The Venus Project

by Jacque Fresco

We feel that the present social institutions are incapable of dealing with the many problems that plague our nation today. The worlds present problems cannot be solved within the framework of today's social institutions. They cannot be solved politically or financially because they are technical in nature.

It is necessary for our nation's survival that we reorder our priorities to maintain dynamic equilibrium between humans and the environment.

We are now at a time when transitional decisions should be considered that could permit us to volve from our present culture of scarcity, waste, and environmental destruction to a caring society of ecological concern and abundance. This approach calls for a radical change in our methods of social operation. It would call for a total redesign in the way we conduct our social affairs.

We must update our culture to utilize the most sophisticated methods of science and technology applied to the cybernated age in which we live. It must be a system that surpasses the old monetary system and its inadequate code of ethics. Anything less than these recommended changes will have very little effect on solving the problems of our present day culture.

Before any such project as social redesign can be installed we must have available resources, technical personnel, and the equipment necessary to achieve the end goals. Accompanying this must be an ethical code that would be acceptable to the participants such as an end to war, hunger, poverty, scarcity, environmental destruction, etc.

The Venus Project is a non profit organization that offers a vision of a future society that is dedicated to human concern and environmental reclamation. It is an attainable vision of a bright and better future. It proposes the redesign of our social institutions by applying the latest technologies to benefit everyone. The uniqueness of our project is that it presents refreshing alternatives that offer practical solutions to our many problems.

With the advent of automation and cybernation, there will be an ever-increasing replacement of people by automated systems. It is only a matter of time until the purchasing power of the vast majority will be tremendously reduced, and finally eliminated. Automation requires no health insurance, pension plans, vacation time, or 'people problems'.

As a result of this, fewer people will be able to purchase goods and services even though the capability to produce an abundance exists. This may cause a breakdown of our present economic system and a reduction in the quality of life for most people. The statistical evidence of the rapid advance of these technologies can no longer be dismissed or ignored.

While at one time it could be argued that machine technology has created new jobs in the fields of computers, CDs, VCRs and so forth, all economic indications show that a drop in man-hours coincides with an increase in productivity. This trend will continue, and the myth of retraining is as short-lived as the immediate profits and low-wage jobs that come from shifting production to those countries where labor is relatively inexpensive. It is only a matter of time before cheap human labor is replaced by even less expensive automation that requires no housing, training, or feeding. Short-term prosperity will be reserved for automated future-oriented industries with good R&D programs.

Eventually, with the reduction in purchasing power, crime and social unrest will become difficult to manage, possibly resulting in a state of emergency which imposes severe restrictions on group and personal behavior. The Venus Project calls for a transitional solution to circumvent these social conditions.

The ultimate aim of The Venus Project is to ensure social and economic stability and enable everyone to participate in all aspects of the social spectrum and have access to all the amenities that a prosperous and innovative society can provide. With The Venus Project's approach and our new technologies, we can practically eliminate war, poverty, hunger, debt, crime, etc.

How can all this be possible? Who will pay for this vast undertaking? There is not enough money available to pay for the required changes, but there is certainly more than enough natural and technological resources. The real value of any nation is its developed and potential resources and the people who are working toward a more humane lifestyle through the elimination of scarcity.

All social systems, regardless of the political philosophy, religious beliefs of social mores, ultimately depend upon natural resources, clean air and water, arable land area, and the industrial and technical equipment and personnel for a high standard of living.

In any space voyage, they only carry the necessities supportive to life systems. Money or gold would be irrelevant to the mission. To further explain this concept consider this example: If 20 people were stranded on an island with enormous purchasing power including gold silver and diamonds, all this would be irrelevant to their survival if the island had little resources such as topsoil, trees, food, or clean air to sustain their existence. On the other hand, if 20 people were stranded on an island which was abundant with natural resources producing more than the necessary food for survival than a monetary system would not come about. It is when population exceeds the arable land area that problems such as crime and violence emerge.

A monetary based system evolved many years ago in an attempt to control population with limited resources in a primitive state of technology. We still utilize this some outmoded system which is responsible for most of today's problems. Through technology and innovation we can surpass the need for a money oriented society.

A resource-based economy utilizes existing land area and natural resources, physical equipment, industrial plants, etc., to enhance the lives of the total population. It not only adds to the well-being of people, but provides the necessary information to enable them to participate in any area of their competence.

We will outgrow the need for money. In an economy based on resources rather than money, we will make the necessities of life available to all. When education and resources are available, there would be no limit to the human potential. The measure of success will be based on fulfillment of one's life rather than the acquisition of wealth, property, and power. At present we have enough material resources to provide a very high standard of living for everyone. By overcoming scarcity, most of the crimes and even prisons of today's society would no longer be necessary.

Although there are those who believe that the rapid growth of population throughout the world will make it extremely difficult to provide a high standard of living for everyone, The Venus Project does not accept that data. We feel it does not allow for brilliant and innovative solutions which will be readily available when we direct our attention to finding solutions and methods of overcoming the difficulties of scarcity. For example, recently developed low- cost 70% efficient photo voltaic systems, utilization of heat concentration systems or fresnel lenses and a wide variety of heat concentrated devices offer new possibilities for clean energy sources. We have hardly touched the geothermal potential, wave energy systems and the untapped limitless potential of solar energy. It is unfortunate that we adhere so rigidly to statistical data showing the limitations of growth.

At the beginning of World War II, the US had about 600 first class fighting aircraft. We rapidly overcame this by turning out over 90 thousand a year The erroneous question at the start of World War II was, do we have enough funds to produce the required implements of war? No, we did not have enough money or gold but, we did have more than enough resources. It was the available resources that enabled the US to achieve the high production and efficiency required to win the war.

The Venus Project proposes the construction of a new dynamic experimental city. It would make available medical care, nutritional needs, housing, education, recreation, and all the amenities that a prosperous and innovative society can provide. The Venus Project would represent a true cyberculture, in which all of society's institutions are transformed by computers and automation. This cybernated system will link computers with automated machinery, coordinating all the services and functions of the entire city. One can think of this as an electrical autonomic nervous system extending into all areas of the society. For example, in the agricultural; belt the computer will automatically monitor and maintain the water table and soil chemistry and regulate the planting and harvesting of crops. In the residential sector, it will maintain environmental cleanliness and waste recycling. It will automatically control and maintain a constant inventory between factory and consumer. Production and distribution will be balanced to correspond with demand, eliminating shortages, overruns, planned obsolescence or inferior products.

As opposed to our present political economy, in which most statesmen and industrialists make decisions to serve their own interests, when cybernation is integrated into all aspects of this new and dynamic culture computers can then arrive at appropriate decisions to meet the needs of all people. No technological civilization can ever operate efficiently and effectively without the application of cybernation to the social system. The sole purpose of the existence of this new technology will be to provide not only for the physical needs, but to enable people to achieve the maximum expression of individuality and human accomplishment. This approach only acts to enhance people's lives; it does not monitor or dictate their activities. Monotonous and boring jobs would be phased out, and a high standard of living will be maintained for everyone. With an opportunity for constant growth and achievement people will have the time and freedom to choose the lifestyle they find most fulfilling.

Perhaps the greatest limiting factor of our present-day culture can be traced to our language, social customs, and values, which were conceived in earlier times. The proposals of The Venus Project will not only be applied to cities, industrial processes, and the environment, but also to education, where the majority of subjects presented will be relevant to the direction and needs of this new emergent culture. As we encourage individual initiative, creativity and innovation will flourish throughout society.

The technology and resources necessary for The Venus Project are available today. But to realize this vision, many people must act supportively. The Venus Project is neither utopian nor Orwellian, nor does it reflect the dreams of impractical idealists. Instead it presents attainable goals requiring only the diligent application of what we already know to the dilemmas of our time.

Phase One of The Venus Project is the 25-acre design center in still-pristine south-central Florida, where the future is taking shape now. The actual buildings, along with the models, illustrations, blueprints, and a 20 minute video presentation, are the first steps that have been completed to help one see, feel, and touch the future, to dream and strive to create a better life for all people.

The function of this new experimental city would be to test the validity of The Venus Project's designs and proposals. There is no doubt that there would be shortcomings and inevitable modifications during this transition, which we accept and expect. But the final test of the practicality of any system is simply how well it works.

Just as all new ideas go through a process of maturation and development, we expect our experimental city of the future to gain acceptance by fulfilling its promise as a highly successful. peaceful, and desirable place to live. As these newer communities develop and become widely accepted, they could evolve into the basis of a new society through evolution rather than revolution.