Wealth Management – The term as used by the financial industry points at money and possessions, which lacking real value indicate our poverty, demonstrating our lack of investment in real wealth - fertile soils, healthy fulfilled individuals, vibrant communities.

The wealth of the commons should belong to the people. Oil companies should be paying the people for the oil they extract. Farmers should pay the people for lost topsoil. Lumber companies for timber. Currently these costs, ash heaps, brownfields, are born by the taxpayer and the profit is taken by the companies. A carbon tax that is extended to include these impacts would be a way to do this.

The survival of people or the planet are not the issue. It is the survival of our humanity. Will we enter the brave new world terrorizing each other into submission? Or scrapping over the last breathable bit of air or drinkable bit of water? Or will we step into the future, humanely, taking care of “the least of these”?

In the consumer economy value is determined by economies. Should not value stem from our spiritual principles? In the consumer economy things have value. If someone cannot pay for food or medicine they die. If we realign our values (see Earth Charter or Millennium Development Goals) to value people and see the necessities of life as a birthright we open an entirely new set of questions. If everyone as a right to food, is that a cup of “Feed My Starving Children” mix, or a balanced diet? And who is to provide this free food?

Capitalism, being a system where capital, investment, the means of production, is rewarded, where by definition the rich get richer. When we look at our relationships to each other and the planet does this system serve us? By it’s nature will it destroy itself? By rewarding those with resources it concentrates resources and creates an elite class, thus inequality and discontent.

An economy that works is based on adding value. This can be actual products such as agricultural commodities produced without robbing value from other systems such as the soil. Or such things as music that gives joy or massage that relaxes and relieves stress.