Free My Country Is Called Earth by Lawrence John Brown Page B

generations.
     
    4. These changes were brought about gradually, not all at once, and they were fully explained to the people. No one was deprived of their personal belongings, their home, or a livelihood.
     
    Mary told me government was seen to have three functions, government was not allowed to spend more than it took in, and government officials and politicians were subject to instant dismissal by their constituents:
     
    1. The first function was to protect rights. The definition of rights had grown from the political and civil liberties of our time to also include the right of all species to live in peace, the right of future generations to inherit a healthy planet, and the right of all men and women to share in the wealth of the earth. The protection of rights was the duty of local governments. State and federal governments were next in the chain of responsibility. Ultimate responsibility rested with the United Nations.
     
    2. The second function was to provide services when a monopoly was the most practical way of getting things done (mail delivery, energy, and telecommunications were examples), and in the few other areas government should be involved in: public safety, libraries, parks, and the maintenance of the infrastructure. To avoid the inefficiency of government-run enterprises in the twentieth century, civil service was abolished.
     
    3. The third purpose of government was to direct the execution of the remaining public services. This was primarily the duty of local governments. For example, fire fighting, education, and sanitation were handled by associations that were required to submit bids to the local government in order to win their contracts. These associations were either villages or partnerships. Parents were permitted to choose which school their child would attend. A popular school opened branches; unpopular schools went out of business.
     
    4. A local government’s funding came from those receiving or benefitting from its services. State, federal, and UN governments depended upon local governments for most of their revenues; they also received income from the sale or lease of natural resources. Constitutions at every level prohibited governments from passing debts onto succeeding generations.
     
    5. Government officials and politicians were subject to instant dismissal by a majority vote of their constituents. Elected public servants needed a two-thirds vote to be returned to office for a second term. In 2076 it was easy for good public servants to get a two-thirds vote, because there was little partisanship in politics.
     
    Mary said, “Public office is considered an honor, not an opportunity to feed at the public trough. No one is permitted to enrich himself, his family, or his friends directly or indirectly. Anyone who profits from the misuse of public office is deprived of any wealth gained and also has to face criminal penalties. These laws are strictly enforced.”
    I said, “In the twentieth century we mostly elected lawyers to state and national offices.”
    She said, “No wonder you have so many laws. Allowing lawyers to write laws is like letting the fox watch the hen house. We have decentralized government, so our most important decisions are made at the local level, by ordinary citizens who don’t speak legalese. As a result, our state and national legislators have very little to do.”
    I asked, “Where does government in 2076 draw the line between protecting rights and interfering in individual lives?”
    Mary replied, “What people do to themselves is not the concern of government. When their actions affect others then government gets involved. But I see what you mean—everything we do affects somebody or something. By walking across this grass I may crush an ant. Every time we eat, we are killing something. We realize that for life to go on, there must be death. What we do is we try to eliminate any unnecessary interference in the lives of others. We understand that each