Briefly, Technocracy is science applied to the social order. Science concerns itself with the determination of the most probable in any field of knowledge, be it chemistry, engineering or social phenomena. Technocracy, then, concerns itself with the determination of the most probable in the field of social science -- the determination of the most probable state of society. It has to do primarily with that part of the social mechanism relating to the production and distribution of goods and services, but it has many far-reaching implications.
No, it is not. Technocracy's sole reason for being is to promote its social program for institution when the Price System can no longer operate in North America. To run candidates for political office to advocate adoption of the program would quickly defeat the organization's whole purpose, for they would be unable to introduce any of the program's features on a local basis because of the Continental scope of the program. Technocracy, by remaining entirely free from political entanglements, can promote its social program at the continental level without being restricted by the national or local boundaries of political considerations.
This is not to say that Technocracy will not consider political action in the future if the need arises, but such action would be only in a referendum calling for the acceptance or rejection of Technocracy's proposals. It is highly improbable that the program would be rejected in the face of badly deteriorated social circumstances that would likely prevail at the time of such referendum.
Most people are aware that so far all attempts to repair the current social system have ended in failure or worse. This is not a presentation of how to 'fix the system.'
This plan offers achievable technological solutions to our social problems via replacement of the social system, since our problems are due to the impact of technology upon a 7,000 year old social system. The solutions must be technological ones, compatible with the modern age in which we live.
There are three basic conclusions. The first is that there exists on the North American Continent a physical potential in resources to produce a high standard of goods and services for all citizens, and that the high-speed technology for converting these resources to use-forms in sufficient volume is already installed, and that the skilled personnel for operating it are present and available. Yet we have unprecedented insecurity, extensive poverty and rampant crime.
The second conclusion of Technocracy is that the Price System can no longer function adequately as a method of production and distribution of goods. The invention of power machinery has made it possible to produce a plethora of goods with a relatively small amount of human labor. As machines displace men and women, however, purchasing power is destroyed, for if people cannot work for wages and salaries, they cannot buy goods. We find ourselves, then, in this paradoxical situation: the more we produce, the less we are able to consume.
The final basic conclusion is that a new distributive system must be instituted that is designed to satisfy the special needs of an environment of technological adequacy, and that this system must not in any way be associated with the extent of an individual's functional contribution to society.
