Tim Knowles
Aug 25, 2017 · 2 min read

There is one thing of value in addressing the problem like we did WWII that I don’t think was addressed in “Bill McKibben’s action plan entitled A World at War” and that is the use of rationing. It would limit consumption and thus pollution. In WWII a ration system was put in place to conserve resources that could be marshaled to the war effort.

If we put in place a ration system today it could reduce consumption and the resulting pollution and it would reduce social inequities. By ration system I mean you would still have to buy the products but there would be a limit on how much you could buy based on the amount of “ration coupons” you possessed.

Rich and poor would get the same rations. Of course the rich could buy rations from the poor, that would be a progressive wealth redistributive effect almost like UBI.

I severely dislike the totalitarian socialist implications of a nationwide rationing system but if the system baseline was to provide and allocated access to a basket of goods and services about equal to lower middle class lifestyle then everyone could be healthy and comfortable but there would be less waste and very little luxury.

Experience will show that there will be an increase in black market activity and enforcement troubles as well as organized crime but mostly the black market will be progressive with the poor being suppliers and the rich being customers and enforcement should focus on the buyers as without a demand the market would dry up.

Is this really so inconceivable that no one has brought it up before?

TEK

)
    Tim Knowles

    Written by

    Worked in our nations space programs for more than 35 years