No Hasbeen, whatever communist Russia and china tried, it wasn't utopia. I am a keen student of history and for this idea to work, it has to come from the masses, not imposed from on top. I still believe , as technology leaps ahead, especially in the field of replicative technology (3d printers etc), we will see the onset of what some futurists have called the leisure age and that is when a living wage will have to be implemented - with the option of allowing citizens to gain extra income via part work - the current system is breaking down and unfortunately we have a generation of political leadership that doesn't see it for what it is.

And Hasbeen it could work, the fact that you, yourself, cannot see what is slowling going on with rising unemployment and a shrinking pool of jobs, only goes to demonstrate that you are just as mired in yesterday's thinking as our current crop of leaders.

Oh I can see it happening all right DarthSeditous, but I can also see it failing, & doing it fairly quickly.

We rapidly got into serious debt, during the biggest mining boom, with the best terms of trade in history, anywhere, by living as if there was no spending limit.

If we could not manage the number of deadheads sucking on the public teat in those conditions, I'd love to know what you are smoking, that gives you the idea we can do it as all that falls apart.