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FROM (DUR OFIICE PHONE NO. : +024 9526174
Ja,. 13 1995 01:35PM POI
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THEME COMMITTEE
1:
"CHARACTER OF
STATE"
INTBODUCTIO-N
This submission Identifies
Three Realms of Society that make up the State. We then consider the
appropriate involvement of government
in each of the three areas. Lastly
we try to build up a picture of the form.of government on the basis of our
observations.
PARLI The Three-fold Social
Structure
Every modern human society has within it a manifold variety of
human activities, problems and challenges. Altogether these form a
complexity
that seems to deny any logical or creative structure.
However, all human
activities and the problems that m n hat. to deal with; con be accommodated in
three areas.
1 Miltutoil Activdiei
This Includes all
artistic, religious, scientific," educational and related activities. In this
sphere we are really dealing with
individual, personal or groups (in the case of
religion) activities where I Oeas, research or belief is, In some way, brought
to
expression.
Hare the term "Freedom of Exprosrion' finds,li@
place.
2. fi!acial Ar.%Imitioa
Hare we must
include all activities and areas that '@re of concern to all people in any
state. These Include matters such as Basic
Health Care; Justice, Environmental
Care; Law and Order,, Defence; International Relations; and, of course, the
Administration of
government/State matters per r.6.
FROM OUR OFFICE
PHONE NO. +024 @26174 Ja,. 13 l@ 01:35PM F02
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3. kmno-Mic.ActiyilhM
Here we find all activities direc tiv
related to money and financial affairs. Any
ctivity carried on for the
purposes of receiving money or making a living' must be considered in this area.
professions, mining, farming,
constr uction, manufacturing, business in general,
banking, medical, transport, telecommunications, etc, fall Into this
category.'
Essentially, we may speak of "services offered" to our follow
man in return for money or an eciuivelent payment, Usually such services
are "In
demand", and as a result, payment may 'be demanded".
pal
Government and the Three Parts
1. Government and
Cultu[g
Every human being has ideas, aspirations and beliefs of one
kind or another. These are brought to expression in different w!!'Bys
by
different people ‑through art, teaching, learning, religion, crafts,
ellc.
It Is clear that government can have no 'say" in What people prefer
to learn about, teach, create or believe in.
Basically, In this respect
the Constitution con only provide a clause for the freedom of expression of all
individuals no matter:@'what
their race, creed, age or gender may
be.
2. rovetnment and Social_M
Hare government finds its
rightful place, and@ indeed, has its greatest responsibility, No single person
or group of people is above
or below the
No single person or
gr
law. oup will have a law applied to them that Is not, in the
some way, applicable to any other person, or group.
Clearly, all men,
women and children should have equal opportunities In respect of basic health
care, security, justice, and such
matters as environmental
preservation.
FROM L-XJR OFFICE PHONE NO.
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The statement
"All frion (and women) are equal, before the law' finds its meaning. Government
also has its task In adrnihlstering
and seeing that all these basic social
realities are available to all pi,o, pie in equal
measure.
3. 92xetnrnent and F-ennom!i
In our time economic
and financial problems present the greatest challenge
, 1
to all
people, for money con provide the greatest',; ood, and it can load to the
greatest evils in our society.
What money is, and how it should be dealt with
is an on-going lesson for Modern Men, and it is the elusive and enigmati@ @
nature
of money and the economy that makes this area the most difficuit'for the
State.
r-irstly, it Is clear that all people, busineases,:,i tc should @pay a
certain proportion ol, their income to local and central government
for the
continuance of government activities and r ,nsibiilties. Reasonable taxation in
this respect is therefore not n@.t able,
but a foregone conclusion.
But we
must ask questions in respect of Govern@@nt Involvement in all other respects of
financial and economic life. For example:
How should government be involved
in matters such as What 'law' housing, education, creation of jobr.,
etc?i
can be applied in such instances?
A quick look at 20th century
history soon reveals @hei wherever government
were involved in economic
activities, this led to corruption,
inefficiency; and
finally poverty. The rerult i' @hat, soon, government is called upon to remedy
the malaise through @.hand-outs'
to millions of workless, unmotivated,
unemployed citizens who blame the government for maladministration, corruption,
no jobs and
povotty.
It rcoms clear that government should not be
dit@ctly Involved in economic
'sins a 'facilitator" role
In
activity. Far rather should government asati
economic
affairs; and assist free enterprise to solve the economic problems that face our
society.
FROM (JUR OFFICE PHONE NC). +024
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This ar.,sirtanca
could come In the form of corn isblons appointed by the State to, for example,
advise on ways to channe 1,;money
from wealthy ares to poorer areas; or,
perhaps, on ways to stimulate more productivity in agriculture through the
development of
more ano smaller form,%; etc.
In this way the financial
responsibilities of mo@ devolve upon the men themselves; and not upon a higher,
opaque "big;brother' who
dictate,% the fortunes of men. Through objective
governmentlpcilitation, 'wealthy men' can be made aware of the needs of 'poor
mon6,
without being forced to succumb to a "law' that impels the wealthy to
enrich the poor. Such lows, as we have seen repeatedly this
century in all
so-called 'democracies" leads to conflict, and ultimately poverty.
Our
approach by the State to the economy vvoul lead to a true R.D.P. - one supported
by all people who have concern for their follow
men.
It is
possible to see that certain human activities fall in to two of the above areas;
for example we may ask:
Ouojrtion., When a cultural activity ceases to
be oniy',@n individuals or a group'r, activity, and it affects other areas of
the",@opulation,
what happens then?
Answor.. Two possibilities
arise Either the activity,! is beneficial to the local people, or it is not. if
it is not good fo@:@local people,
and enough complaints emerge in this respect,
then government, by virtue of its role as 'keeper of the peace", has a rig@@, to
investigate
and act In such a matter.
Ouwtlon., Are cultural
activities not also economic OCtivities?
Answer.. When a cultural
activity is done to earn a ".living, it is also aconomic. Not all cultural
activities are economic, atid@ not all
economic activities are cultural as is
here meant.
FROM OUR OFFICE PHONE NO. +024
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bc>
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But, as we have seen, government cann4t really "rule" either
realm
(cultural and economic), so this overlapping is not really a
problem.
Oupstion., Is not Education also a Social, and an
Economic Activity?
Amww.. Trhis question Is one of the State's
greatest challenges. Briefly, the
answer is 'Yes'. Government needs to
ensure that all people are
given an equal opportunity to education.
Government may also need
to pay teachers to do the education -
:but this Is not a healthy
situationt Teachers aught to be
paid with fficney made available from
the private sector economy -
for a good education loads to motivated
workers, who In turn create a
healthy ft0o economy. Lastly, the
content of education may be established
b@
,bovernment, but mothodq
and standards (quality) cannot be
controllers,, by government. Parents,
children and teachers working
together in @.,%chool will tot standards
through their expectations and
criticisms. 'the content of education
is a Social matter, because
all men may!, and should, receive this
content,
PART
3 Government at All Levels Democracy at All Levels
From the above we see
that our society, despite beini complex and enigmatic, does reveal a simple
underlying structure - a three-fold'Otructurs.
We have seen how the three areas
are separate, yet connected,. and ho@ they may be approached by'government. Our
Structure or Character
of State '@,"on be equally simple, yet
effective.
In ail Social matters that make all men equal, t60 State must
have total responsibility and involvement. No occarion@jor taking 'law
Into own
hands" can ever be tolerated by the health@i State.
In all Economic
matters, the State should adopt the attitude of facilitator of a better life for
all its citizens.
In all Cultural I Spiritual matters the State Is an
jective observer.
FROM OLJR OFF I CE
PH(DNE NO. : +024 8526174 Jan. 13 1995 01:38PM
P06
le vels - at National,
These
"basic axioms" con be applied to the State a
Regional, and Local
government levels. Of course, initially the form of this State
would be
imperfect,. but with tirne a hoeithy State w@uld emerge, which
could
society is faced with.
adequately and efficiently tackle the
problems that any
CONQLUrti.Qri
The Character of State
outlined hnro is nerossarily bri f and Incomplete. Much more could be
elaborated and expltiiiiud if Lirf)e
asid e04ire allowed.
It will be seen,
too, that the Character of State referred.,:o here bears the marks of the three
great Ideals of the French Revolution
: Liberi@, Egailt6, Fraternitd.
In the
Cultural Sphere there should be total freedom iobertd). In the Social life
there should be absolute Equality (E9alit6). In
the Ec' )nomic iife there must
be developed, with the help of government and the state, the experience of
Brotherhood (Fraternit6).
Please, lot us make South Africa a worthy example
fo future States.
It Is our Responsibilityi
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