NASA: Redistribute Wealth or Face Societal Collapse

[green73]

Few think Western civilization is on the brink of collapse—but it's also doubtful the Romans and Mesopotamians saw their own demise coming either.

If we're to avoid their fate, we'll need policies to reduce economic inequality and preserve natural resources, according to a NASA-funded study that looked at the collapses of previous societies.

"Two important features seem to appear across societies that have collapsed," reads the study. "The stretching of resources due to the strain placed on the ecological carrying capacity and the economic stratification of society into Elites and Masses."

In unequal societies, researchers said, "collapse is difficult to avoid.... Elites grow and consume too much, resulting in a famine among Commoners that eventually causes the collapse of society."

As limited resources plague the working class, the wealthy, insulated from the problem, "continue consuming unequally" and exacerbate the issue, the study said.

Meanwhile, resources continue to be used up, even by the technologies designed to preserve them. For instance, "an increase in vehicle fuel efficiency technology tends to enable increased per capita vehicle miles driven, heavier cars, and higher average speeds, which then negate the gains from the increased fuel-efficiency," the study said.

The researchers used what they termed a Human And Nature DYnamical (HANDY) formula to reach their conclusions. The formula uses factors such as birth rates, resources, and income classes to create a mathematical equation to project outcomes.

The study was sponsored by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and headed by the National Science Foundation's Safa Motesharrei.

For those who think modern society is immune from the problems that brought down ancient civilizations, a "brief overview of collapses demonstrates not only the ubiquity of the phenomenon, but also the extent to which advanced, complex and powerful societies are susceptible to collapse," the study said.

So how do we save ourselves? "Collapse can be avoided, and population can reach a steady state at the maximum carrying capacity, if the rate of depletion of nature is reduced to a sustainable level, and if resources are distributed equitably," reads the report.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/tech/here-s-how-nasa-thinks-society-will-collapse-20140318

[Superfly]

Cool, let's re-distribute NASA's funding first.

[Quark]

They should have a final sentence that says, "Of course this is true if we ignore economic observations and human nature."

[acptulsa]

NASA? NASA?


Cool, let's re-distribute NASA's funding first.

Let's do. Maybe we could cut everything not spent on aeronautics and space, for a start...

[idiom]

The report actually says, do not have unequal distribution of wealth in society.

The only way to achieve the extreme unequal distribution of wealth that leads to collapse is with extreme government intervention.

[RonPaulMall]

This is actually an issue that Rand should be running on hard. He is the only GOP candidate who can frame himself as the defender of the Middle Class. Opposing income inequality is not inconsistent with libertarian philosophy when the bulk of income inequality in America is caused by Government interference in the market. Highlighting the "War on the Middle Class" is a winning issue, especially at this point in time when almost everyone in America's Middle Class is finally feeling the strain and seeing the effects of that war first hand. Rand, and all the other Liberty Candidates need to get on this issue ASAP. Otherwise the Dems will own it by default, and of course their preferred solution of enriching the Government Class even more and feeding the Middle Class scraps (if the Middle Class jumps through whatever hoops the Government demands in order to get it) only makes the problem worse.

[Keith and stuff]

I like this plan. There is a tiny NASA station in New Hampshire. I'll take that off your hands. Thanks NASA! :toady:

[DamianTV]

Socialism and Communism have both failed to redistribute the wealth equally. Both systems have left a few powerful people with a lot of money while most have barely anything. Facism also fails heavily as Facism is essencially Corporatism controlling Govt.

Govt isnt the solution to Income Inequality, in fact, it is the worst offender. I think the only real alternative to any form of Govt Wealth Redistribution is a truly Free Market where those that create, service, and produce are the ones that receive the most money. Our system today allows those who do not create to take home the largest share of the profits. Banking Bonuses are good examples.

Perhaps another solution would be to put a Sales Tax on the purchase of Stocks?