FREE ESSAY ON THE MODEL SOCIETY

THE MODEL SOCIETY

Lisa Pepper 
Professor Black 
CES Final 
Summary of the Model Society
Goals of the Model Society
Chart comparing aspects of different countries
Comparisons between the Model Society and other major societies and theories
Triangle Graph Comparisons
Survey
Bibliographic Information
A Utopian society does not exist in any country in the world. The perfect system has not
yet been developed. Certainly the United States and the Soviet Union have been two of the
most admired systems OF the past, but they to are far from an ideal model of a just
society which has been desired by many persons throughout the ages. This just society, is
hard to define, nevertheless, this is what I propose. 
In the model society, all industry is nationalized and all citizens between the ages of
twenty-one and forty-five are required to serve in an industrial army. This industrial
army is divided into ten branches of industry, each department being under the control of
a lieutenant general. Each lieutenant general is elected by a vote of all the retired
members of the department he heads, thus avoiding the undesirable effects of having the
workers select their own bosses. The general-in-chief of the army is the President, and
all the men in the nation not involved in the industrial army elect him. No wages are
paid, but all citizens, be they active or retired, receive an equal share in the national
income. At the beginning of each year, every citizen is given a credit card marked off in
dollars and cents, and every time he makes a purchase the amount is subtracted from his
card. If any surplus is left over at the end of the year, it may be used the following
year, or returned to the common fund. In this model society education is free and the old
are provided for. And if any man who is capable of working refuses to do so, he may find
himself in solitary confinement until he sees the light.
1. The provision of employment for all persons who are able and willing to work.
2. An equal distribution of money and real income among all citizens so that economic and
social deprivation will not exist.
3. An increase in the level of real gross national product from year to year so that the
standard of living for all citizens continues to rise.
4. An emphasis on the quality as well as the quantity of life.
Full employment is in itself a desirable economic goal. It is the prime function of
economy to enable everybody willing and able to work to earn a living, and only a fully
employed economy performs this function. Maximum output is desirable given the
community??s willingness to work, and here again full employment is a necessary
condition.
A more equitable distribution of income is one of the major goals of a model society. The
major uncertainties of an industrial society are those of unemployment, premature death
or disability, prolonged illness, and old age. These uncertainties can be taken care of
through social security programs. It is necessary to provide some minimum standard of
living for these families through family allowances, housing subsidies, and free medical
care.
An increase in the standard of living depends on the per capita income. Economic growth
in this situation requires an increase in the actual output of goods as well as an
increase in an economy??s capability to produce goods. That is why this is a fundamental
goal of a model society.
To an extent there is a contradiction between economic growth and the quality of the
environment. Economic growth often results in smoke and fumes from more cars, litter, and
pollution. In the model society emphasis would be placed on those things necessary to the
environment. 
Although there is no such thing as a utopian society today, there are countries, which
appear to have done well in providing the greatest good for the greatest number of
people, and others which have done nothing to accomplish this goal. Following is brief
synopsis of several different countries or theories as compared to the Model Society.
Sweden is an excellent example of one such country. It displays a willingness and ability
to correct problems that arise in its society today. The model society would hope to
imitate Sweden in its employment rates, and its lack of poverty. There are however
several reasons why Sweden has been able to accomplish this. First of all, it has for the
most part avoided involvement in the world wars. Secondly, Sweden is a very homogeneous
country, therefore there are no racial problems. Thirdly, the population is relatively
small when compared to the landmass, so population pressures are not an issue. 
The model society unlike the United States would not implement tax policies that favor
the rich over the poor. Instead tax policies would be created so that they could serve to
even further equally distribute wealth.
The model society is aware that full employment is a mixed blessing and comes along with
rising prices. In order combat inflation the model society would implement a wage drift
policy much like that of Sweden in 1969.
"? The Model Society agrees wholeheartedly with Douglass North in his analysis as to why
are some nations rich and some poor? North stresses that moral imperfections are by and
large ignored in economic analysis. He points out that nations that are morally just
usually do better than those that have corrupt governments in charge. North analysis
implies that capital and technology will flow to and be accumulated or developed in a
just nation. A just economy has high informal cultural institutions that transmit high
moral standards and promote self-enforcing agreements, moral restraint, and economic
efficiency. The Model Society will be founded on highly moral principles. Stressing the
jointness of church and state, and religion in schools. How can we expect the citizens of
a country to behave morally if they have not been educated to respect their neighbor?
"? The question of competition arises. How will this country maintain its efficiency when
everyone owns everything. The competition will come from outside the country. Trade will
be promoted and as other countries can provide a service or product faster or better our
country will have to try harder to keep up with them. Also, efficiency will be promoted
by competition within the country. Industries that are more efficient will receive more
money. Industry heads will be responsible to figure out which plants are working most
efficiently
"? The Model Society agrees with Adam Smith, and maintains the fundamental principle that
Government influence prohibits wealth.
"? Capitalism- the idea of private ownership of the means of production and the hiring of
wage labor in production. Is to be avoided at all costs. There will of course naturally
be laborers and there will be others who specialize in different areas. But each person
will be given money according to what he needs.
"? Specialization and the exchange of goods and services increase standards of living.
Investment in additional capital and improved technology further promote rising standards
of living. Transactions costs, however, are a huge barrier to economic exchange. The
economic institutions of the Model Society will reduce transactions costs.
"? The Model Society will be based on the prediction that in the future all people will
share more equally, and government institutions designed to protect would no longer be
necessary
"? The Model Society disagrees with Novak when he states that no traditional or socialist
economy will ever produce equality among races or classes. The Model Society will. The
Model Society also disagrees with Novak when he states the capitalism offers people not
equal results but equal opportunities. How can he pretend that a person born in the slums
of a city has the same opportunity to be rich as someone born into wealth.
"? The model society will be unlike America with its problems of pollution and
environmental hazard. In America environmental problems far outweigh national efforts to
find solutions.
United Kingdom
A. courts moving against labor units-defending business
B. after war-nationalization of industry along with
labor movement (1946-79)
C. Thatcher-labor party out of power- (shadow of US 
Depression) privatization (post 79)
Germany
A. 1930-40- cause of war-nazis take over government which has been given to much power
B. 1950 on ?V Germany tries to break old cartel and 
create a competitive market
The Model Society
A perfect balance between business control and
Government control in which the people control everything
When asked to come up with an ideal country I was at first completely baffled. What
should my country include? What should my country avoid? And thousands of other questions
sprang to mind. So I enlisted the help of several people. I asked them: ??If you could
live in an ideal country, what would be one aspect that you think would be absolutely
necessary to it, or one thing that you want the country to have no part of???
Here are the results:
"? ??If it is to be a perfect country a socialist economy would be best, no class
categorization, everyone is equal?K. Even though there is no way that this would work in
the real world. It would be a cooperative society. I think the tribes in Africa have the
best idea.?? -Jake Kelly (occupation-student, Houghton College, hometown-Belfast, NY)
"? ??Free Education?? -Ron Slack (occupation-unemployed, hometown-Belfast, NY) 
"? ??The ideal country would be America. Communal societies never work, everyone does the
least they can do, where as in capitalism, sure there's greed, but ambition can be a way
to virtues, though not a virtue itself.?? -Geoff Hickman (occupation-student, New Jersey
Institute of Technology, hometown-Newport, NJ)
"? ??The government would have control of the economy. They would get a percentage of all
profits made and use it to run the country. Not communism in its strictest sense. But a
place where the government controls things, and takes care of everyone.?? Zachary
Fletcher (occupation-student, Grove City, hometown- Harrisburg, PA)
"? ??Everyone would have a job for life.?? Joe Sweet (occupation-electrician,
hometown-Belfast, NY)
"? ??People wouldn??t have to worry about who is going to take care of them when they are
old.?? Jeremy Finney (occupation-plant worker, hometown-Belfast, NY)
"? ??Less hoarding, and more sharing. I??m sick of everyone being so greedy.?? Kristin
Dilmore (occupation-student, Houghton College, hometown-Rochester, NY)
"? ??Everyone getting along with one another. This would mean job security, free health
care, and low taxes. When people have to fight in order to get ahead, that is when civil
wars break out.?? Jennifer Adams (occupation-student, Houghton College, hometown-Hershey,
PA)
Bibliography
Cameron, Rondo. ??Concise Economic History of the World.?? Oxford University Press: 
New York:1997.
Gardner, Stephen. ??Comparative Economic Systems.?? The Dryden Press: London: 1998.
Hoffmann, Charles. ??The Depression of the Nineties.?? Greenwood Publishing 
Corporation: Connecticut: 1970.
Schnitzer, Martin. ??The Economy of Sweden.?? Praeger Publishers: New York: 1970.
Vaizey, John. ??Capitalism and Socialism.?? Weidenfeld and Nicolson: London: 1980.