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GreenMoney Journal - publishing since 1992
Fall 2010 issue
Socially Responsible Investing – Better Companies, Better Communities
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Where is Intelligent Design in U.S. Energy and Education Policy?
Hazel Henderson
Economists generally invoke the invisible hand that guides markets to rational, efficient
resource-allocation. In the USA, the current furor is over man-made subsidies of $12 billion in the
new energy law and the religious right's efforts to get schools to teach "intelligent design" (also
known as "creationism"). Energy and education are both rightly on top of political agendas in many
countries. Both provide vital underpinning to human societies. Massive forces of change -
globalization of economies and technology, require revolutionary reforms in both energy and
education sectors in our Information Age. Industrialization must shift from its fossil fuel
combustion to renewable energy from sun, wind, oceans, etc… to address pollution and climate
change. Education must prepare citizens for lifelong learning now that information and knowledge
have become key factors of production.
Thus, the spectacle in the USA of Congress passing
a subsidy-laden energy bill for fossil-fuel sector companies, signed by former oilman George W.
Bush was sad indeed. The special interest energy groups cited the "invisible hand" as guiding
energy markets. Similar states of denial were evident in demands that schools be required to
question evolution and Charles Darwin by teaching the new form of creationism "intelligent design."
Are such irrationalities signs that US society is getting soft-headed? Or is it a brewing
political crisis as doubts about the Iraq war increase confusion among our deeply divided
population? These are all elements, as well as the perversities caused by the declining, but still
powerful, industrial sectors - oil, coal, nuclear, autos, steel, agribusiness and big
pharmaceutical companies whose money and influence drives such irrational public policies. Amid
massive social changes, such powerful groups fight for the status quo, backed by conservatives and
fundamentalists of all religions and beliefs.
In education policy, another generation of US
children will become pawns in such power games - even as their schools need repairs, textbooks,
computers and properly paid teachers.
In energy policy, truly intelligent design would
have simply stripped the existing multi-billions of subsidies from fossil fuels, nuclear energy,
gas-guzzling vehicles and wasteful industrial processes, construction and agriculture. This would
allow clean, renewable energy, conservation, efficient design, recycling and re-manufacturing to
compete successfully without subsidies, in a level marketplace.
Instead, an additional,
unnecessary $12 billion of tax-supported subsidies were piled atop - adding to the deficit. Worse,
the small percentage of these subsidies earmarked for solar, wind, biomass and other renewables is
simply leading to shortages of solar panels and other such equipment. These industries were
suppressed by perverse subsidies for decades. Now they cannot expand fast enough to meet the
demand.
So prices for solar panels and other equipment, which had been headed down (in
spite of the subsidies to coal, oil and nukes) are now sharply higher - with new shortages in
supply! Thus, US citizens are paying three times over for their energy and needed conversions to
new technologies, as taxpayers burdened with unnecessary subsidies; as consumers in soaring costs
of all forms of energy and as citizens, now largely opposing the increasingly stalemated, unpopular
and tragic war in Iraq.
With a weak dollar, stumbling leaders and a divided public, the
US can no longer afford phony debates about creationism, when life begins, stem cell research or
who should guide the "invisible hand" of the marketplace. Time to admit that humans create markets
- not anyone's God.
Evolution, as well as the science behind climate change, is
incontrovertible. George W. Bush conceded at the G-8 summit in Scotland that humans were causing
climate change. Sadly, he encourages fundamentalist proponents of teaching "intelligent design" to
students. The US population deserves better leadership in both government and business. Congress in
this 21st century should reject fundamentalism in all its forms.
Article by Hazel
Henderson, author of Beyond Globalization and other books, co-created the Calvert-Henderson Quality
of Life Indicators, updated at http://www.calvert-henderson.com
and is Executive Producer of
the new financial TV series, "Ethical Markets," currently airing on PBS stations in the USA. More
information at - http://www.HazelHenderson.com
Copyright © Hazel Henderson, August
2005
Reprinted with Permission
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