I stand before you now, not as the first President of our beloved Republic, but as one who has journeyed beyond the veil of time, beholding the trials and triumphs of our nation from a vantage point few can comprehend. I speak to you from beyond the grave, not out of a desire to relive the glories of old, but to address the grave perils that now threaten to undo the very fabric of our Union.
When I penned my Farewell Address, I warned of the dangers of political factions and partisanship. I implored you to guard against the spirit of division, for I knew that it would lead to discord and weaken the strength of our nation. Yet, even I could not foresee the extent to which these divisions would deepen, threatening to tear asunder the bonds that hold us together as one people.
The Crisis of Partisanship
Today, we find ourselves at a crossroads, where the spirit of partisanship has taken root in the hearts and minds of our citizens. The symptoms are clear:
Online Reconciliation Circles are a novel format for modeling constructive dialogue on difficult topics. The goal is to provide a safe place to explore better approaches to polarizing issues, starting with systemic racism.
Social capital is a form of economic and cultural capital in which social networks are central, transactions are marked by reciprocity, trust, and cooperation, and market agents produce goods and services not mainly for themselves, but for a common good. – Wikipedia
Since the dawn of modernity, economic debate has centered on who owns the means of production. Capitalists argued private greed led to greater innovation and efficiency, while Socialists claimed state ownership was necessary to ensure the resulting gains were distributed equitably.
We believe in both ends, but disagree with both means. We propose reviving the term “Social Capitalism” to describe a system where private capital is voluntarily employed to benefit society, for which producers are entitled to receive a market-determined profit.The role of government is then primarily to ensure a level playing field, and hold actors accountable for their promises. Read the rest of this entry »