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10 Ideas For A Better, Simpler World

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The document proposes 10 ideas for a better, simpler world: 1. Abolish intellectual property rights to promote innovation. 2. Legalize all drugs to reduce crime and fund prevention programs. 3. Replace individual income tax with taxes on savings and consumption to encourage success. 4. Adopt English as the international language to reduce translation costs. 5. Require a period of compulsory civil or military service for youth to develop skills and save costs.

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10 ideas for a better, simpler world Eurico Neves INOVA+
1. Abolish intellectual property rights Patents were probably a good idea 100 years ago, when most inventors were unoccupied aristocrats which wanted for their inventions the same treatment they got for their land i.e. fence it and put a no trespass sign on it, even if the end they finished up by not using any of them (land or patent). Today the rules are different like Ulla used to sing on The Producers, if you got it, flaunt it . And if you dont, somebody else should to. Nowadays, patents are above all an obstacle to innovation, a defensive tool to help large corporations remain large in spite of more agile, smaller companies and thus resisting the theory of evolution. In some cases, as in the pharmaceutical field, they may even be a crime against humanity, preventing the poor to access medicine. Get rid of them and the world will be a better, more dynamic place, where again the most fit (and not the most powerful) will triumph .
2. Liberalize all drugs Remember the dry law effects in the US back in the 30s? No matter how much they tell you that it is different with drugs it really isnt it. Illegalization of drugs only favours crime, corruption and social exclusion. And in exchange for what, after all? Legalizing drugs would abolish illegal trade and would allow to charge taxes on sales that could fund prevention campaigns and quality rehab centres. It would not stop addiction but is it possible to illegalize suicide? but it would prevent social exclusion of addicted people and would blow a serious strike on both small and big crime. It would reduce funding of terrorists in Afghanistan and would increase the income of small farmers in South America. Finally, it would also contribute to a less hypocrite world, and that alone would be a strong reason to support it.
3. Abolish individual income tax Nobody likes taxes but some really do make much less sense than others. Does individual income tax makes any sense at all? Individual income has, as we all know by personal experience, only two possible destinations: savings and consumption. Both are already taxed. Savings accounts interests are taxed in most systems and consumption is always taxed via VAT. Why then tax income twice, and in a way that strongly dismotivates achievers? In a individual income tax system, the more (and better) you work and therefore the more you earn, the more taxes you pay. Success is penalised and hard work is desencouraged. It makes sense to tax savings and it makes all sense to tax consumption especially luxury and status goods which in plus often have a strong negative environmental impact (e.g. large cars, travels, etc.). An effective tax system will be able to collect all the taxes it needs in that way. But no matter which angle you look at it, individual income tax doesnt make sense. Let those that work better and more earn more, and as this means they will spend more - as they inevitably will, thus enhancing all the economy in the process - tax it only as they spend it, and not before.
4. Adopt english as the (only) international language The dream of an universal language is an old human aspiration. The problem now that such a dream has indeed become reality is that some people (or nations) still refuse to admit it by pure chauvinistic reasons. The cost of such stubbornness is huge: almost as much as 40% of operational costs of international organisations such as the European Commission is spent in translation costs. Political issues around languages have lead to a point where even Maltese (!) is an official European Union language, leading that all official documents produced for 500 million must be translated into that language spoken by less than 300 thousand. At some point somebody should really say enough! Lets face it, English has become the universal language, either we like or not. Time has come to accept it and take full advantage of it, finalising at least the Babel tower and, if not reaching the skies, at least overcoming another major obstacle towards global cooperation amongst people and nations.
5. Impose a universal and compulsory civil or military duty Everyone, at a certain point of their lives, even in the most liberal economies, gets something from the state for free education, healthcare, pension, welfare, even leisure areas as parks or museums. Its true that it is largely paid for from our taxes; still in most cases we are still net benefiters. It is therefore only fair that, for a certain period and at an early stage of our adult lives, we should give something back such as a civil or military duty period for all. About my own compulsory military duty I use to say that before I did I expect it to be much worse and now that is only a memory I think of it as much better than what it probably actually was. But for sure it was good and a lot of what I know of human behaviour and people management was learnt there. A short (up to 6 months) period, in between education and employment courses, of compulsory duty, civil or military, for all, would create a spirit of sharing and engaging amongst the youth, develop bounds and links between people of different background and education that may prove valuable in future professional lives and would save government money that can be better used elsewhere.
6. Reform university curricula Lets face it, almost a couple of thousands years later we are still teaching at universities with basically the same method as when they have been established back in the middle ages. We have a higher education system that is solely focused on producing compartmented professions. Instead of educating, we are really just forming doctors, lawyers, engineers i.e. we are accrediting. Something that should be the role of professionals themselves, through their associations. We are producing titles (MD, PhD, Msc, Eng. Dr..), left to us as an heritage from classic times, instead of educating players into the new world reality. We should be teaching creativity for the creative minds, entrepreneurship for the entrepreneurs, innovation, management (OK that we already do, but its the only one and in many countries is still regarded as a subproduct of economics), production, people care, solidarity, and maybe a few more. Universities should nourish and develop talents, while professions at a later stage must accredit their professionals. Right now we have it all mixed up, or we do it twice. We must shaken the system and change it upside down.
7. Aim for 1% of GDP for supporting social entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship is good, unemployment is bad we can all agree on that. Entrepreneurship is what makes the economy move forward, creates jobs and drives innovation and technological development. The world absolutely needs more entrepreneurs and a better system to support them including the less ambitious ones, that dont really want to be the next Bill Gates, but just find a way out of unemployment. Those are, as a matter of fact, the ones that need help. Economic viable, high potential entrepreneurial projects should, in first rate, be supported by private sector all that is needed is that banks become half as daring as regards intangible assets, as they are in (not so) tangible ones, as real estate. But less promising projects, as those that do not initially aim for rocket high profits but just for making ends meet, do need public support and a public fund for social entrepreneurship should be created in each country for that purpose. It is said that a country lo ses about 1% of potential GDP for each 1% point of unemployment. An initial target of 1% of GDP for social entrepreneurship project is therefore a good start. And, who knows, maybe for each 99 projects that just make ends meet, one will reach rocket high profits and create a 1,000 jobs. After all, it is known to have happened before (with Spains Mondragon .)
8. Ban the sale of fire weapons to civilians Idea n.尊 2, about liberalization of drugs, mentioned the impossibility to illegalize suicide. You cant prevent someone from killing himself, but you can, and you should, prevent him/her from killing someone else. Which, all statistics reveal, is something that happens more frequently in countries where fire weapons flow more or less freely isnt it time we make a stop to that? Theres no logical reason for a civilian to hold a fire weapon. Hunting? Come on, its the XXI century, buy your meat in the supermarket, man! Self-defence? Well, shooting a bullet at someone will only get you in the need of a stronger defence, this time in court. Collection? Try stamps. It is utopia to argue for a total ban on fire weapons, but it makes all the sense to ban their sale to civilians, under any reason. Of course, some military weapons would still make it to the black market, but the blow in violent crime would still be major. And for those that miss a good shooting once in a while, they can always opt for the military compulsory duty (see idea n.尊 5)...
9. Promote the adoption of a world constitution Yes, I know we didnt manage to do it here in Europe, and that we couldnt even get over the argumentation about the reference, or not, to God at the start. But that anecdote just shows how much one global constitution is needed, and one that places basic individual human rights back in the agenda. Amongst global progress, individual human rights is what seems to have stagnated or even regressed over the last decades and in both hemispheres - victim of religious intolerance, irrational fear, moral hypocrisy and public judgement over the media. Suddenly, what was taken for granted is questioned again from passenger rights on airplanes to the right to abortion in the US and it would be reassuring if a fundamental text, promoted by the UN, would consecrate individual rights as a legacy from the hard fought conquests of the XX century, that should be defended and expanded through the XXI and not wasted. Of course, most countries would not endorse it, but the simple fact of raising the discussion about it, would make it worthwhile.
10. Give the world a flagship project lets conquer the galaxy (ours, for now) Everyone needs a challenging vision to get out of bed in the morning and move forward, and human kind as a whole, is not different. The world needs a flagship project, that unites and leads, and contributes to scientific and technological progress and to economic and social development. Of course, that there is the need to save the earth and sustainability, but that is not really a challenge, is a need, and its not a bold, motivating vision, is a logical matter of survival. We need that, but we need more. Women and Men have always been fierce explorers, but lately we seem to have settled for a short escapade to the moon back at our youth, put our slippers on, and enjoy middle age at the comfort of our home. Captain Kirk would be ashamed of us, and would remind us that space is indeed the final frontier. We should set the target of visiting, at least, all planets in our own galaxy until the end of the century and setting permanent basis in some of them. Earth will always be our home, but mankind needs to dream of remote, unexplored destinations once again, and endeavour to reach them.
EURICO NEVES INOVA+ S.A. Porto (Matosinhos), Lisbon (Oeiras), Brussels, Luxembourg [email_address] www.inovamais.pt

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10 Ideas For A Better, Simpler World

  • 1. 10 ideas for a better, simpler world Eurico Neves INOVA+
  • 2. 1. Abolish intellectual property rights Patents were probably a good idea 100 years ago, when most inventors were unoccupied aristocrats which wanted for their inventions the same treatment they got for their land i.e. fence it and put a no trespass sign on it, even if the end they finished up by not using any of them (land or patent). Today the rules are different like Ulla used to sing on The Producers, if you got it, flaunt it . And if you dont, somebody else should to. Nowadays, patents are above all an obstacle to innovation, a defensive tool to help large corporations remain large in spite of more agile, smaller companies and thus resisting the theory of evolution. In some cases, as in the pharmaceutical field, they may even be a crime against humanity, preventing the poor to access medicine. Get rid of them and the world will be a better, more dynamic place, where again the most fit (and not the most powerful) will triumph .
  • 3. 2. Liberalize all drugs Remember the dry law effects in the US back in the 30s? No matter how much they tell you that it is different with drugs it really isnt it. Illegalization of drugs only favours crime, corruption and social exclusion. And in exchange for what, after all? Legalizing drugs would abolish illegal trade and would allow to charge taxes on sales that could fund prevention campaigns and quality rehab centres. It would not stop addiction but is it possible to illegalize suicide? but it would prevent social exclusion of addicted people and would blow a serious strike on both small and big crime. It would reduce funding of terrorists in Afghanistan and would increase the income of small farmers in South America. Finally, it would also contribute to a less hypocrite world, and that alone would be a strong reason to support it.
  • 4. 3. Abolish individual income tax Nobody likes taxes but some really do make much less sense than others. Does individual income tax makes any sense at all? Individual income has, as we all know by personal experience, only two possible destinations: savings and consumption. Both are already taxed. Savings accounts interests are taxed in most systems and consumption is always taxed via VAT. Why then tax income twice, and in a way that strongly dismotivates achievers? In a individual income tax system, the more (and better) you work and therefore the more you earn, the more taxes you pay. Success is penalised and hard work is desencouraged. It makes sense to tax savings and it makes all sense to tax consumption especially luxury and status goods which in plus often have a strong negative environmental impact (e.g. large cars, travels, etc.). An effective tax system will be able to collect all the taxes it needs in that way. But no matter which angle you look at it, individual income tax doesnt make sense. Let those that work better and more earn more, and as this means they will spend more - as they inevitably will, thus enhancing all the economy in the process - tax it only as they spend it, and not before.
  • 5. 4. Adopt english as the (only) international language The dream of an universal language is an old human aspiration. The problem now that such a dream has indeed become reality is that some people (or nations) still refuse to admit it by pure chauvinistic reasons. The cost of such stubbornness is huge: almost as much as 40% of operational costs of international organisations such as the European Commission is spent in translation costs. Political issues around languages have lead to a point where even Maltese (!) is an official European Union language, leading that all official documents produced for 500 million must be translated into that language spoken by less than 300 thousand. At some point somebody should really say enough! Lets face it, English has become the universal language, either we like or not. Time has come to accept it and take full advantage of it, finalising at least the Babel tower and, if not reaching the skies, at least overcoming another major obstacle towards global cooperation amongst people and nations.
  • 6. 5. Impose a universal and compulsory civil or military duty Everyone, at a certain point of their lives, even in the most liberal economies, gets something from the state for free education, healthcare, pension, welfare, even leisure areas as parks or museums. Its true that it is largely paid for from our taxes; still in most cases we are still net benefiters. It is therefore only fair that, for a certain period and at an early stage of our adult lives, we should give something back such as a civil or military duty period for all. About my own compulsory military duty I use to say that before I did I expect it to be much worse and now that is only a memory I think of it as much better than what it probably actually was. But for sure it was good and a lot of what I know of human behaviour and people management was learnt there. A short (up to 6 months) period, in between education and employment courses, of compulsory duty, civil or military, for all, would create a spirit of sharing and engaging amongst the youth, develop bounds and links between people of different background and education that may prove valuable in future professional lives and would save government money that can be better used elsewhere.
  • 7. 6. Reform university curricula Lets face it, almost a couple of thousands years later we are still teaching at universities with basically the same method as when they have been established back in the middle ages. We have a higher education system that is solely focused on producing compartmented professions. Instead of educating, we are really just forming doctors, lawyers, engineers i.e. we are accrediting. Something that should be the role of professionals themselves, through their associations. We are producing titles (MD, PhD, Msc, Eng. Dr..), left to us as an heritage from classic times, instead of educating players into the new world reality. We should be teaching creativity for the creative minds, entrepreneurship for the entrepreneurs, innovation, management (OK that we already do, but its the only one and in many countries is still regarded as a subproduct of economics), production, people care, solidarity, and maybe a few more. Universities should nourish and develop talents, while professions at a later stage must accredit their professionals. Right now we have it all mixed up, or we do it twice. We must shaken the system and change it upside down.
  • 8. 7. Aim for 1% of GDP for supporting social entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship is good, unemployment is bad we can all agree on that. Entrepreneurship is what makes the economy move forward, creates jobs and drives innovation and technological development. The world absolutely needs more entrepreneurs and a better system to support them including the less ambitious ones, that dont really want to be the next Bill Gates, but just find a way out of unemployment. Those are, as a matter of fact, the ones that need help. Economic viable, high potential entrepreneurial projects should, in first rate, be supported by private sector all that is needed is that banks become half as daring as regards intangible assets, as they are in (not so) tangible ones, as real estate. But less promising projects, as those that do not initially aim for rocket high profits but just for making ends meet, do need public support and a public fund for social entrepreneurship should be created in each country for that purpose. It is said that a country lo ses about 1% of potential GDP for each 1% point of unemployment. An initial target of 1% of GDP for social entrepreneurship project is therefore a good start. And, who knows, maybe for each 99 projects that just make ends meet, one will reach rocket high profits and create a 1,000 jobs. After all, it is known to have happened before (with Spains Mondragon .)
  • 9. 8. Ban the sale of fire weapons to civilians Idea n.尊 2, about liberalization of drugs, mentioned the impossibility to illegalize suicide. You cant prevent someone from killing himself, but you can, and you should, prevent him/her from killing someone else. Which, all statistics reveal, is something that happens more frequently in countries where fire weapons flow more or less freely isnt it time we make a stop to that? Theres no logical reason for a civilian to hold a fire weapon. Hunting? Come on, its the XXI century, buy your meat in the supermarket, man! Self-defence? Well, shooting a bullet at someone will only get you in the need of a stronger defence, this time in court. Collection? Try stamps. It is utopia to argue for a total ban on fire weapons, but it makes all the sense to ban their sale to civilians, under any reason. Of course, some military weapons would still make it to the black market, but the blow in violent crime would still be major. And for those that miss a good shooting once in a while, they can always opt for the military compulsory duty (see idea n.尊 5)...
  • 10. 9. Promote the adoption of a world constitution Yes, I know we didnt manage to do it here in Europe, and that we couldnt even get over the argumentation about the reference, or not, to God at the start. But that anecdote just shows how much one global constitution is needed, and one that places basic individual human rights back in the agenda. Amongst global progress, individual human rights is what seems to have stagnated or even regressed over the last decades and in both hemispheres - victim of religious intolerance, irrational fear, moral hypocrisy and public judgement over the media. Suddenly, what was taken for granted is questioned again from passenger rights on airplanes to the right to abortion in the US and it would be reassuring if a fundamental text, promoted by the UN, would consecrate individual rights as a legacy from the hard fought conquests of the XX century, that should be defended and expanded through the XXI and not wasted. Of course, most countries would not endorse it, but the simple fact of raising the discussion about it, would make it worthwhile.
  • 11. 10. Give the world a flagship project lets conquer the galaxy (ours, for now) Everyone needs a challenging vision to get out of bed in the morning and move forward, and human kind as a whole, is not different. The world needs a flagship project, that unites and leads, and contributes to scientific and technological progress and to economic and social development. Of course, that there is the need to save the earth and sustainability, but that is not really a challenge, is a need, and its not a bold, motivating vision, is a logical matter of survival. We need that, but we need more. Women and Men have always been fierce explorers, but lately we seem to have settled for a short escapade to the moon back at our youth, put our slippers on, and enjoy middle age at the comfort of our home. Captain Kirk would be ashamed of us, and would remind us that space is indeed the final frontier. We should set the target of visiting, at least, all planets in our own galaxy until the end of the century and setting permanent basis in some of them. Earth will always be our home, but mankind needs to dream of remote, unexplored destinations once again, and endeavour to reach them.
  • 12. EURICO NEVES INOVA+ S.A. Porto (Matosinhos), Lisbon (Oeiras), Brussels, Luxembourg [email_address] www.inovamais.pt