Spring Break
Resources and the social contract
Scott Conover
Issue date: 1/21/09 Section: Forum
In a world with limited resources, it is natural to be concerned about the future. Oil, natural gas and coal occur in finite quantities on the planet, and so it is necessary to plan ahead.
We need to create a plan for either when, as a society we will not use those resources, or when they will be depleted. By doing so, we not only secure resources for our society, but we provide resources as a society to our individuals, as a part of the social contract.
In this case, the social contract is an agreement that binds society together via the general effort of individuals in a society to share resources, in order that they may improve the general well-being of all individuals in that particular society.
One of the most important issues with regard to resources is how societies around the world will fulfill their promises to their people through their social contract.
Unless a society fulfills its social contract to the extent that its inhabitants are happy, chaos and anarchy are often the result of a failed social contract. Societies often promise great rewards for hard work. This is especially true of the global market, where business trends like outsourcing and off-shoring create opportunities all over the world. How terrible would it be if people woke up one day and realized with resources scarce, there would not be enough for a second United States, a second European Union or even a second China?
The fact of the matter is that most people in the world actively seek a better life. In a world with limited resources, this is not possible in the long-term or macro level. How many versions of the United States can the world support? How many European nations? As the standard of living increases in Third World, even Second World countries; How will we as a society, as a world - as humanity - rise and overcome this challenge?
As the world consumes more resources, and as people seek a better life, how will societies and the politicians who lead them keep their promises to protect their people and secure their future? If restricted to this venue - Earth - the current resource levels will be insufficient for all societies to provide for their own.
We need to create a plan for either when, as a society we will not use those resources, or when they will be depleted. By doing so, we not only secure resources for our society, but we provide resources as a society to our individuals, as a part of the social contract.
In this case, the social contract is an agreement that binds society together via the general effort of individuals in a society to share resources, in order that they may improve the general well-being of all individuals in that particular society.
One of the most important issues with regard to resources is how societies around the world will fulfill their promises to their people through their social contract.
Unless a society fulfills its social contract to the extent that its inhabitants are happy, chaos and anarchy are often the result of a failed social contract. Societies often promise great rewards for hard work. This is especially true of the global market, where business trends like outsourcing and off-shoring create opportunities all over the world. How terrible would it be if people woke up one day and realized with resources scarce, there would not be enough for a second United States, a second European Union or even a second China?
The fact of the matter is that most people in the world actively seek a better life. In a world with limited resources, this is not possible in the long-term or macro level. How many versions of the United States can the world support? How many European nations? As the standard of living increases in Third World, even Second World countries; How will we as a society, as a world - as humanity - rise and overcome this challenge?
As the world consumes more resources, and as people seek a better life, how will societies and the politicians who lead them keep their promises to protect their people and secure their future? If restricted to this venue - Earth - the current resource levels will be insufficient for all societies to provide for their own.
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