What Would Thomas Do?

Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson were the chief proponents for American Independence and American Democracy. Innate defects of monarchy and aristocracy have resurfaced in corporate capitalism and special interest politics. In Rights of Man, Paine championed Principle over Precedence, then championed by Edmund Burke, a member of British Parliament, in Reflections on the Revolution in France.

How soon we forget. Strict constructionist judges champion Precedence, whereas judicial activist judges champion Principles. Segregation had Precedence on its side. Precedence is no better than its weakest Principle. Paine traced the Precedence of English kings back to William the Conqueror, a Norman. Paine exposed a blind spot in human cognition, which persists today. Even science harbors derivative tendencies. Corporate capitalism and special interest politics are bastards of monarchy and aristocracy. What Would Thomas Do?

In Common Sense, Paine championed Independence over Reconciliation. An Independent Democratic alternative does exist to corporate capitalism. Whereas unions are wed to Reconciliation with corporate capitalism, cooperatives exist as Independent enterprises that embody democratic Principles. Corporate capitalism is ruled by shareholders, one share one vote, which is plutocratic. Profit motive is the guiding principle of a market economy. Cooperative enterprises are ruled by shareholders, one member one vote, which is democratic. Reputations and relationships are the guiding principles of a gift economy.

The Capitalism versus Socialism debate is a false dichotomy. Socialism also suffers from innate defects of centralized control. By nature, corporate capitalism needs external regulation. By virtue, cooperative enterprises are self regulating, transparent, and open. The major obstacle preventing a democratic revolution in the economic sphere is mind share. People are uninformed, and a person of Principles is self made not born. In Principle, a democratic, cooperative revolution could compete plutocratic corporate capitalism and special interest politics into extinction.

“What Would Thomas Do?” is the inaugural campaign to raise public awareness for a worldwide, democratic, cooperative revolution, and for Principles over Precedence.