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The „Year 2000“ Paradox: Why the Future Turned Out Differently
Fifty years ago, thinkers like Karl Marx and John Maynard Keynes envisioned a future where automation and technological progress would free humanity from monotonous labor. Instead, we live in a world where economic growth, climate crisis, and social inequality are inextricably linked. Why did this vision fail—and how can we reclaim it?
The Utopia of Yesterday
Until the 1970s, many believed that robots and machines would take over most of the work by the year 2000. Keynes predicted that technological progress would drastically reduce working hours.
Keynes believed that in the future, people would only have to work about 15 hours a week to make a living. Social wealth would be more equally distributed, and people would have more time for family, friends and personal interests.
But the reality is different: instead, precariousness, increasing working hours and a growing gap between rich and poor dominate today.
The technical requirements for a fairer society have long been in place. However, systemic failures have led to a situation in which growth primarily generates profit for the few. According to the Oxfam 2023 report, the richest 2% of the world’s population owns more wealth than the remaining 98%. The concentration of wealth continues to increase because the law of capitalism is that capital yields grow faster than wages.
Growth as a Dead End
The idea that economic growth creates prosperity for all has proven to be an illusion. Instead, it is overburdening ecosystems and exacerbating social tensions.
Even supposed solutions such as ‘green growth’ or renewable energies cannot solve the problems. In 2021, less than 20 per cent of the world’s final energy consumption came from renewable sources – the rest is and will continue to be based on fossil fuels.
In addition, growth is often achieved through destructive practices such as arms exports or planned obsolescence. As long as profit maximisation remains the ultimate goal, wars and environmental destruction will continue.
Why History Took a Different Turn
This is due to the fundamental mechanism of capitalism: capital gains usually do not automatically flow back into society, but to the owners of the means of production. Capitalism is based on maximising profits, not on social balance. Companies have no incentive to voluntarily share their profits with those who have been made redundant due to automation.
The employer saves on wage costs, social security contributions and other expenses associated with human labour. This increases profits.
Capitalism is, to a certain extent, a money-making machine for the rich. While the majority of employees see their wages eroded by inflation, the rich get richer because profits grow faster than wages.
Role of trade unions
Instead of demanding equal living conditions for the unemployed, the trade unions merely insist on job security.
Although we know the danger of economic growth for the future of our planet, we keep voting for growth because our politicians persuade us that it is the only way to ensure our prosperity.
An alternative: uncapped unemployment insurance contributions
An interim solution could be to introduce a statutory levy, similar to the health insurance contribution, but not capped. Automation would then benefit everyone, not just a small elite. Employees would strive to work less, which would ensure that work is truly distributed and allow automation to progress more rapidly. Car factories would probably switch to producing machines and robots.
However, there is still a risk that the entrepreneurs would go abroad and this concept would fail.
It would be better to eradicate the problem at the root.
An real alternative: The „Revolution of Giving“
As we can see, it’s all about money. But who owns most of this money and who actually owns the ‘financial system’?
0.1% of the world’s population (super-rich individuals and their families) are the main profiteers and direct owners.
1% of the world’s population (highest wealth class) own the largest share of capital, often through funds or direct investments.
5–10% of the world’s population (upper middle class and wealthy investors) have a certain amount of shares, but no control, through funds, shares and participations.
These people have no interest in wealth being distributed equally. They use the economy to increase their wealth and power.
Isn’t the real purpose of the economy to provide goods and services? However, today’s capitalist system uses the influence of the financial system on the economy as leverage. If growth slows down, which is not only supposed to secure our prosperity but mainly serves to accumulate capital, thus increasing inequality more and more, then we should feel it, because social benefits will automatically decrease as well.
The solution to this would be to no longer offer the financial system any points of attack within the economy. This would happen if money were simply banned from the economy.
To do that, we wouldn’t even have to take anything away from the rich.
We just have to prevent the produced goods from being given a monetary value. The goods get this monetary value because the work is remunerated with money.
A radical but possible solution would be a ‘revolution of giving’. This could be a global general strike. But because we don’t want to harm the economy as our provider, people will simply continue to work, but in the future they will do without monetary compensation.
It’s quite simple. As a result, everything that circulates in the economy, i.e. raw materials, semi-finished and finished products, would no longer have any financial value, because only paid labour provides these things with financial value.
Then the financial system would no longer have access to the economy and it would be free and would then develop sustainably all by itself.
Furthermore, the goods and services would be available to everyone free of charge. Wages would no longer be necessary and no one would be excluded.
Care work would suddenly be on a par with paid work today!
This idea may sound utopian, but it is based on a simple principle: we already produce more than enough to provide for all people. The problem lies in the distribution. By refusing to work for money, we could outsmart the system and enable the economy to develop sustainably and in a way that serves the common good.
Benharmonia: A Vision for the Future
Imagine something entirely different! A society not based on greed and competition but on harmony and the common good. Yet, as long as this something has no name, we cannot envision it. Terms like socialism, communism, or post-capitalism are either tainted or difficult to grasp. Even „degrowth“ or „eco-socialism“ are abstract and hard to understand for many.
What we desire is a good and harmonious society, right? Why don’t we call it Benharmonia? This name is simple, positive, and understandable in most cultures and languages. Benharmonia stands for a world where we gift each other, share resources, and collectively care for the well-being of all.
The Power of Humanity
Already, a large part of our lives takes place beyond the logic of greed. In families, friendships, and civil society initiatives, we gift each other time, support, and resources. Why not extend this principle to the whole of society?
The „Revolution of Giving“ and the vision of Benharmonia would not be an easy step, but they are possible. The prerequisite is that we organize globally and act together. A first step could be a worldwide day of action where people demonstratively refuse monetary compensation and instead begin to gift each other.
Conclusion: The Future Is in Our Hands
The last 50 years have shown that economic growth is not a solution to the challenges of our time. Instead, we need a radical shift toward a society based on cooperation, sustainability, and the common good. The „Revolution of Giving“ and the idea of Benharmonia are visions that can guide us. It is up to us to make them a reality.
This ‘Revolution of Giving’ could happen as early as this year, for example at Easter, on May 1 or at Thanksgiving.
The important thing is to spread the message quickly enough among all people.
Simply share the link:
Deutsch: https://LetUsBe.One/
English: https://LetUsBe.One/en/
Español: https://LetUsBe.One/es/
Here you can download an entertaining and easy-to-read essay with the suggested solution for free (10 minutes to read):
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Need to discuss?
I would be happy to discuss this new concept with you. Please write me an email if you would like to discuss it.
Berlin, 02/02/25
Eberhard Licht
This is my personal homepage and my personal opinion.