This might work, correct me if I’m wrong – A post-labor economy that starts small, grows organically, and eventually replaces capitalism.
The Voluntary Human Economy (VHE) would begin as a parallel system, separate from money, markets, and ownership. People would join voluntarily by using a dedicated wearable device. The device connects them as nodes in a decentralized network. At first, there would be very little resources in the system, but people can still offer skills, labor, and resources because they believe in the idea.
In companies and wealthy individuals can also contribute some percentages of their business (called super-nodes) or wealth, just as companies do today, for philanthropic reasons (to gain goodwill). For example part of a factory or a energy production farm could be contributed, as a supernode. Super nodes are not owned by individual nodes. If they were, you would just have capitalism all over again. When people contribute to the viability of a super node, they don’t gain an ownership interest, but other individuals can voluntarily give them credits. Yes, it sounds like altruism, but I think people will buy into it. And it’s not just altruism, when people give credits, they gain reputation points. The system also works on “pass it along” and “keep it circulating” Principles.
There is no cash out, credits cannot be converted back out into money.
At first, the NHE would be small-scale and fragile, running alongside capitalism with only symbolic significance. A lot will depend on the proper messaging. People just need to believe in it. But as infrastructure builds up and participation increases, it becomes self-sustaining. The more it provides, the less people rely on markets. Eventually, it will supplant capitalism. Because it is a better, more intelligent system, fair system, based on voluntary actions, one that good people believe in.
Once fully up and running, the NHE would be a self regulating, decentralized economy where resources flow based on contribution and real needs. There will not be any market speculation, as there is no possibility for this within the system. Every person receives a daily credit allotment, ensuring access to food, housing, power, and healthcare – not as a form of charity, but as a built-in feature of the system. Factories, farms, and infrastructure operate as super-nodes, continuously supplying goods and services to the network. Instead of wages, people earn credits either by trading with people or when people recognize their contributions and give all drastically as mentioned above for reputation points and because they feel good about it.
There are no corporations, no banks, no private capital, as these are simply not part of the system. They can never be. As the system is designed at the beginning, and nobody can just go in there and change it. The economy becomes a real-time, self-adjusting flow of resources, optimized by participation and cooperation rather than profit motives.
It sounds like altruism, but the world might actually be ready for this. If people can see that it works, they’ll choose it – not because they’re forced to, but because it’s simply a better way to live.
I’d like to hear specific critiques – what do you see as the biggest issue with this perspective? This dialogue intentionally explores a potential blind spot in evolutionary thinking, and if the downvote is because it clashes with conventional views, reconsider whether that alone is a sufficient reason. Dismissing ideas purely for deviating from established narratives risks circular reasoning – sharing objections would make for a more productive discussion.