FAQ About TurningPoints
We get at lot of 'standard' questions and reactions to our ideas and work. Here we will try to answer some of these questions 'up front'. This is to inform you deeper and to avoid misunderstandings. Hope you find your question below. Otherwise feel free to submit a question or a comment on the Contact page.
Question:
Is this idea just another version of communism or socialism?
Answer:
No. The profit from the work done does not go to the state except from the taxes paid. Also, the company is not owned or led by the state. Actually, there are several worker-owner companies in the USA, that to some degree resemble the Pass It On Concept.
Question:
Is this just neo-liberalism? Each and everyone by himself?
Answer:
No. There are some classical 'liberal' ideas which are sound and thus still used, such as individual initiative. The liberal founders actually called themselves 'liberals' to distance themselves from the 'Absolutist Kings and Princes', and to distance themselves from mercantilism.
Question:
But if the human nature is selfish, how will this ever work?
Answer:
Human nature is cultural, not natural: we learn concepts, language and symbolic behavior. This makes us belong to a people, nation or a group. The cultures of the human world are different, but also alike in many ways. So, we can learn and change our behavior.
There are many examples of situations in which the human being acts out of altruism and help other human beings out.
We are not naive. There will be incidents where people will fail, but we see this as a learning process, rather than as 'human nature'.
In Europe, we have through several centuries learned to compete, have integrated this thinking into our language and systems; therefor it will take time to learn not to compete, but to be open and share.
Question:
Will this not just go down in internal conflicts, if the workers have democratic influence, and not a strong leader, who can decide which way to go?
Answer:
We think not. We are aware that a lot has to be learned about conflicts and dialogue if this will work. Again, this is a learning process, and we are certain that people will learn this. A strong leader, and a hard leadership is not the solution. We think that this will be a challenge, and that errors will occur and conflicts will take over - for a while. This is why we 'install' a ombudsperson in every company.