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A perfect society?
Topic Started: Jan 17 2015, 01:01 PM (209 Views)
rizzo
Junior Member
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I have been watching the programme on the Inca civilisation. Although I knew it was petty powerful I didn't realise it was so extensive.
Although ruled by one man throughout its existence, a kind of benign dictatorship, it seems to me a far better way to live than our modern so called civilisation.
War was a concept only to be engaged in at the very last resort. When the Incas moved into a new area the leaders were engaged in meetings, if they agreed to the Inca way of life then they were free to carry on living and worshipping as they always had done. If, however, the leaders did not agree they were put to death, maybe a rather barbaric final solution but it seemed to work as the inhabitants, obviously seeing the strength of the new rulers, abided by the new rules.

Food and other materials for a successful life were stored in vast storehouses throughout the empire thus ensuring that everyone had enough food and clothing even in times of poor harvest.

Money was unheard of and every transaction was based on barter even taxes were paid in goods.

It seems to me that all our current and past problems have come about through the start of a monetary system thus leading to greed and acquisition.
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Steve K
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Once and future cynic
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Well they weren't as nasty as their contemporaries but perfect? Oh no.

It was rather reliant on the use of cocaine to ensure the serfs served the supposed gods
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Happy Hornet
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Money the root of all evil eh?

I will say one thing, just as we in the west threw off the shackles of one man made concept that allowed a privileged elite to Lord it over the rest of us: religion, we replaced it with another: money.

Is there some sort of masochistic element of human nature that makes us subconsciously crave oppression?
Edited by Happy Hornet, Jan 17 2015, 01:43 PM.
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Montjoie
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rizzo
Jan 17 2015, 01:01 PM
I have been watching the programme on the Inca civilisation. Although I knew it was petty powerful I didn't realise it was so extensive.
Although ruled by one man throughout its existence, a kind of benign dictatorship, it seems to me a far better way to live than our modern so called civilisation.
War was a concept only to be engaged in at the very last resort. When the Incas moved into a new area the leaders were engaged in meetings, if they agreed to the Inca way of life then they were free to carry on living and worshipping as they always had done. If, however, the leaders did not agree they were put to death, maybe a rather barbaric final solution but it seemed to work as the inhabitants, obviously seeing the strength of the new rulers, abided by the new rules.

Food and other materials for a successful life were stored in vast storehouses throughout the empire thus ensuring that everyone had enough food and clothing even in times of poor harvest.

Money was unheard of and every transaction was based on barter even taxes were paid in goods.

It seems to me that all our current and past problems have come about through the start of a monetary system thus leading to greed and acquisition.
Sounds just like ISIS to me.
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C-too
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Happy Hornet
Jan 17 2015, 01:42 PM
Money the root of all evil eh?

I will say one thing, just as we in the west threw off the shackles of one man made concept that allowed a privileged elite to Lord it over the rest of us: religion, we replaced it with another: money.

Is there some sort of masochistic element of human nature that makes us subconsciously crave oppression?
One of the 'problems' humans have to deal with is that humans, like all animals, are designed to learn fear.
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rizzo
Junior Member
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Happy Hornet
Jan 17 2015, 01:42 PM
Money the root of all evil eh?

I will say one thing, just as we in the west threw off the shackles of one man made concept that allowed a privileged elite to Lord it over the rest of us: religion, we replaced it with another: money.

Is there some sort of masochistic element of human nature that makes us subconsciously crave oppression?
Actually it seemed to work out very well. As we all must know there has to be a centre of organisation for a society to function successfully, that may be to some it would seem to be unacceptable but one has to concede that some control is vital.

The whole point seemed to be that if one accepted the Inca way of life then one could happily carry on as before including worshipping one's own religion or beliefs.

The Inca way was to keep the populace happy as they were the workers that kept everyone fed and clothed, is that serfdom or common sense?

As far as the comment by our French friend that it sounds like IS not in any way.
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Alberich
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Alberich
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The Inca were at their height a small tribal society, living in isolation in their mountains. To argue that what worked in those circumstances has any relevance in today's world is not too sensible.
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rizzo
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Alberich
Jan 17 2015, 04:27 PM
The Inca were at their height a small tribal society, living in isolation in their mountains. To argue that what worked in those circumstances has any relevance in today's world is not too sensible.
Their empire stretched the full length of the west of S.America, they constructed 2 parallel roads the full length of their empire with side roads leading to all settlements and along these routes they constructed huge stone store houses, not the engineering feats of a small isolated people.
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RJD
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Benign Dictators? I recall seeing a few of these and when push comes to shove the mask slips. We need the competitive capitalist market, a free Press and our Institutions to protect us from such people. I cannot think of many who I would trust to be a steadfast benign Dictator in UK Politics since WW2. Even though a great fan of Mrs T and the benefits of her period as PM, which we all should raise a glass to, I would not wish to see her or her ilk with untrammelled powers. God forbid.

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Rich
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Happy Hornet
Jan 17 2015, 01:42 PM
Money the root of all evil eh?

I will say one thing, just as we in the west threw off the shackles of one man made concept that allowed a privileged elite to Lord it over the rest of us: religion, we replaced it with another: money.

Is there some sort of masochistic element of human nature that makes us subconsciously crave oppression?


The actual line is "the love of money" is the root of all evil, apologies for the pedantry, but it does make a difference.
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papasmurf
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Rich
Jan 17 2015, 06:05 PM


The actual line is "the love of money" is the root of all evil, apologies for the pedantry, but it does make a difference.
A very big difference.
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Happy Hornet
Senior Member
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Fair point Rich, I've seen how the pursuit of money can change people and not for the better.

I daresay we all have at one time or another.
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Steve K
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Once and future cynic
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A tangential point. If you actually go to Cusco where the Incas reigned then apart from being offered legal cocaine sweets, you will be shown countless examples of how advanced the Incas supposedly were and how brutally they were crushed by the Spanish. After a very short while you will be biting your lip not to say "don't you think after 500 years it's time to get over it"

Sad to say it rather turned me against matters Inca
Edited by Steve K, Jan 18 2015, 12:09 AM.
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johnofgwent
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It .. It is GREEN !!
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Montjoie
Jan 17 2015, 03:21 PM
rizzo
Jan 17 2015, 01:01 PM
I have been watching the programme on the Inca civilisation. Although I knew it was petty powerful I didn't realise it was so extensive.
Although ruled by one man throughout its existence, a kind of benign dictatorship, it seems to me a far better way to live than our modern so called civilisation.
War was a concept only to be engaged in at the very last resort. When the Incas moved into a new area the leaders were engaged in meetings, if they agreed to the Inca way of life then they were free to carry on living and worshipping as they always had done. If, however, the leaders did not agree they were put to death, maybe a rather barbaric final solution but it seemed to work as the inhabitants, obviously seeing the strength of the new rulers, abided by the new rules.

Food and other materials for a successful life were stored in vast storehouses throughout the empire thus ensuring that everyone had enough food and clothing even in times of poor harvest.

Money was unheard of and every transaction was based on barter even taxes were paid in goods.

It seems to me that all our current and past problems have come about through the start of a monetary system thus leading to greed and acquisition.
Sounds just like ISIS to me.
No, more like alexander the great.

ISIS put everyone to death

The incas ... and alexander ... only slaughtered their generals and their leaders.
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