Idea: Towards a 7/7 economy

Idea: Towards a 7/7 economy; 24 Oct 2008

RH:
1. For most of China's 5,000 year history, its people, mostly peasants -- still today numbering 800 million -- worked every day, resting only when tired or other chores require a change. They took time off work only on festivals and other celebrations. It was pretty much the same in the cities and towns. Business people also worked every day and took time off only when tiredness, rest or other chores required it.

2. Like the Western sartorial suit and tie, which today is worn even by China's leaders, the 5 or 5-1/2 or 6 day week is a Western invention. In the Christian Bible, God rested on the 7th day after creating the heaven and the earth. So, in the West, and later through Western hegemony, throughout the world, the 7 day week was adopted, with the 7th day, the Sunday, ordained as the Rest Day, like the Christian God rested on the 7th Day.

3. Today, there is no reason to stick to this 5- or 6-day Western work week. Indeed, there are many, many advantages to a 7/7 work week. To list but a few :
2/5th increase in work thus higher employment;
2/7ths better use of otherwise wasted office/factory rented space;
stock markets that open all week thus avoiding the end-of-week defensive buying/selling;
traffic flows that thus 'evens out' over the week instead of jamming roads and other transportations over 5 or 6 days while being under-utilised on weekends;
electricity use also evens out over the week [electricity capacity has to cater to peak use but cannot be stored during slack use];
malls, leisure and entertainment centres, etc, all also evened out in patronage rather than suffering peaks and troughs;
this all leading to better utilisation of expensive and even scarce resources. When everyone is off-work on weekends, this creates crowds and inefficient use of leisure resources which are then, under-utilised on weekdays;
this idea even greatly reduces corruption;
greater work arrangements flexibility leading to better work arrangements such as part-time work;
etc.

4. In jobs, simply by having the whole city or country operate 7/7, this means that every job now done by 1 worker working 5 days a week = 5 worker-days can be increased to 7 worker-days, an increase of 2 worker-days or 2/5 x 100 = 40% increase in work-jobs. Of course, if there is no demand for the extra worker's output, then there will be no increase or a smaller increase than 40%. But the potential is there. China already has hundreds of millions unemployed or underemployed, so this is an idea that should be considered. Plus the fact that many of the 800 million peasants will want to move to the cities for a better life, which may be possible with the new land policy, makes this idea worth considering.

5. Why is this idea not thought of before? Besides the obvious, the main resistance against this idea is human nature. A manager who rose to his position only after much hard work and politicking does not want someone to deputise for him when he is not around. This human nature resistance is present at almost every level, not just the manager position. Of course, a check-out girl at a supermarket check-out counter does not have such misgivings because her job is easily interchangeable and so lends itself perfectly to a 7/7 job.

6. So, some measures are needed to ensure that in every dept, company, govt dept, city and the entire country, the workers who most fear someone taking away their jobs be given some reassurance. This is important for the 7/7 economy to be implemented smoothly and even successfully. In most big companies nowadays, especially in important or critical positions, the worker must take leave each year for at least 1 week or 7 days consecutively. This is to ensure that the job is handed over to a deputy who can then, in the course of doing his/her superior's job, find any corruption or criminal wrongdoings of the main jobholder. This is now standard practice to reduce corruption and wrongdoings but clearly 1 week is not enough. If all jobs in China, both in the govt and in private companies, have this 7/7 work week with at least 1 day done by a deputy, most corruption in China will be eliminated, thus also reducing mistakes and cover ups like the tainted milk scandal. When you have someone deputising for you every week, looking at your work, you have to be a lot more careful. It is also much harder to bribe someone who is sharing his job and responsibilities with another.

7. There are other reasons for a 7/7 economy. With computers and modern communications and processes, each and every employee now does a lot more than a similar employee in a similar job did say, a decade ago. In fact, each employee is now so productive that he/she does so much that in almost every dept, when 1 employee is away for even a few weeks, nobody can do his/her job. There is no back-up. The more efficient a dept, the less each employee knows about the work of his/her colleagues because work is now complicated, complex, highly efficient and computerised -- even though each colleague is sitting only arms-length away and they lunch together every day. Thus, a 7/7 work week will automatically make back-ups of each and every job so when 1 employee is gone for weeks or for good, the stand-in can continue business as usual.

8. Office space and factory space rental is a big item in every company's monthly and yearly expenditure. By leaving the expensive office and factory space empty each weekend, 2/7ths of the rental is wasted. You pay 7/7 office rentals but use only 5/7ths. You waste 28.57%. Imagine how much this translates in renminbi. Of course, to work 7/7, you will need to pay more aircon, electricity, maintenance costs, as well as hiring 2/7 more workers, but if you have enough business or demand for your output, reclaiming 28.57% of wasted office rentals can translate into much bigger profits.

9. Another reason why this idea was not done before is that it requires a whole town, city or country to do it all together at once. For example, a family has 2 grandparents, 2 parents, and 1 child. Both parents work and the child goes to school. Thus, both parents and their child must coordinate their work week so as to have the same days off together, like they do now on weekends. But this is not difficult because even the schools and teachers will also work 7/7. So, suppose everyone works 5 days a week with 2 days off as required by labour laws, then offices and companies must allow employees to choose their days off to coordinate with their spouses and child. This is not difficult.

10. Since the major jobholder will work 5/7 and the stand-in or deputy only 2/7, the deputy can actually stand in for another 1-1/2 employees. This versatility and back-up of all the functions in a dept can only be good. Much of today's jobs are computerised and mechanised [as in factories], so this versatility will promote learning of more diverse skills and trades. This is good for the individual as well as the company and the country as a whole. Indeed, for many boring, dead-end jobs, this working as back-up in varied jobs and job functions will appeal to many.

11. Currently, there is the illogic of employed workers being worked very hard while unemployed people have no work at all. By implementing a 7/7 economy, work will be more évened out' so that the employee with a job can choose to work a little less while the unemployed can get some work. This leads to greater flexibility. For example, a working mother may want or can work only 2 days a week. This 7/7 economy allows this flexible working arrangement when previously, a worker has to work 5 or 6 days a week or not at all, as unemployed. Thus, many part-time work will be possible. Thus, in the 7/7 economy, the lines between employed and unemployed will blur. It may even make no sense to report statistics on employment and unemployment since most people will work as much or as little as they want.

12. Even professionals may implement this 7/7 week. For example, a doctor operating a clinic may work 4 days a week and have a locum stand in for him/her on the other 3 days. Lawyers, consultants, stockbrokers, etc, can all implement this 7/7 week.

13. After or maybe before the successful implementation of a 7/7 economy, the govt may want to consider new labour laws. For example, the old definitions of employed vs unemployed may need to be revised. Some may work 1 day, others 2, and so on. Thus, labour laws may need to recognise payment on a daily-rated basis instead of the monthly wage. This is optional and depends on what the govt wants to do for its economy and workers.

14. In mixed populations like Malaysia, which has big populations of Malays [muslims] and Chinese and Indians, the Malay muslims may want to take Fridays off because that is the day of prayers. Thus the muslims may take Fridays off while the other races can take other days off. Thus, the 7/7 economy caters to different rest-day needs.

15. When this 7/7 economy is implemented, maybe as a pilot project in some town or city first, like, say, Shanghai, the road traffic will be evened out over the whole week thus reducing jams. But this gain is only a one-time gain and if other measures are not done, soon the roads will be jammed all 7 days a week. This evening out also applies to other public transport such as buses and metro trains, all of which will be better utilised.

16. Stock markets will open all week so a sudden bad news over the weekend can allow for buying/selling stocks. This leads to more stable stocks trading. With events happening so fast nowadays, this is important.

17. Electricity use will also be evened out over the week. Currently, power stations have to be big enough for peak use during the work week but cannot shut down or reduce production during weekends since electricity cannot be stored.

18. Similarly, leisure and entertainment complexes will be patronised all week instead of just weekends. This evening out will reduce weekend over-crowding and ensure better utilisation of all the facilities.

19. You may want to reinvent the week. For example, you can have a work week that is 10 days, with workers getting 2, 3 or even 4 days off. Everything is now flexible and can be reinvented. There is no need to stick to the Gregorian calendar [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregorian_calendar ]. You can use back the old Chinese Lunar calendar if you want. Or invent something new. With modern computers and the Internet, it will be easy to 'translate' from the standard Gregorian calendar to any calendar you choose to invent. Just like now we can, with 1 click, get the time anywhere in the world.

20. The needs of a modern economy and society require new work-life balance and arrangements. A 7/7 economy is most likely to provide the best arrangements for everybody.

21. China is now trying for more GDP growth through greater domestic consumption, since exports to the US and EU are decreasing in the financial turmoil. With a 7/7 economy, Chinese spending will take place over 7 days instead of the current weekends only. This will increase domestic spending as desired. Also, with more people employed, spending will also rise.

22. RH: "A 7/7 economy solves EVERYTHING. Creates 2/5 or 40% more Work-jobs, at only [2/5 more Workers Pay - 2/7 Office/Factory Rental costs]. PLUS Immeasurably, Many, Many other recurring Benefits worth $b $b $b pa!!!"

23. RH: It is entirely possible that the above BOLD may even be LESS than the ITALICS, thus leading to NO COST of the extra 2/5 or 40% workers, or even SUBSIDISED, that is, when BOLD - ITALICS returns a negative, that is, the savings in Office/Factory Rentals exceeds the extra 2/5 or 40% workers pays, in which case there is an overall REDUCTION in ALL the workers salary costs, both the 5/7 + the extra 2/7 of workers. In other words, moving to 7/7 could actually REDUCE the total wage costs while increasing the workforce by 2/5 for free or even for an overall wage costs subsidy.
--
RH: MY ACQUAINTANCE, MR DAVID DUCLOS, A FORMER POLICE INSPECTOR, AND HIS LAWYER FRIEND, EYEWITNESSED LEE KUAN YEW RIGGING THE 1997 CHENG SAN GRC ELECTION. READ MORE AT MY BLOG ENTITLED "I CAME, I SAW, I SOLVED IT" :

http://i-came-i-saw-i-solved-it.blogspot.com/

[ALSO AT THE ABOVE BLOG, LIE KUAN YEW's LIES, CORRUPTION, WRONGFUL JAILING, TORTURE AND BEATING TO DEATH OF INNOCENT POLITICAL PRISONERS LIKE MR CHAN HOCK HUA]

READ ALSO MARTYN SEE's INTERVIEW WITH ME AT:

http://singaporerebel.blogspot.com/

ALSO AT:

http://i-came-i-saw-i-wrote-it.blogspot.com/2007/03/filmmaker-martyn-see-interviews-robert.html

FOR QUICK, IRREVERENT REASONS WHY LIE KY DESERVES A NOBEL:

http://i-came-i-saw-i-solved-it.blogspot.com/search/label/Not%20nominated%20for%20a%20Nobel%20so%20LIE%20KY%20gives%20himself%20many%20others

MY ARCHIVE OF WORKS AT:

http://i-came-i-saw-i-wrote-it.blogspot.com/
.

Idea: Random thoughts on World Govt

Idea: Random thoughts on World Govt; 17 Oct 2008

RH:
1. Although it is possible to conceive and implement a World Govt from scratch, which has many advantages, given that humans are slow to change mindsets or embrace startlingly different ideas, proponents of a WG may need to build upon the current UN, just as the UN was based on the old League Of Nations. One advantage is that building from the UN allows use of many current UN agencies and procedures.

2. The US will try to take over the WG and thus achieve what they tried but could not as a big power, that is, turn every country into its control. Now even impossibler given that the US is now in terminal decline. So the WG may anoint as its first World President, a person from a small state that has no or few world domination ambitions.

3. A WG needs money so one way would be for it to issue the Fiat Currency, the W$ or World Dollar. Probably all oil trades would be in W$ to reinforce this as the universal currency. Then so would all other trades. For a while, individual currencies may remain as the respective medium of exchange and interchangeable into W$ but eventually, only the W$ would circulate, in every country. When this universal currency is established, no country would be able to stay out or opt out of the WG.

4. The WG should 'worldise', as in 'nationalise' as many of the global resources as possible. The easiest would be to worldise all the Earth's oceans. The current 200 mile exclusive economic zones may need to be abolished. Thus, any use of the oceans whether by ships transporting goods, fishing, mining, or oil and gas production, etc, would come under WG control. A WG tax may be levied for use of this global resource. All fishing boats would be licenced and taxed by the WG and licences would be distributed to all, even non-coastal or landlocked countries.

5. One justification for the WG would be that 'global problems require global solutions' which only a WG can do since single countries acting selfishly have glaringly failed. Among the global problems that WG is best able to tackle include ozone depletion, climate change, water insufficiency, clean energy, natural disaster help, human poverty, human diseases, pandemics, genocides, refugees, failed states, etc.

6. The air, atmosphere and near space may need to come under WG control as well, which can levy a tax on any use of the air and atmosphere by planes, space satellites, or air pollution.

7. Individual govts may need to pay a tax to the WG as well.

8. All supra-national agencies such as the World Bank, IMF, WTO, etc, would come under the WG, which will then establish the Rules for world trade and financing, etc. These may allow for more WG taxes.

9. All govts are ultimately based on force, so a WG must have a big standing armed forces to settle disputes. The soldiers can be drawn from various countries and trained. Having different nationalities of soldiers will make it easier to send in those nationalities soldiers who would not have a national interest or agenda to push. The Gurkhas would be a good start. A World Police is necessary to investigate crime, whether by individuals or govts, for prosecution.

10. Prosecution would be in World Courts, according to World Laws. Judges, prosecutors and juries would be drawn from all over the world's judges and lawyers. A World University will produce World Lawyers.

11. The World University will also produce graduates trained in global disciplines, such as World Laws, World Govt Studies, climate change, water issues, clean energy, oceans sustainability, pollution [since this transcends national boundaries], etc. This is better than the ad hoc, random studies done by disparate groups currently.

12. World Research Institutes would focus on global problems ignored by the advanced countries, such as Malaria, which still kills millions in poor countries. Also, WRI can develop better products, systems, procedures to alleviate poverty and wretched living conditions in poor countries.

13. The WG may need to be physically sited somewhere but not necessarily forever. It can move every decade or so to another continent, thus by its location, help to understand and focus on its region or continent. The WG needs this kind of perspectives to be effective and obeyed.

14. The World President would need to have a World Legislature to draft laws and debate issues. He or she will also need a Cabinet for implementing various functions.

15. The WG would need to have its own World Media, that is, TV, Radio, Internet, Newspapers, etc. This is to propagate its existence, its policies, its leading personalities, its works, etc. It should own its own satellites.

16. World Passports would be issued to its members and employees. This will be universally accepted.

17. World Citizens would be able to live and work everywhere. However, there may need to be some limits on the number any country has to take. Refugees without a country will be considered for WC.

18. There are already some failed states. The WG can take over some failed states to establish a territorial presence or even to site its headquarters or base its military or various agencies. It has money, so it can quickly build the buildings, roads, airports, telecommunications, etc.

19. Proponents of a WG can first spread the idea through a novel, movie, tv series and computer game. WG is an inherently dramatic concept and lends itself to many dramatic possibilities, from wars against rogue anti-WG states and insurgents, to strategic manoeuvrings and alliances between various country-groups, etc.

20. For the last few decades, the main obstacle to a better, more effective UN was the US. The US, President after President, saw no need for a stronger UN because that would hinder the unfettered action of America upon the world. So it single-handedly prevented the UN developing into a more effective world body that could truly develop 'global solutions for global problems'. Today, America is beginning to realise that it has severe limitations disproportionate to its ambitions; that it no longer calls the shots. It now has to choose whether to recognise and acknowledge its limitations and cede power to a WG and then try to use that WG to attain some of its cherished world objectives -- OR FACE 1 OR MORE RISING POWERS WHO WOULD TOTALLY ACT AGAINST ITS VERY SURVIVAL AND INTERESTS. Thus, American support for a WG is in its mid and long term interests. Either it transfers power and authority to a neutral WG over which it has some influence, or totally lose all influence when push comes to shove and a new Coalition of the Willing Anti-American Powers coalesce to undermine its very existence, as all top dogs are reduced by former under dogs. Here is an insightful article that lays out the facts and the dwindling options that America now faces :
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JJ18Ak03.html


--
RH: MY ACQUAINTANCE, MR DAVID DUCLOS, A FORMER POLICE INSPECTOR, AND HIS LAWYER FRIEND, EYEWITNESSED LEE KUAN YEW RIGGING THE 1997 CHENG SAN GRC ELECTION. READ MORE AT MY BLOG ENTITLED "I CAME, I SAW, I SOLVED IT" :

http://i-came-i-saw-i-solved-it.blogspot.com/

[ALSO AT THE ABOVE BLOG, LIE KUAN YEW's LIES, CORRUPTION, WRONGFUL JAILING, TORTURE AND BEATING TO DEATH OF INNOCENT POLITICAL PRISONERS LIKE MR CHAN HOCK HUA]

READ ALSO MARTYN SEE's INTERVIEW WITH ME AT:

http://singaporerebel.blogspot.com/

ALSO AT:

http://i-came-i-saw-i-wrote-it.blogspot.com/2007/03/filmmaker-martyn-see-interviews-robert.html

FOR QUICK, IRREVERENT REASONS WHY LIE KY DESERVES A NOBEL:

http://i-came-i-saw-i-solved-it.blogspot.com/search/label/Not%20nominated%20for%20a%20Nobel%20so%20LIE%20KY%20gives%20himself%20many%20others

MY ARCHIVE OF WORKS AT:

http://i-came-i-saw-i-wrote-it.blogspot.com/
.