ who make communities to regain access to land. It

32 The Social Artist Summer 2015 33 is ironic that a game first devised to move considering all three of the basic premises away from the evils of monopoly land upon which the practical workings of the holding should have come to serve the World Economy are based, as mentioned continued exploitation and degradation of above. Such a debate is essential if the the land. political will necessary for reform is to be effectively generated. At the outset of this essay, we noted the three basic premises upon which *See the Social Art Page of www. the World Economy is based. Although douglassocialcredit.com for the rules,, board the times were very different when the and playing pieces of the English version of the original Landlords’ Game, entitled Landlords’ Game was first devised, mysteriously Brer Fox and Brer Rabbit. it remains a sound teaching tool for Who Controls the World

This link was sent to us by Connie Fogal, has the power to put money into the a much-respected contact in Canada. We system with no or very little interest debt include her introduction.. is the answer. (This requires the will of the government which Canada currently http;//www.globalresearch.ca/who-really- does not have) . controls-the-world/5445239 Political leaders have been killed for trying to implement debt free money, This is a really important explanation of as was Gaddafi in Africa, and Kennedy who controls the world, i.e., the money in USA. We must know this is what is mafia rulers. happening in order to stop it. We have All over the world this debt based to have courage to say no and install money system is creating poverty and leaders with courage. Greece is now enslavement. Once you know what is trying. really happening and who is in charge, Watch for next e-mail from me re reading mainstream commentators and renewed effort in Africa. This is politicians who blame the people for debt important so we can know that leaders of is sickening. It is important that we help courage do emerge. We have the power others to know it is not themselves who to control this madness. The power lies in create the poverty but rather the money our knowledge and our statement that we powers who impose debt via interest KNOW, and will not support anyone who rates, which debt grows exponentially refuses to restore this power to the public and is impossible to pay off. good . It is important to understand it does not have to be that way. A central bank like Connie we have in our Bank of Canada which

33 34 The Social Artist Summer 2015 The Midas Touch Frances Hutchinson (1988)

COMMUNITY life has, since the has been accepted as the sole significant industrial revolution, been dominated form of human activity. The need for love, in Great Britain by the demands of the care and affection is appreciated only at economic system to the virtual exclusion the point of personal breakdown, when of other social considerations. Child expensive specialists are consulted. rearing, home and family care have continued to play an essential part in Traditionally feminine concerns have so meeting the needs of individuals. But the far eluded the androcentric comprehension economic system has registered only the which dominates all forms of academic costs of breakdown and remedial actions. and educational structures in society. The In the same way as economists have only psychologists — and there have been recently, and marginally, come to account many of them, and of both sexes — who the destruction of the environment and the record the infant’s ambivalence towards exhaustion of the earth’s scarce resources, its mother could, perhaps, with more the development of affective and social accuracy be said to be recording the results skills through traditional forms of home of the untypical mother’s ambivalence and family care has been taken for granted towards her child. Mothering in human and subtly devalued. beings is a socially sensitive activity, and Males and feminists alike have, for their Western society has, since the onset of the different reasons, combined to underplay industrial revolution, placed the rearing of and undermine the significance of family children under peculiar constraints. care in introducing new members to Taking the lead from classical economists, the social community of human beings. backed up by cynical psychologists, we in The strength of the backlash against the West have come to doubt the sincerity this erosion of family life can be seen in of those who offer love and affection. The the vigour of the growth in support for ideal role model of the tender and caring fundamentalist religions. Beyond those mother — or father — has been replaced narrow confines, home care, child care and by the young, fit, healthy, role-playing, 25 the traditional skills of mothering have year old male, in economic employment been denigrated and debased. Parenting and without ties or responsibilities. By and child care have been demoted to contrast, the woman who cares, be it for a spare time activity outside working an elderly relative, a child — her own, or hours, to be delegated wherever possible that of another who has suffered mental or to low paid substitutes. In this way, physical abuse,— or her sick or disabled traditionally male concern with production husband, child or parent, is designated a of statistically verifiable material wealth person of low status, her needs ignored

34 The Social Artist Summer 2015 35 in terms of community support, and her work to tackle household and child care economic independence removed from responsibilities in their ‘spare’ time, any guarantees. Following the industrial often many miles away from otherwise revolution, family life has come to be supportive grandparents. In attempting curiously dependent upon wage earning, to side-step the demands of children for that is, upon the economic rewards to attention and affection, busy parents labour as a factor of production. offer the passive and undemanding viewing of television rather than embark The reward given to labour bears no upon traditional forms of interactive relationship whatsoever to the economic play, talking and reading together. The needs of the family. Further, it takes no significance of the incalculable numbers account of the work involved in household of hours of shared activity of children and tasks, work which recent International adults spent in the recounting of nursery Labour Office estimates show consumes rhymes, tales and games combined at least as many working hours as are with routine household tasks, has been spent in paid employment. This supportive seriously undervalued. These activities, work is acknowledged to be essential in essential in the formation of self-esteem servicing the workers, that is, in attending and self awareness, have fallen into disuse to their essential needs for food, clothing, in many families. So, too, have forms of shelter and leisure. The very existence of children’s free peer group play in streets labour, an essential factor of production and open spaces near to home. Traffic in economic terms, is dependent upon the and other modern dangers have eroded satisfaction of those needs. Housework ancient childhood rights, restricting in an is, however, excluded from economic unprecedented way children’s freedom to calculations in the same way as nature’s develop a sense of personal awareness, gifts are assumed to be free, simply place and community. The middle-aged because they do not occur as a result of and elderly of today, from even the most financial considerations. A mother does inner city areas, can recall childhood not — normally — wait to be paid to look excursions to open countryside and areas after her baby. Yet it is this very absence of woodland in the company of siblings of economic motivation which demotes and friends, and an ease of access to an activity in Western eyes. ‘If a job is shops and houses of relatives in nearby worth doing, it is worth being paid to streets which is rarely possible today. do it’, is the current rule of thumb. As a The resultant frustration and alienation result, mothering and caring generally are demonstrated in adolescent behaviour classed as menial tasks, to be delegated to stems directly from this absence of an others wherever possible for a financial early sense of belonging to family and to consideration. community.

It is, however, becoming clear that Human beings are more than mere units of child-rearing practices based on the labour, cogs in the economic production economic needs of the parents are giving machine. Material wealth is very limited grounds for concern. Parents return from as a means for satisfying human wants.

35 36 The Social Artist Summer 2015

Labour saving devices have not, according vase. Attempts are made to patch up some to recent studies, cut down the number of of the most disastrous mistakes in child hours devoted to housework. They have, care, and the expensive services of highly- in fact, increased the total number of hours trained specialists may be lavished upon of work in the home, as expectations children whose lives have been shattered have been raised and the machines by parental neglect, physical, mental or themselves require attention. Further, the sexual abuse. But beyond this largely time spent earning money to pay for the futile gesture, society on the whole places machines has increased, as have other a low value on child care and spends associated expenses. Rudolph Bahro, the few resources in the preparation of, and West German ‘Green’, has presented a support for, adults in their responsibilities vivid image in commenting that ‘today as parents. If anything, the economic we spend ten times as much energy for a system has quietly encroached upon and worker to be able to sit in front of the TV undermined the status and skills of those in the evenings with his bottle of beer as who do attempt to care. we needed in the eighteenth century for Schiller to create his life’s work’. It may be time to look more seriously at The ability of the earth to tolerate the ever the development of the human intellect and expanding demands of human beings the human community, as a substitute for for continued economic growth is being the continued demand for material wealth. seriously brought into question in terms of the exhaustion of the finite resources Some would, however, accept that each of the earth, and the as yet only partially human infant is indeed more precious understood effects of the pollution of the than the most expensive vase on earth. land, seas and atmosphere. It may be time When one considers that fifty per cent to look more seriously at the development of a child’s intellectual potential is of the human intellect and the human developed before the age of five years, community, as a substitute for the and that the foundations are laid in those continued demand for material wealth. In early years for his or her artistic and reality, consumer commodities have never emotional life, the lack of training and been more than a means to an end, as King support in parenthood is astonishing. This Midas found out so long ago. deprivation applies not only in inner city areas, where temporary accommodation Despite the wisdom of the ancients, and a background of unsettled family material wealth remains the predominant life has been inherited by successive pre-occupation of our time. Few would generations of parents since the early fail to wince at the idea of handing a days of the industrial revolution. Parents highly priced Ming vase to a person with in the affluent professional classes enter no conception of its value, who might parenthood in a haze of equal ignorance, well drop it, or throw it in the dustbin. Yet ignorance which they themselves would many a human infant’s life chances are far consider horrific in a fellow professional less well protected than those of a Ming embarking upon a professional task. With

36 The Social Artist Summer 2015 37 smaller families, and geographic mobility of training to themselves become units of which has split the extended family, it labour in the economic machine. With the is not at all uncommon for a couple’s trend towards smaller families, women own baby to be the very first they have are encouraged to think that parenting ever held in their hands, and for their is no more than a minor hiccup in the knowledge of the needs of a toddler or working life of an adult, taking up a mere young child to be virtually non-existent. 3% of a normal working life. Nothing So bemused have we become with the could be further from the truth. A child significance of economic growth that is a lifetime’s commitment, altering we fail even to consider the allocation the relationships between the parents, of resources to the care and nurture of grandparents, siblings, not to mention infants and young children. In a haphazard the child itself, within the family and the way families have little option but to community. A child forms a unique link choose between a series of unsatisfactory between present and future generations. strategies in deciding their child care Further, a child requires a sense of place methods. Where both parents wish to and personal identity if it is to develop into remain in economic employment, the a mature and responsible adult, willing parents may decide to pay for the child and able to work with others for the good to be cared for by a non-family member of the community, and capable of actions during working hours. The primary duty beyond the narrowest pursuit of adolescent of this stranger, brought into the child’s self-interest. life on a temporary basis, is to oversee the physical welfare of the child. The Perhaps it is time to look again at the relationship between the family and the fragmentation of family and community stranger will cease when their services are life which has resulted from the pursuit of no longer required, even where a strong pure materialism, and to consider forms bond may have developed between the of training for child care and design of child and the carer. communities based on more truly human, If, on the other hand, parents decide that as opposed to economic, values. Women their child needs continuity of care and who have remained in the home and in affection, and that home and family should the community may well prove to be a weigh more heavily than purely financial most valuable, and hitherto undervalued, considerations, the family faces a further source of knowledge and associated with series of unexpected hurdles. child care and homemaking. There is, however, increasing economic pressure There is considerable pressure upon militating against the dissemination of women in particular to consider that child these traditional skills. It may be necessary care is no more than a matter of providing to mount a new conservation campaign for the physical comfort of an infant to prevent the total extinction of human up to the age of five years. Beyond that values in Western society. age it is considered that children are off the parents’ hands, as they enter formal First published in Contemporary Review, Vol. schooling, and embark on the processes 253 No. 1471. August 1988, pp80-83.

37 38 The Social Artist Summer 2015 Book Reviews

Born to Buy: The Commercialized terms of the things they own and wear Child and the New Consumer Culture more than I did when I was that age.” by Juliet B Schor One study found that nearly two-thirds Scribner 2004 pb £9.99 of mothers thought their children were ISBN: 978-0684870564 brand-aware by age 3, and one-third said it had happened by age 2. Consumerism expert Juliet B. Schor has Recently, my usually sweet and gentle written what should be a must-read for 6-year-old boy got in my face about every new parent, seasoned parent, aunt, something he saw on television and uncle, and grandparent. Born to Buy: wanted me to get for him. After watching The Commercialized Child and the New a Saturday morning cartoon program, Consumer Culture frightened me, and it my son stormed into the kitchen and will you, too. demanded that I take him to a certain “American children are deeply enmeshed fast-food restaurant so he could get a toy in the culture of getting and spending, and that was in a kid’s meal. He stood there they are getting more so,” writes Schor, a with his hands on his hips, asking: “When professor at Boston College. “The more are you going to take me? How many they buy into commercial and materialist times have you taken me?” Then he had messages, the worse they feel about the audacity to answer the question for themselves, the more depressed they are, me: “Zero times, Mommy, zero times,” he and the more they are beset by anxiety, said, forming two fingers into the shape of headaches, stomach aches, and boredom.” a zero. Here is what Schor found, based on various studies and her own survey of Clearly, my son had lost his mind. Usually 300 children (ages 10 to 13) in the Boston I just ignore it when my kids nag me for area: stuff. But there was something in my Children are becoming shoppers at an son’s manner that morning that made me earlier age. It is estimated that children take notice. He was product-possessed, aged 6 to 12 visit stores two to three times and after I stopped fuming, I got scared. per week. I turned my son around and ordered him More children go shopping every week to go shut off the television. In fact, I than read, go to church, participate in went a step further. After that incident, I youth groups, play outdoors, or spend time have severely limited his and his sister’s in household conversation. television watching. Children’s top aspiration now is to be rich. Forty-four percent of kids in the In Born to Buy, Schor outlines the fourth through eighth grades now report numerous tactics that advertisers are that they daydream “a lot” about being using on our kids, many of which turn rich. them into disrespectful tykes and teens. Nearly two-thirds of parents report, For example, there is an “anti-adult bias” “My child defines his or her selfworth in in the commercials. “It’s important to recognize the nature of the corporate

38 The Social Artist Summer 2015 39 message: Kids and products are aligned at stake is the well-being of our children. together in a really great, fun place, while parents, teachers, and other adults inhabit Advertisers and marketers are turning an oppressive, drab, and joyless world,” our children into materialistic monsters. Schor says. “The lesson to kids is that it’s And sadly, we are aiding and abetting the product, not your parents, that is really the enemy. We let the enemy into our on your side.” house when we allow our children to There is the practice of “trans-toying,” or watch endless programming surrounded turning everyday items into playthings. by a steady stream of messages that “Child development experts worry communicate they aren’t worthy- a that this trend leaves little space for somebody-without certain products. We imagination, as every item in the deliver our children to the enemy every environment becomes a toy,” Schor writes. time we choose to entertain them by How many times have you heard your kid shopping. say, “I’m bored”? What he or she really means is: You need to buy me something I hope Born to Buy will motivate you that will entertain me because I can’t to fight back, because our children - my possibly be put upon to be creative. children - weren’t born to shop. Schor concludes that kids who are overly involved in the values of consumerism From “Material Girl and Boy” by Michelle become problem children. “The Singletary, The Washington Post , November prevalence of harmful and addictive 14, 2004, ©2004 The Washington Post Writers products, the imperative to keep up, and Group. Excerpted with permission the growth of materialistic attitudes are Michelle Singletary is a personal finance harming kids,” she says. columnist for The Washington Post. She discusses personal finance on National Public People-parents-are under siege. And Radio’s Day to Day program on Tuesdays and what’s at stake isn’t just a depletion online at www.npr.org. of our assets to buy what our kids are brainwashed to believe they need. What’s © 1990-2005, More Than Money, All rights reserved

Obituary Alan Armstrong 21st July 1933- 24th April 2015 Born in Scotland, Alan Armstrong was working at various jobs, including farm Chairman of the Social Credit Secretariat labouring, lorry driving and as a deckhand (SCS) from the death of Donald Neale in on a Norwegian coaster. He settled in April 1997 until May 2001. Following a Scotland, becoming a leading figure in long illness, he died recently in Edinburgh. the Scottish tourist industry as Marketing Director of the Scottish Tourist Board and After his National Service in the Air Force, co-founder of the Marketing and Design and a period working in London as a radar Agency Limited. His imaginative flair for fitter for BOAC, Alan spent several years organisation was apparent in the many travelling through Europe and Africa, schemes he initiated and saw through

39 40 The Social Artist Summer 2015

to completion. His knowledge of Scottish in 1952. Noting that Alan was publically history led him to become an active member active in campaigning for a Scottish of the Scottish National Party and a firm parliament, Donald Neale was inspired believer in an independent Scotland. From to suggest he attend public meetings on 1989, as Convener of the Campaign for a monetary reform organised by the Social Scottish Assembly, he initiated discussions Credit Secretariat. Alan quickly became with the Scottish political parties, churches, actively involved in the organisation, and a range of representative organizations working on articles and reviews for The to establish the Scottish Constitutional Social Crediter. Together, with Donald, he Convention seeking to develop a framework planned to launch a campaign for radical for devolution. monetary and economic reform. After graduating, Alan set about writing To Through his involvement in practical Restrain the Red Horse: The URGENT Need politics Alan started to explore alternatives for Radical Economic Reform. Published to the mainstream thinking on socio- in 1996, the book provides an excellent and economic matters which was so plainly very readable description of the debt-money failing to alleviate poverty amidst plenty system, how it is the root cause of social and whilst causing unprecedented social and environmental malaise, and how the writings environmental problems. He first became of Douglas and others on the workings of the interested in Social Credit after reading an world financial system provide the basis for essay entitled The Builder (published in the study of alternatives. 1934) in which the author, Hugh McDairmid suggested that C.H. Douglas “… will rank Alan Armstrong was the ideal person to as the greatest of all Scotsmen”. Alan had take up the editorship of The Social Crediter never heard of Douglas or the world-wide and bring Social Credit into the twenty-first Social Credit movement of the 1920s and century. When he assumed Chairmanship of 1930s. With characteristic determination, SCS he used his networking skills, seeking he set about ferreting out the truth of the to bring together a range of politicians, matter by study reading several of Douglas’ academics and activists in the office books. Although he found them hard going, premises rented in Edinburgh. He had an he recognised the significance of Douglas’ amazing talent for organising practical and books and decided to retire early in order effective action firmly based upon sound to take a course in economics so that he theoretical foundations. Guided by Donald could compare the orthodox position with Neale in the initial stages, a legacy enabled Douglas’ analysis and prescription for him to plan the launch of an international change. An “intelligent, inquiring and hard- economic reform campaigning organization. working student”, he graduated from Heriot Alan was a very shrewd judge of character. Watt University in 1993 with a first class A skilled organizer, with a fine sense of degree in economics and the conviction humour, he always had time for the people that Douglas was correct and economic he met along the way. At the Secretariat we orthodoxy was wrong. have missed him sadly during the years of his illness, and our sympathy goes out to his At that time Donald Neale was Chairman wife Cindy and their two sons, of the Social Credit Secretariat set up by Douglas to carry on his work after his death

40 Social Credit literature currently available in print or online.

Over the century (virtually) since Clifford Hugh Douglas first put pen to paper, a vast literature on the subject of Social Credit has appeared in print. Douglas’ own works were translated into many languages, and most of his books can still be bought over the internet.

The Political Economy of Social Credit and Understanding the Financial System: Social Guild Socialism Credit Rediscovered Frances Hutchinson and Brian Burkitt, (2005) Frances Hutchinson (2010) £15 £12.99 What Everybody REALLY Wants to Know Down to Earth: About Money A Guide to Home Economics Frances Hutchinson £12 Frances Hutchinson (2013) £5 Asses in Clover (Fictional dystopia) The Grip of Death: Eimar O’Duffy (2003) £11 A study of modern money, debt slavery and destructive economics This Age of Plenty Michael Rowbotham £18 A new conception of economics: Social Credit Louis Even (Pilgrims of Saint Michael) The Social Artist

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Hard copies are available on payment of annual subscriptions to: Social Credit Secretariat, £10 (UK), £15 (airmail). THE SOCIAL CREDIT SECRETARIAT BUSINESS ADDRESS Subscribers are requested to note that the address for all business related to KRP Limited and The Social Credit Secretariat is: PO Box 322, Silsden, Keighley, West Yorkshire BD20 0YE (UK)

SOCIAL CREDIT SECRETARIAT

Dr Frances Hutchinson (Chair) J.A. Murray McGrath Rev Bryony Partridge Anne Goss Keith Hutchinson Dr Gerald Partridge Richard Haselgrove Rev Karin Medböe Linda Scotson Anita Gregory Ros Cunningham Wallace Klinck (Canada) Telephone: 01535 654230/600356 www.douglassocialcredit.com [email protected] The Social Artist Summer 2015

If we want to achieve a different society where the principle of money operates equitably, if we want to abolish the power money has over people historically, and position money in relationship to freedom, equality, fraternity … then we must elaborate a concept of culture and a concept of art where every person must be an artist … Joseph Beuys What is Money? A Discussion, Clairview Press, 2010.

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The Social Artist is a quarterly journal dedicated to breaking the boundaries between Christian Social teaching, Anthroposophical Social Renewal, and the institutional analysis of money as presented by the Social Credit movement.

ISSN: 2053-5236