Category: English

Equality

Peter Nicolaysen wrote:

Is there an Ethical Basis for human equality or should the rule of Natural Selection and Survival of the Fittest prevail?

 

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

Equality is a very wide term. The people should have equal rights, but they do not have equal skills nor needs and they have not equally contributed to creating values in society. Therefore, a compromise needs to be made. However, I would never agree with the results that lead toward the battle for survival in society.

Peter Nicolaysen wrote:

Like equality, survival is a broad term also. More than just life and death of an individual, it comprises; corporations, organizations, social groups, social structures, political structures, and entire species. Is excellence and long-term survivability achieved through the struggle for the survival of these things (listed above) or through some type of group oversight that believes they know what excellence is.

 

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

It’s hard to answer your question because the truth probably lies somewhere in between. I think it is more important to present what will be than what was. When the system I have proposed becomes accepted somewhere, the people will easily recognise what excellence is. Each man will be guaranteed with human and civil rights. Also each man will receive an income from the day of birth up to the day of death dependant on values of his present and past work. The income will always be high enough to ensure existence. Also, each man will receive medical insurance and free education. Each man will have an equal chance to get work at any work place he wishes. Each man will be able to protect his interests everywhere he wishes, by himself. As you see, I am talking about natural human beings. Everything else you mentioned will depend on the needs of those human beings. If something is needed, that will survive, otherwise it will not. In the end, I do not expect the struggle for survival anywhere. That is mostly because there would not exist a division between privileged and unprivileged people. I expect cooperation at all levels of human relationships.

Peter Nicolaysen wrote:

How does limited resources and human greed figure into this. I believe we have enough food to feed everyone on the planet, but the resources needed to allow all individuals to self actualize would be enormous, possibly more than the planet has.

 

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

The book is actually about disalienation. It teaches the people to recognize the natural needs and values, and to live in accordance with their nature. When the idea realizes its success the planet Earth will be big enough for all. If you read the book you would find why.

 

Evaluation

Adrian Parker wrote:

There’s something about the “evaluation” process I don’t understand… is it basically that every person would have the right to periodically (say, once a month) transfer a fixed amount of money (say, one dollar) from any one person of the society to another, excluding himself? If I am correct so far, wouldn’t everyone under this system merely transfer money from people they don’t know (i.e. public figures) to people they do know (i.e. their families and friends)? What would stop people from ganging up against each other in a mad effort to vote themselves as much money as they can?

 

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

You may exchange a positive evaluation with your wife and earn let’s say five dollars which would be, for example, the total power of evaluation. I believe you would agree with me that is not a big deal. You may find more appropriate to award somebody with that money who, in your opinion, deserves it. On the other hand, making agreements with somebody not to exchange bad evaluations does not make sense because you would never know who gives the evaluation to you.

If you receive 100 negative evaluations that will tell you that you are doing something significantly wrong to other people. Also you would have to pay, for example, 100 dollars for receiving those bad evaluations and that will force you to change your behaviour and satisfy other people. On the other hand, an award with such money would confirm your positive orientation and bring benefits. Average people would probably not get any evaluation in most cases, only significantly positive and negative people will. The implementation of such a simple system would in a short period of time bring huge benefits to society.

Adrian Parker wrote:

You are discounting the tendency of humans to stick together. If an extended family of about 20 members chooses to pool their evaluation powers, that means they can take $100 away from anyone each month (assuming $5 month).

 

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

Why would somebody listen to another person whom he has to evaluate? The system encourages individuality so that each person would be more than willing to evaluate the person who makes the best and worst things to him/her and would not let anybody tell them what to do. Ask yourself, would you rather give a bad evaluation to somebody you are asked to give, or to your bad boss, or to a salesperson who sold you spoiled food, or to a politician who lied to you? I do not have any doubt in the result. However, I have to admit that a non-ethical evaluation is possible, but an individual evaluation will not have large influences on the evaluated people. If a non-ethical person tries to persuade other people into a conspiracy against somebody he might easily be punished by the bad evaluations from non-persuaded people.

A non-ethical person will certainly make a lot of mistakes so that he would receive negative evaluations from other individuals and that would force him to learn ethical behaviour. Certainly, the evaluations will help the society reach greater benefits. However, in order to eliminate any suspicion of society towards the evaluation we may try it for example with awards and punishments with only one cent or even without any money charge to show people how it works. I am positive it will be a huge contribution to the development of society.

Adrian Parker wrote:

Considering the problems I find it very understandable that no larger community wants to adopt this system until they’ve got hard data that it works. How about, instead of waiting for someone to try this system “somewhere in the world”, doing it yourself? You said that 3 people is enough to make it work, then why not test it with your family at first? Or in a group of likeminded friends? How does that sound?

 

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

The proposed system is supposed to completely replace the existing one. It is much simpler than the existing one but it is still very complex. It requires teams of experts and scientists to research and tune the system, and create numerous scenarios about all kinds of problems (including your complaints) before any implementation. I cannot do it alone.

After that, three people may start testing the system but the result will not be spectacular when only a few people are involved. Hundreds or thousands will show a much better result. Especially, it will be useless testing the system inside my family because we already solve our problems in the best possible way through discussions and we do not charge each other for anything.

Adrian Parker wrote:

This system seems to be a hindrance to the freedom of speech. A public figure is likely to get more evaluation than unknowns, and perhaps many people will rather not take the risk of getting enormous negative evaluation before writing an opinion to the local bulletin board, or publishing a book. Do you think Salman Rushdie would have dared to write his novels if he knew he’d be paying for it the rest of his life (when fundamentalists keep giving him negative evaluations)? Not to mention that in a smaller scale, everyone will hide all the negative feelings or opinions in fear of “looking bad”, this would be a very superficial community.

 

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

Salman Rushdie would not dare to offend the Muslim religion in the name of free speech because the freedom of offence will not exist. In the system I have proposed he would pay a huge price.

We are that much in love with ourselves that we believe our way of living is the best possible in the whole world, which is certainly not true. Such an orientation, in fact, says more that we are very concerned about our way of living but cannot face it. We try to raise ourselves by attacking other ideologies and religions. But that does not work this way; it only increases antagonism and conflicts. The only right way in fighting battles with other ideologies lies in finding a better way of living for us ourselves. When we succeed, our inner satisfaction and harmony inside our society would certainly attract other people to join our values and the world would become a much better place to be. That is the only right way. My system tries to do exactly that. When we find a natural way of living all ideologies and religions would not be very important any more. We will simply live everything what is acceptable in them.

As long as people respect other people they do not need to hide anything and especially not how they “look like”. The system of evaluation will be teaching people to respect others and that is one of the main preconditions to achieve a better future of society. Besides, the whole purpose of the system I have proposed is to overthrow a superficial community and to build a natural one.

Adrian Parker wrote:

Would you have been willing to publish your book and make this website if you knew that you might get several hundreds of dollars of penalties from people who don’t like your ideas?

 

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

Giordano Bruno was burned at the stake just because he refused to recant his beliefs. The system I have proposed offers economic and political stability, optimal satisfaction of people’s needs, absence of crisis, war or any kind of destruction. It offers love, peace, joy, and harmony to the people. Not one other system in the world has been serious in offering such things. On top of it all, no one will burn me at stake for it :-). I would certainly be persistent without matter of any possible bad evaluations I might receive from some people. I believe I would receive much more positive evaluations from the people who enjoy life in the new system.

Jerry LaPlante wrote:

Aleksandar, Adrain Parker is right. People are of a herd mentality. People do stick together. Families, clans, whatever you want to call it. Even friends have formed fraternities over the years. Just how do you think cartels came about? Wasn’t it packs of greedy individuals with the same sinister plan? That plan was not to give you an honest evaluation, but to try to shaft you out of anything they could. Even family member will team up and fight with other family members. Just watch when there is some monetary gain to be made from some deceased’s last will and testament. Then watch all of those honest evaluations you are talking about. The same can hold true for promotions. Better refine this idea, it won’t float. JRL

 

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

Today we have a pretty much closed society. People do not have much choices and that is the reason they often stick together even when the issue is not ethical. The system I have proposed will eliminate privileges and that will bring freedom and unlimited choices to every individual. Nothing will be same as today. In the future, the people will also “stick together” but that would include only normal social interests. Others would have to respect their needs. But if the group starts acting non-ethically it will destroy itself. First, a non-ethical relation towards one member of society would result with his leaving the group and then a non-ethical evaluation will break up the group itself. The rest of the answer is already written in this thread here.

 

Jerry LaPlante wrote:

Groups have stuck together that are not ethical. The federal reserve comes to mind. It has been operating since 1913, and has taken the American tax payer to the cleaners for all of these decades. Congress has the power to change this, but is in the pockets of the fed. Now you tell me how a group with so much power is going to destroy itself, before it destroys the wealth and livelihood of the American people? No sir, You are obviously forgetting to look at who has the power. Just the fact that the general populace is apathetic, keeps the nasty groups in power, and strengthens that power grip they have on us. Your theory about the ethical weeding out the bad, is just a dream in the real world. Not enough people will stand up for their rights, let alone other’s rights. Try again Alek, but let’s be realistic. JRL

 

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

I have described the group with so much power you are talking about here. It will be overthrown by a stronger, smarter, more productive and profitable group. I have defined it in Work competition, Democracy or Anarchy and in the whole book.

Alienation

Cyrill Vatomsky wrote:

Alienation? Alienation from what? From others? Try the fundamental social dichotomy between an individual and a member of society within every single human being. You are talking about abstraction, not alienation.

 

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

Well, there is a decline from Marx here. I created my own theory of alienation and that would be: alienation is a deviation of perception of an objective reality. In short, subjectivism creates alienation. I expect attacks here but I will survive. However, my idea is to solve fundamental dialectical dichotomies between individuals and society and much more. That is what this book is about.

 

Cyrill Vatomsky wrote:

How much do you know about dialectics to embark on a reconciliation crusade? While you are at it, could you also reconcile ying and yung, please?

 

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

My intention is to bring the people closer to their nature, which is pretty much unique for humankind. That would be the so called process of disalienation. When it succeeds, all ideologies around the world would not matter much.

 

Work Competition

Fred Chittenden wrote:

Working privileges are best set by private agreement between worker and employer with some basic guidelines for civility in the process. In general, the more centralized this process is, the less productive and response is the resulting workforce. And visa versa.

 

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

Free market we recognise so far has been giving the highest production but also it gave some limitations and those were not rational productions, not stable productions, not fair distributions of benefits, and crisis. A centralized process of production mostly solves such problems. Yes, in general, the more centralized processes have given a less productive environment. But in the future, that will change. Thanks to the development of computer technology, the central managing of huge companies becomes easier then before and as a result, huge corporations are more productive than small ones and grow. However, the huge international corporations are still fully incapable of solving social problems such as unemployment and fair distribution of benefits that come from work so that social crisis are going to grow as well. Therefore, in order to solve this problem I propose much more market than capitalism can afford. Under the public property I offer open work competition all the time where each job should go to the worker who proposes higher productivity, lower price for the present work and higher responsibility for doing it. That is a huge challenge to society but also this is the future of production. In order to diminish employment tensions the management will have to establish the same amount of work posts as there are workers available. Such an economy will finally solve problems of today’s production.

This kind of production will be much better and profitable than the production of private enterprises and therefore, private enterprises will lose competition on the free market. In order to escape from losses, the owners of private enterprises will join the public ownership of the means of production. They will receive the “humanistic” shares proportionally to the values of surrendered ownerships and that will proportionally raise their income. Therefore, capitalists may find interest in selling their enterprises to society. If not, nobody will try to take their property from them.

Cyrill Vatomsky wrote:

You are talking about centralized planning, not just individual planning?

 

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

Production will be planned by producers the same way the enterprises plan their production today. For the best result, they may involve consumers to order their consumption. That would be the democratically planned economy – the best and safest economy possible. So that centralized planning will be just a sum of all individual planning.

Yes of course I believe that centralized planning is the best. It is more rational and secure than the planning of independent enterprises. Big businesses know that and that is the reason they merge. To avoid poor productivity of the Soviet model for example, we need to implement the market competition on a lower level, on the level of work places. Best worker at every work place at any time would make the highest possible productivity (13 pages here from my book would explain it).

As a result, consumers would have less chances to choose between similar type of goods or services because the competition between similar products and services will diminish. That would bring more rationality to the process of production. The highest level of quality and satisfaction of the consumer’s needs will be enforced by the consumers evaluation of products and services. Do you remember democratic anarchy (plus minus one dollar or whatever)?

This is the future of everything.

Adrian Parker wrote:

How can a “socialist company” allocate resources any more efficiently than a capitalist one? Surely there is a big incentive for capitalist companies to also get the “best man for the job”, and I don’t see any reason why a socialist system could do this any more wisely than capitalists (after all, if a capitalist company doesn’t allocate resources well, it cannot compete with those companies that do, so eventually there will be capitalist companies that are able to put the best man for each job just as well as any “socialists company”).

 

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

Actually I have called it a humanist company. It sounded weird at the beginning but I got used to it.

The capitalist company would not be able to allocate the human resources as well as the humanistic one. For example, in the capitalist company the worker who might produce 5% more than the existing worker could not get the job. He cannot even apply for the position without an announcement. The owner of the company could not easily accept his offer because the system does not provide any warranties for the proposed productivity. The existing laws prevent owners from firing the existing worker in order to hire more productive ones even when he wishes it. I am talking about every work place at any time.

The humanist company can easily provide all of that and therefore it will be more productive. In a society of million workers for instance, each of them will be able to compete for every job at every work post. Logic said at least one of them will perform the work productivity better than the worker in the capitalist company where such competitive opportunity could not exist.

Secondly, all the workers will be the humanistic shareholders of the humanist company and therefore, they would be certainly much more concerned and responsible for the work than the workers in the capitalist company. As a result, the humanist company will be much more productive and the capitalist one will have to withdraw. We may assume that the capitalist companies would try hard to find an escape by forming the same work organisation as the public ones but they would never be able to allow workers to choose their responsibilities and salaries so that they would have to go to history.

Adrian Parker wrote:

Why hasn’t anyone ever established a humanist company, if it is superior to current capitalist companies? Is a change in laws needed, for example give employers the power to fire anyone they think is not efficient enough for the job?

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

First of all, in the new system a fire-hire relationship will not exist any more. The new production relationships will be based on the work competition. Better production bid will get the job anytime. If the worker does not realize the proposed production he is going to pay the responsibility with his humanistic shares. How that would work? If I, for example, would like to get the job belonging to some other worker, I would have to offer a higher productivity or lower price of present work for the desired work post. Then, the existing worker who works at the work post I would like to take, would have two choices: first, to accept my production bid what will allow him to continue holding his work position; or second, the responsibility for the new requirements of the position will force him to leave. If he leaves he would continue to receive an income, which would be lower each month he does not work. However, the system can easily create a needed number of work places so that it will not be hard for anybody to get a new job.

I have described the basis of the work division in 13 pages of the book. The idea is very complex and still requires a lot of research and tuning. I am positive at the end, the work division will work very simply and smoothly. Of course, the new law about work would have to be accepted by the consensus of political parties and directly by the referendum of the people before the implementation of the work competition. Besides, the system requires also a humanistic ownership of the means of production (something similar to the public ownership) which is not a very popular idea today. The system requires a developed IT technology, which happened recently. Somebody had to invite the humanist company and not too many offers have been seen. Not to mention powerful people will lose many privileges and they do not like it. Those are the reasons nobody has established a humanist company yet.

Democratic Anarchy

Cyrill Vatomsky wrote:

You mention an automatic advantage to the positively assessed. Who pays it and who decides how much?

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

That is one of the most important parts of the system I have proposed and I am very proud of inventing it. I will present democratic anarchy in a very simple sample. Let the people accept my idea and decide to give every man the right to evaluate other people every month. Let a positive evaluation give a total of one dollar (or whatever) to the evaluated person. And vice versa, let a negative evaluation take a total of one dollar (or whatever) from the evaluated person. The evaluation will be anonymous and money will be taken and added from the account of each evaluated man automatically. That right would make every man try to please every other man as much as they can and prevent every man from doing something other people do not like. This measure will affect every man, his neighbour, teacher, chief, co-worker, friend, and of course the government. Such a government will try very hard not to disappoint its people. Such a simple measure will bring huge benefits to society.

Cyrill Vatomsky wrote:

Evaluation by spending money seems much better and efficient to me. No need for any complex super-social structures or computers.

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

You think the market is better? I believe it is not even as close to good as the evaluation. Contrary to the system I have proposed, the market does not give a stable production and therefore cannot produce a stable society. The system of evaluation is socially just because it gives an equal right to each man and market does not. Market does not have any influence in the human relationships out of purchasing commodities. For example, if your neighbour produces noise (this is a production too) at night the market cannot help you anyhow. These kinds of issues may be unlimited. Sometimes your boss may be a real jerk and the market cannot help you cheer him up. All these issues will be perfectly solved with the system of evaluation

Cyrill Vatomsky wrote:

Do not underestimate desire to take somebody higher down. I do not trust good intentions of individuals, but when millions of them considered, stupidity and malice is balanced out. Your system does not have such protection because it is unnatural, super-imposed.

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

Well I think that the system I have proposed is the most natural one ever created. The system will disalienate the society and that means the people will respect other people. Also, the work market will make all work positions equally desired. That will diminish a possibility and need of taking “somebody higher down” what ever it means to you.

Yes, every knee-jerk will have the right to take one dollar from anyone which would not be a big deal. Those kinds of people would hardly unite to make a damage to society and would have to pay much more attention on their behaviour than on the misevaluations. A bad person may easily lose 100 dollars or more monthly.

Let’s say the president of a country makes a decision the people extremely do not like. He may receive monthly for example 1,000,000 negative evaluations from the people and as a result he would lose one million dollars monthly. Well, the big punishments and awards might be reduced by some kind of functions but anyway, the evaluations would make the president of a country really responsible to the people. A bad president in my system would run from his position so fast that no one would even remember he was the president. Something similar would happened to any professional, for example to a producer of socks. The producer will have to make socks consumers like. That will be a real responsibility. That will eliminate privileges. That will affect everyone everywhere and that will make a healthy society.

Cyrill Vatomsky wrote:

This is a horrible idea. It will ensure that nobody decent will ever get into politics. Only those that can afford loosing such amounts of money (because they will find ways to recover those losses) will. Such a system will open flood doors for corruption.

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

It seems to me that you would like to stop the development of society and enforce authoritarian rules forever. There will not be any chance for corruption in the system I have proposed because there will not be privileged people. Managers and politicians will be pretty much exposed to the evaluation. Logic says that a non decent person will be more likely to avoid politics or managing of an economy and a decent one will try hard not to disappoint the people. And if that kind of evaluation would be unacceptable to the people we may change the evaluation with “plus minus one dollar” to the evaluation with “plus minus one cent”. Now we have a reasonable beginning for somebody who is afraid of the evaluation. No more big harm would be made so let’s see who is right and who is wrong.

Voting Power

Ron Peterson wrote:

I don’t see how A. Sarovic is solving a problem, it seems to meet the desires of the capitalist exactly, each person should get to vote in proportion to their wealth. If you measure a person’s contribution by the number of hours he has worked in his life, a 40 year old would have twice the voting power of a 30 year old. Ron

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

First, I believe that an equal voting right is probably an ideal we should long. But, at this moment, it is absolutely unacceptable to the powerful people around the world because an equal voting power in real democracy may easily decide to take the power from the most powerful people. The point is that powerful people has been creating rules in society alone without matter what kind of so called democracy has been established. They get all kinds of benefits from the system and they would rather produce huge destruction then give a really equal voting right to the people. On the other hand, one could find justification in giving more voting rights to the people who contribute more to the development of society. Such a measure may be very stimulative for the productive orientation of society.

In such circumstances, a compromise I offered looks like the best solution. The compromise should be equally acceptable to all the people. We may base voting power on equality as it is today. On top of that, we may give an additional voting power to each man proportionally to the wealth of each man. A total number of life time working hours of workers may be included somehow as well. In addition the value lies in creating new lives (birth of babies), education, also in any contribution of a man that improves the life of society (which is more difficult to determine), etc. The impact of each kind of value to the voting power will be subject of a hard negotiation among political parties. But finally, they may produce the result (by consensus) with which will be easy to calculate the voting power of each man. The final result may be an equal voting power (if for example all agree that the voting power should be given only by one’s existence) up to let’s say an unlimitedly different voting power among the people.

Would the different voting power among the people be unjust? Hardly. If we compare it with what we have today. Today a 17 year old does not have any voting power but an 18 year old does, which decides nothing. My offer makes the system equally acceptable to all. Powerful people will give up from ruling the society but will get decent and recognized voting power and many other benefits such as a high income for example. Others will lose a non-existent equal voting power but will get some real voting power maybe for the first time in the history of mankind. The whole society will benefit in stability, security, and productivity. Is it possible? Similar phenomenons happened when some European kings voluntarily gave up from the absolute power and gave it to parliaments.

Cyrill Vatomsky wrote:

The biggest problem with this is its idealistic notion: we can create some mechanism that will work wonders. Well, who is going to participate in the task of pooling? And finally, who is going to make the final decision? Can you guarantee that such an unnatural exercise will not be a) botched by misjudgements or (likely) b) corrupted from within? Impossible to implement. Specialization in modern world require professional decision makers. In your system, every knee-jerk emotional reaction will have its voice as well.

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

In the system I have proposed, the people will choose political parties as they do today. Political parties will prepare the Constitutional Law and few of the most important laws such as the law about decision making in society and about labour. These laws will be made by consensuses of political parties and after that they will have to be accepted on referendum by let’s say 2/3 of total votes and that will be final. I cannot see significant changes here.

Democracy will especially be needed in economy. Every member of society will participate in making decisions about the macroeconomic policy of society. Each voter will actually divide his voting points (the quantity will be equal to the gross income of the individual) for the individual consumption, collective consumption and for the development of production in the possible range determined by the parliament. The sum of all these voting points made by all the voters for each group will determine the amount of money allocated for each group. The number of decisions might be made about the distribution of money for collective consumption as long as that would be in the interest of the people. The people may directly decide about the minimum wage as well. These decisions will be final.

I do not think that any education is necessarily needed for such voting. People will simply, through their living experience, consider what funds will need more money to be allocated in and what less and that is all. These few decision points will manage the whole macroeconomic policy of society and therefore it would simply and extremely efficiently manage the whole society. I cannot see why you think that a direct democracy is impossible to achieve, or why it would be unnatural, or how it might be corrupted? On the contrary, I think such a democracy will make the best choice to society. I guess there would be no need for more democracy than what is described above. All other decisions in society will make leaders and they would be directly responsible for the people.

Cyrill Vatomsky wrote:

Consensus implies no disagreements, vs. majority rule. Political parties will have a very hard time coming up with anything based on consensus. When was the last time that a consensus was achieved on anything in a democracy and on public level, not among representatives? So, no consensus.

Aleksandar Šarović wrote:

Well, each decision made against the wish of minority on a long run makes damage to society. The damages manifest in all possible kinds of destructions inside society. Will the political parties come to their wisdom after a disaster occurs or will their wisdom be faster? In the worst case, the political parties will wait a couple of years or more and try to find the consensus again. However, somewhere around the world the consensus might be found soon and it would certainly show the world that it is the best choice for humankind and most likely the only good one.

Political parties will prepare all the main decisions by consensus, which means a small party may stop the referendum (It certainly gives an unequal voting power as well). Once the direct democratic practice is established, the people will simply not allow anything less than democracy the same way they would not allow slavery today.

At the end, it comes to my mind that an unequal voting power will be a pretty much formal power. It will rather present how much each individual has contributed to building the values to society than anything else. One man with one vote or with thousands of them cannot significantly change the voting result where millions or billions of votes decide. Real individual power will come from democratic anarchy and there, each man has to have an equal power.

Definition of Notions

Definition of Terms

 

Coefficient of responsibility – represents in the new system an element of the work competition expressed by independent voting of workers by means of a certain value in the range from 0.1 to 10. The higher value forms higher responsibility and provides a stronger work competition of workers for each work post. Higher worker’s responsibility for his own and collective productivity will in the case of the rise of productivity bring higher income and a larger share in the distribution of past labor points. In the case of the fall in production, the greater responsibility will result in more austere sanctions in the form of lower income and take-away of a quantity of past labor points determined by the system.

Coefficient of envisaged productivity – presents the ratio of the envisaged and the existing productivity in any magnitude, such as cash gains on the market, quantity and quality of products or assessment of the success in business activity. The workers proposing coefficients of envisaged productivity higher than 1 (one) forecast the rise in productivity and realize in that connection a higher work competitiveness and greater rights to employment at a desired work post.

Coefficient of realized productivity – shows the ratio of the realized and envisaged productivity in any magnitude, such as the cash profit on the market, quantity and quality of products or assessment of the success in business activity. The workers accomplishing the coefficient of the realized productivity higher than 1 (one) did accomplish the rise in productivity and will accomplish a higher income, and vice versa.

Current work price – presents the value that is inversely proportionate with direct labor value. It is formed by direct voting of each worker in the range from 0.1 to 10. The work realizing a smaller direct value, or a more difficult, more dangerous, dirtier work will require a higher current work price, and will ensure a larger participation in the distribution of collective operating results, and vice versa. The objectivity of the current work price is ensured by the work competition.

Democratic planned economy – advocates the production planning based on directly stated consumption needs of all inhabitants.

Democratic anarchy – represents a new form of social relations where each inhabitant exercises equal legislative, judiciary and executive power in the society. Equality is manifested in the equal right of inhabitants to assess the doer of any activity in the society. Positive assessment needs to somewhat increase the income and quantity of past labor points of the person assessed. Negative assessment needs to sanction the assessed worker by a little decrease in, and take-away of a small quantity of past labor points. When each inhabitant has the right to make assessments freely, regardless of any written rules, such democracy represents anarchy. Democratic anarchy will force each inhabitant in the society to achieve as many conveniences as possible and the least possible number of inconveniences in the society in the broadest sense, which represents a base of a productive orientation of the society.

Direct democracy – is a form of democracy where each inhabitant directly and without any intermediary decides on any issue in the society that concerns his interests. This is feasible to achieve by filling out the internet applications. The statements of majority of inhabitants in the function of their voting power established by the holdings of past labor points need to either ratify or reject the prepared decisions and thus determine the rules of joint activity. The population will directly tailor the macroeconomic policy of a commune by distributing the collective money for the needs of economic development, individual and collective consumption, and all partial forms of distribution. The sum of statements of all inhabitants in the function of their voting power determined by past labor points held would form the framework of the business activity.

Direct value of labor – shows the conveniences and inconveniences that each work form brings directly while lasting. The new system proposes a scale for measuring direct value of the work in the range from 0.1 to 10. Lower direct value will be realized by a less convenient work. Direct value of work is inversely proportionate to current work value. Inconvenient work will require a higher current work price and, accordingly, a higher income, and vice versa. Objectivity of statements will be established in the way that the right to work will first be exercised by a worker who in addition to equal productivity envisages a higher direct value of work, or a worker requiring a lower income.

Free-of-charge consumption – envisages the consumption of the population not directly collected from consumers, but financed from the fund of collective commodity consumption. The population directly determines the quantity of money intended for the collective consumption and its purpose.

Humanism – is a new form of the socio-economic formation in which the man is a basic measure of value. Humanism replaces the political and economic elements of capitalism, and enables further development of the society. Humanism creates compromises that equally suit all members of the society and for this reason all society members accept it equally by their own wills.

Humanistic form of ownership of the means of production – is a form of a shareholding social ownership of the means of production on a certain territory. Each worker participates in collective ownership to the extent to which he has contributed together with his predecessors to the creation of such ownership with certain ethical-social corrections. Participation is defined by past labor points. According to its constitution, the system corresponds to the capitalistic form of shareholding, but incorporates in the ownership all of the inhabitants according to the jointly accepted humanistic criterion, because all inhabitants contributed by their past labor to its creation.

Indirect value of labor – is expressed by the value of the goods produced. A higher indirect value of labor is realized by producers of the commodities having a higher trade value in the society. The trade value of commodities is determined by the price of commodities on the free commodity market. One can say that in such circumstances the price of commodities determines the price of work, or the entire indirect value of labor.

Past Labor Points – show how much each person has contributed to creating value in society. The quantity of past labor points is proportional to the value of the person’s total work contribution and the heritage of his ancestors’ contributions in the creation of joint ownership of the commune. A larger quantity of past labor points will bring a higher income and greater voting power to a man in society. Such profit and decision-making power is something similar to the share system of capitalism but differs from it in certain technical, social and ethical elements.

Past Labor Value – is analyzed only indirectly via the past labor results. Such value is established by past labor points.

Work competition – represents a new form of labor distribution in the system of humanistic form of ownership of the means of production. Each work post in public companies will be occupied by the worker who by his own statement proposes the highest productivity, the highest responsibility and the lowest current work price expressed by coefficients. Such a form of labor distribution advocates the market principles of business activity, but enables transition to democratic planned economy.

Work price – represents a product of the past labor value expressed by a quantity of past labor points, and the current work price of workers. A larger quantity of past labor points and a higher current work price will realize a higher income, and vice versa.

 

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Communism Part IIII

INT. MAYOR’S OFFICE DAY

INT. MAYOR’S OFFICE DAY

 

John enjoys sitting in his chair doing nothing. His secretary Anica gets to the room and reminds John on his daily duties.

 

ANICA

Chief, you have a meeting

in 10:00 AM with the

director of public feeding.

In 1:30 PM lunch with the

director of public

transportation. In 3:00 PM

a meeting with the director

of city sewage…

 

JOHN

Cancel everything. Let them

do everything like they are

used to so far.

 

ANICA

They may work as they are

used to but that will

certainly not increase the

productivity of commune in

the scale you proposed.

 

JOHN

(waves his hand showing it

does not matter to him)

Who is the boss here?

 

ANICA

What do you mean who is

the boss?

 

JOHN

Who decides things in

Heaven?

 

ANICA

God?

 

JOHN

I was not thinking of God

nor Jesus Christ but who

is the boss among you

people here?

 

ANICA

Nobody, we are all equal

here.

 

JOHN

OK, if we are equal, why

don’t you go to those

meetings instead of me?

 

ANICA

This is your job…

 

JOHN

Now you see… that means

we are not equal! Who is

the boss here?

 

ANICA

You.

 

JOHN

No, me as a professional

executive needs powerful

people. Somebody has to

protect me. Who are these

people here?

 

ANICA

We don’t have such people

here. We don’t have

powerful nor powerless

people, nor influenced

nor uninfluenced, nor

rich nor poor…

 

JOHN

How come?

 

ANICA

That’s how we live!

 

JOHN

(asks scared)

Who will tell me what to

do then?

 

ANICA

Here everyone tells

themselves what to do.

 

JOHN

(says honestly)

But I know nothing about

this job!

 

ANICA

Then learn it fast

otherwise this hat on your

head will grow really big.

 

JOHN

OK. I’ll take these

people…

 

Director of public feeding Slavko enters the office. He is a man in his forties. Suit, tie. Serious and busy.

 

SLAVKO

Hello.

 

JOHN

(he does not stand up from

chair)

Hello. What can I do for

you?

 

SLAVKO

Where is Aleksandar?

 

JOHN

(says very arrogantly)

I am Aleksandar now.

 

SLAVKO

(is surprised)

Oh I didn’t know that…

(he gets to the point fast)

I am Slavko, director of

public feeding. People

complain that pancakes are

not tasty enough. They

accused the cook for it.

But it is not the fault of

the poor cook, the flavour

is not good. We need to get

a new flavour and use this

one as fodder…

 

John interrupts him arrogantly.

 

JOHN

You are wasteful!

 

SLAVKO

(politely)

No, no…

 

John doesn’t listen to him.

 

JOHN

No, we are not going to do

this.

 

SLAVKO

But…

 

JOHN

Tell the cook to put some

sugar in it.

 

SLAVKO

OK, but…

 

John interrupts him again.

 

JOHN

Excuse me, I am very busy.

Do you have another issue?

 

SLAVKO

I don’t. But…

 

John stands up from his chair interrupting Slavko again and walks him to the door. Slavko’s tie occupies him…

 

JOHN

Nice tie. Where did you

get it?

 

SLAVKO

I ordered it through the

internet.

 

JOHN

I am very busy these days.

Could you please order the

same one for me?

 

SLAVKO

I will, it’s not difficult

for me…

 

JOHN

I would appreciate it very

much… Nice meeting you…

 

Slavko is very confused and leaves without a word.

 

John shakes Slavko’s hand, and closes the door in his face. After that John stretches out in his chair and puts his feet on the table…

 

JOHN

(says to himself)

It’s not easy being a mayor

today.

 

INT. CLASSROOM MORNING

 

Huge high school classroom. It is unusually furnished. Every table has drawers, a computer and an upholstery chair. At the corner of the classroom are a love sofa and a triple-seat sofa for students to have discussions and rest. Beside them is a fridge stacked with refreshing drinks. Students are all cheerful. One student takes a drink from the fridge.

 

At that moment, Kathy walks in. She chose to be an English teacher.

 

KATHY

Good morning, I am your new

English teacher. I hope we

will get along together…

 

The students sit at their tables. Murmur is heard. Kathy continues…

 

KATHY

Today we will do

Shakespeare. Do you know

who said: “To be or not to

be, that is the question?”

 

No one answers so she picks a student.

 

STUDENT I

My dad said it before he

tried to turn on a washer…

…he’d been fixing it all

day.

 

KATHY

This is a famous sentence.

Do you know where he has

heard it?

 

STUDENT I

No.

 

KATHY

In the theatre. (she

stresses affectionately)

 

STUDENT I

I doubt he was ever there.

He listens to folk music

only…

 

KATHY

This sentence is said by

Hamlet in the same name

drama.

 

STUDENT II

(asks Kathy a question)

Do you know who said:

“To drink or not to drink,

that is the question?”

 

KATHY

No…

 

STUDENT II

This famous sentence is

said by me!

 

Students laugh loudly…

 

KATHY

(seriously)

It’s not funny!

 

STUDENT II

Relax a bit, maybe it would

become funny… (smiles)

 

Kathy pretends she didn’t hear it, but she is mad.

 

KATHY

Now I will give you roles

from Hamlet. For the next

class you will memorize

the lines and we will put

up a play.

 

STUDENT I

I don’t think so…

 

KATHY

Excuse me?

 

STUDENT I

(repeats)

I don’t think so…

 

Now her madness comes out…

 

KATHY

You will learn Hamlet by

heart for me! (says in a

threatening voice)

 

STUDENT I

I am going to park.

(he starts collecting his

school supplies)

 

KATHY

You cannot leave the class!

(she is very angry)

 

STUDENT I

Watch and see if I can…

 

He leaves the class. Other students follow him one by one.

Kathy is left surprised with no words…

 

EXT. ROAD DAY

 

A winding road follows the coast. The waves hit the reef. Pines and cypresses swing slightly in the breeze. The sky is blue without any clouds. Barely any traffic to be seen.

 

Danny drives his wife Bette in their Mercedes cabriolet.

 

BETTE

Look how beautiful nature

is here!

 

DANNY

(uninterested)

Yeah…

 

BETTE

I cannot breath enough of

this clean and aromatic

air… …smell of pine

and sea salt…

 

Danny does not pay attention to her. Actually he looks for something…

 

BETTE

(continues)

Have you noticed that we

passed only a few cars…

…it’s pretty quiet here…

 

Danny does not listen to her. Smile covers his face when he approaches to one brand new garage. Parks the car…

 

DANNY

Bette, come here to see

these beauties…

 

BETTE

What have you found?

 

Danny stands in front of garage, gives a significant look to Bette and starts imitating fanfare.

 

BETTE

Ta ta ra ta ta ta ta ta

ta ta ra ta ta ta ta.

Ta ta ra ta ta ta ta ta

ta ta ra ta ta ta.

Boeeeing. (imitates gong)

 

Danny opens the door of garage and proudly presents to his wife 10 Mercedes cars he collected and hid in the garage. He smiles while she rolls her eyes….

 

BETTE

What is it?

 

DANNY

Mercedes!

 

BETTE

(suspiciously)

Whose are they?

 

DANNY

Ours darling!

(responds very happily)

 

BETTE

How did you get them?

 

DANNY

(modestly)

Hard work.

 

BETTE

Excuse me?

 

DANNY

…OK, with a little help

from this wonderful place.

 

BETTE

Why do you need them?

 

DANNY

Huh?

 

BETTE

Why do you need them?

 

DANNY

I need them…

 

BETTE

Why do you need them, are

you mad?

 

DANNY

(starts worrying)

Darling, I have been

collecting them all day….

 

BETTE

Why do you need them?

 

DANNY

If one stops running…

 

BETTE

Return them immediately!

 

Danny desperately looks for an escape.

 

DANNY

Darling, may I keep just

three?

 

Bette shakes her head in protest…

 

DANNY

Two?

 

BETTE

Return all but one!

 

Danny shakes with his head unsatisfied.

 

INT. APARTMENT OF MIRJANA AND MIKI DAY

 

A very modern apartment. One can easily see the furniture is chosen and arranged tastefully. Everything is set in order.

 

Mirjana enters the apartment. Miki sits in a chair and reads newspapers.

 

MIRJANA

Hello Miki.

 

MIKI

Hi.

 

Mirjana takes off her shoes and puts on her slippers.

 

MIRJANA

Have you cleaned the

carpet?

 

MIKI

Yes, darling, I did.

 

MIRJANA

Are you sure?

 

MIKI

Yes I am sure!

 

MIRJANA

(smiles provocatively)

You will get an award

tonight…

 

Miki smiles satisfied as well.

 

Mirjana looks for something in closet and finds that Miki’s blue hat shrank. She takes it and shows to Miki.

 

MIRJANA

(surprised)

What happened to your hat?

 

MIKI

(innocently)

I do not know. It must have

shrunk in the wash…

 

MIRJANA

(says angrily)

It has shrunk in the wash!!

Now you will see what a

shrink in the wash is!!!

Oh, yes you will…

 

Mirjana angrily goes to kitchen, takes a rolling pin, returns back and threatens Miki with it.

 

MIKI

(wails)

I’m not guilty!

 

MIRJANA

What happened. Tell me

immediately! (still

threatening with a rolling

pin)

 

MIKI

I’m not guilty! (wails)

 

Mirjana waves the rolling pin.

 

MIRJANA

What happened!

 

MIKI

(afraid)

She attacked me,

she attacked me…

 

MIRJANA

(asks angrily)

Who attacked you?

 

MIKI

Diane!

 

MIRJANA

(angrily)

How did she attack you?

 

MIKI

(responses afraid)

In the office…

 

MIRJANA

(angrily)

I am asking how she

attacked you?

 

MIKI

(tries to be convincing)

Furiously!

 

MIRJANA

(angrily)

How did she attack you?

 

MIKI

(says broken)

As a woman attacks…

 

MIRJANA

Arrrghhh, the bitch will

get what deserves! Oh, yes

she will…

 

Mirjana catches Miki by hand and drags him to the street.

 

EXT. STREET DAY

 

Mirjana carries a rolling pin and drags Miki along the city street. That attracts peoples’ attention and they start following them. She catches Diane in the corner between two houses. Diane has a bigger red hat then before. The people form a circle around them.

 

MIRJANA

(screams)

Bitch, stop!!!

 

Diane turns towards her surprisingly.

 

MIRJANA

Listen to me bitch! Miki

is my man and only my man.

If you ever come closer

than ten feet to Miki,

first I will thrash you

with this (shows rolling

pin) and then I will

personally ship you right

to Hell!!!

 

DIANE

This must be a

misunderstanding…

 

Then she sees Miki and finds there is no point of lying.

 

DIANE

Please, forgive me. I will

never do it again…

(she is afraid)

 

MIRJANA

Just try me, bitch…

(turns to Miki)

And you, go home!

 

MIKI

I’m going honey, I’m

going…

 

The people around them smile…

 

MIRJANA

This attacked you, ha?

 

Miki is silent.

 

MIRJANA

You couldn’t resist this,

ha?

 

Miki is very silent.

 

On returning home they are passing children ages 10-15 years who plant flowers in the park.

 

INT. BEDROOM MORNING

 

John wakes up beside Diane, takes a shower, sings, takes clothes and suddenly twitches in pain when he sees his hat. His hat has become five feet long. Runs to his office.

 

INT. MAYOR’S OFFICE DAY

 

John rushes off to the office, looks for the secretary Anica. She is already there. He wears the red hat on his head and holds the knitted ball at the end of hat in his right hand. He raises his hand to the side. The middle of the hat droops because the hat it longer than his arm.

 

JOHN

Anica, what is this?

 

ANICA

A red hat.

 

JOHN

(says frightened)

I know, but why is it as

it is?

 

ANICA

The people are very

dissatisfied with your

decisions. You have not

realised proposed

productivity. I am afraid

your hat will grow more.

 

JOHN

Stop, stop, stop…

Stop this unjustified

process.

 

ANICA

You can do it alone by

resigning from the

position….

 

JOHN

I want, I want, I want,

now!

 

ANICA

That will bring a penalty

that will increase the size

of your hat but the process

will stop soon.

 

JOHN

OK, OK!

Where?

 

ANICA

In your computer…

 

John takes a keyboard and fills a resigning form. Leaves the office without a word. While leaving the building he meets Aleksandar. John is embarrassed, looks to the floor but still…

 

JOHN

Hello.

 

ALEKSANDAR

Hello Mr. 100%, how are

you doing?

 

John runs away to the street saying nothing.

 

EXT. STREET DAY

 

John exits to the street where he deeply exhales and feels relief. But a big red hat gets lots of attention from people. Everybody who sees him becomes shocked because such an appearance is very rare. John is embarrassed, takes off the hat, and hides it in his bag. Accidentally Jack walks by. He sees that John does not have a hat on his head…

 

JACK

(smiles and says cynically)

John better put your hat

back on. It is useful.

If you behave properly the

people will give you

positive evaluations and

you will escape from

Hell…

 

John understands the lesson, brokenly puts the hat back on the head, and leaves absorbed in thoughts. When Jack sees how big hat John has, he cannot resist but to mock him behind his back.

 

EXT. PARK DAY

 

Kevin drives a local bus. Stops at the bus station. Lazar gets off the bus. Kevin smiles kindly…

 

KEVIN

Have a nice day!

 

Lazar waves to Kevin. Kevin waves back. Lazar continues towards park. In the park he accidentally meets Al who is absorbed in thoughts. Lazar approaches him with a smile.

 

LAZAR

What’s on your mind,

godfather?

 

They shake hands.

 

AL

I’ve thought about what

to do…

 

LAZAR

(is jolly)

And what did you come up

with?

 

AL

I cannot go against the

system.

 

LAZAR

Why?

 

AL

It’s too strong. And it’s

not bad at all…

 

LAZAR

That’s right, but we can

do something!

 

AL

Something else bothers

me…

 

LAZAR

What?

 

AL

My past persecutes me.

 

LAZAR

How come?

 

AL

I am deeply sorry for being

a criminal…

 

LAZAR

So you are done?

 

AL

(nods his head

affirmatively)

I want to devote myself to

spiritual life. I’ve

decided to become a priest.

 

LAZAR

But why priest? Come to us

in a communist party. The

spiritual life we have,

nobody has…

 

AL

I’ve decided.

 

LAZAR

Well, it’s your decision,

so good luck… (he smiles)

Let’s have a drink in the

name of your decision!

 

Al smiles, hugs Lazar, and they go to have a drink.

 

EXT. SQUARE LATE NIGHT

 

Middle-aged town surrounded by huge bulwarks. Houses made of stone. Simple architecture. At the end of the main street is a Baroque church.

 

Here John meets Diane. Late night. Empty town.

 

JOHN

It seems I screwed up

totally…

 

DIANE

I see… (red hat long five

feet says it all)

 

JOHN

Guaranteed, I’ll finish in

Hell… For God’s sake, do

you know what the trial

period here is?

 

DIANE

Miki mentioned one year but

I am not sure…

 

JOHN

Uh, then maybe I still have

a chance…

 

DIANE

Now you are the same as Al.

If he has a chance you

definitely have one too.

We must grow wiser

quickly…

 

JOHN

I agree, but how?

 

DIANE

I think the best choice is

to behave same as others,

and what will be, will be…

 

JOHN

I agree, that’s the best.

 

They leave absorbed in thoughts.

 

EXT. PARK AT BEACH AFTERNOON

 

Sunny day, no winds but rough sea. A picnic is arranged with barbecue, entertainment and sport contests. Food in abundance, lots of beers and wines. All characters are present. They sit together by the tables and around on the grass. Somebody plays the guitar and sings. Many join him when they recognise the song. Everything happens in perfect harmony, joy and laughter.

 

BETTE

(asks Danny)

Have you returned the

Mercedes?

 

DANNY

Yes, I have, darling. You

know, all night I have been

thinking, why would I need

these Mercedes…

 

BETTE

And what did you come up

with?

 

DANNY

I don’t need them.

 

BETTE

You thought well.

 

DANNY

I came up with something

else.

 

BETTE

What?

 

DANNY

You always know what is

good and what is not. You

are my sunshine.

(tells gently)

 

Bette is very flattered and joyful.

 

Kevin meets a girl he likes. They whisper something and smile all the time. He is very satisfied.

 

Suddenly somebody screams. A huge whirlpool appears in the sea. One boy in a canoe tries to escape it. He paddles strongly but the canoe overturns. The boy does not swim well. The whirlpool is reaching him slowly. Only a good swimmer can pull out the boy from the sea before the whirlpool takes him down. Nobody dares to help him. John takes off his clothes, grabs a surfboard, jumps into the sea and rescues the kid. All the people applaud.

 

Lazar and Brandon stand close to each other by chance and watch John exiting the sea and carrying the child.

 

LAZAR

(murmur to himself)

He steals water again!

 

BRANDON

(asks him)

Excuse me, what did you say?

 

LAZAR

Satan steals water.

 

BRANDON

(asks him)

Who?

 

LAZAR

Satan!

 

BRANDON

Why would he do that?

 

LAZAR

The people are very thirsty

down there.

 

BRANDON

They drink salt water?

 

LAZAR

That’s why it’s called Hell.

 

Brandon gives a confused look on his face.

 

Some people congratulate to John, some take their cell phones out while watching John, and type something. Somebody says John is a hero. Diane watches John proudly. He rinses himself and takes his clothes back. Looks for his hat but cannot find it. He does not recognise it because it shrunk to a normal size. Proudly shows it to Diane. She happily gives him thumbs up and asks him…

 

DIANE

Did you know that was the

entrance to Hell?

 

John widens his eyes, looks at Diane very surprised, but says nothing.

 

The people continue to entertain and drink. Kathy talks to Jack.

 

KATHY

How can they drink beer in

a park?

 

JACK

Kathy this is not the US.

This is Heaven.

 

Jack takes a look to the sky and makes mouth mimicry (without a voice) “Thank you.” Kathy just nods her head complying.

 

Suddenly Kathy sees the student she had a misunderstanding with in school passing by. She stands up and approaches the student…

 

KATHY

Hi!

 

STUDENT I

Hi!

 

KATHY

Please forgive me. I was

very arrogant in the

classroom.

 

STUDENT I

No problem.

 

KATHY

That will never happen

again… Please come to

the class and bring your

classmates.

 

STUDENT I

(smiles satisfied)

I will, no problem.

 

Jack hears that but cannot believe what he is hearing.

 

JACK

Such nice words I have

never heard from you all

my life.

 

KATHY

(says honestly while

smiling)

It’s never late to learn.

 

Jack expresses great satisfaction. He climbs up on a chair and shouts out loudly…

 

JACK

People, please pay

attention!

 

They all turn towards him.

 

JACK

(continues)

Kathy and I have been

married for forty years…

That was a marriage full of

ferment, pleasant and less

pleasant moments. I will

never forget how devoted

she was to me when I broke

my leg at skiing 30 years

ago. But I also remember

she spent a lot of time

with a skiing teacher while

I was in bed… She likes

working with kids very much

but her own she could not

give birth. God is my

witness, I worked hard on

it… Sometimes she cooks

what I cannot stand and

complains when I drink a

little bit, but if we

exclude these small

shortages, she is a good

woman… Therefore I am

making a solemn vow

– Kathy, I love you.

 

He said it loudly, clearly, and proudly. After that the audience joyfully applauses. Jack bows to her and to everybody else. Kathy begins to shed tears.

 

When Brandon has heard the declaration of love, he gets an inspiration, kneels on one knee before Frances.

 

BRANDON

Frances I love you. Will

you marry me?

 

FRANCES

Brandon I love you very

much. I will marry you!

 

He jumps to the sky. They are both very happy, kiss each other. Brandon pulls a ring from his pocket and gives it to Frances. Again they kiss. Again people applaud.

 

BRANDON

(tells all)

You are all invited to

celebrate our marriage.

 

People applaud and congratulate them.

 

Al comes to park in a black priesthood. He has a cardinal’s type, size, and red color hat with a small knitted ball on the top.

 

AL

(shows his priesthood to

Kevin)

Does it suit me well?

(smiles)

 

KEVIN

Super, even your own mother

wouldn’t recognise you!

(he smiles)

 

Beside Al in priesthood stands Lazar. Lazar still has hat “titovka” with red star. Together they make a very strange picture.

 

AL

(asks Lazar)

If this is Heaven, where

is Jesus Christ?

 

LAZAR

He stops by sometimes.

 

AL

To control us?

 

LAZAR

No there is no need. He

comes over for dinner, we

drink and enjoy time.

 

Joy continues. Everything is full of laughter.

 

EXT. PARK BESIDE THE SEA DAY

 

Marriage celebration of Frances and Brandon. The altar is in the park. The wedding guests sit on the chairs. The bride is in white with a blue hat below the veil. Brandon has a dark dress suit and of course a blue hat. They all have blue hats. John has so little hat he has to wear it on the top of his small finger. He shows it to camera and winks satisfied. One man who sits in the middle of the table, has a blue hat ten foot long wrapped around his shoulders like ribbons. Lazar has a blue hat with red star. Al has red cardinal’s hat with a small blue knitted ball on the top.

 

Brandon holds Frances’s hand in front of the altar. He kisses her cheek. Al starts the speech of the marriage proccedure with the help of the book and marries them…

 

AL

We are gathered here today

to witness the coming

together of two people,

Brandon and Frances, whose

hearts and spirits are

entwined as one.

Marriage is a promise,

made in the hearts of two

people who love each other.

Within the circle of its

love, marriage encompasses

all of most important

relationships. A wife and

a husband are each other’s

lover, teacher, listener,

critic, and best friend.

 

Frances looks at Brandon with love in her eyes. Brandon returns the look…

 

AL

(continues)

Do you Brandon, take

Frances, to be your

lawfully wedded wife, to

love, honour, and cherish

her as much as you can?

 

BRANDON

I do!

 

AL

(continues)

And do you Frances, take

Brandon, to be your

lawfully wedded husband,

to love, honour, and

cherish him as much as

you can?

 

FRANCES

I do!

 

AL

You may now exchange

rings.

 

 

They put their rings on each other happy and smiling.

 

AL

The ring is a symbol of

unity into which your two

lives are now joined in an

unbroken circle; in which,

wherever you go, you will

return to one another.

Let these rings bring you

closer together forever in

love… …love has no

other desire but to

fulfill itself!

 

Brandon and Frances watch each other lovingly. Frances has a tear in her eye.

 

AL

(continues)

May this day shine

eternally in your lives!

I now pronounce you husband

and wife. (watches Brandon)

You may now kiss the bride!

 

Brandon kisses Frances. The wedding guests cheer and applaud. Then Frances turns around and throws the bouquet. Diane catches the bouquet and laughs. John smiles. Jack borrows a flower from the bouquet and puts it in Kathy’s hair. Kathy is very happy.

 

They all move to the dinner tables close by and sit there. Bette sings folks songs with the brass band. They all salute with champagne, dance folk dances (professionals help them so that it looks perfect) happily and satisfied. Movie ends full of joy and optimism towards the future.

 

Words come up: “IT’S NOT THE END”

 

EXT. PARK BESIDE THE SEA DAY

 

Silence. Beautiful green nature and blue sea. One can hear birds chirping and a silent overture to Beethoven’s IX symphony. The camera zooms in and stops on one man. It is the same man who had a ten foot long hat at the wedding celebration. But he has not it now. He wears a simple shirt and jeans. He stands on a big rock beside the sea and says to the camera…

 

MAN

Bless you.

 

Then he makes a small bow and friendly smiles.

 

Music CRESCENDO. Choir sings “Song of Joy” FORTE. The camera stays a few seconds on Jesus and then zooms out long.

 

Words come up: “NOW IS THE BEGINNING”

 

 

 

 

Back to the beginning

Communism Part III

EXT. STREET MORNING

 

Newcomers are going out of their apartments and houses into individual research and action in Heaven. They walk through the town and look around. Street with no car traffic. Green everywhere. Children drive bicycles and skate carefree. The people sit on benches and talk pleasantly. Smile of adults and laughter of children is heard.

 

John walks fast straight to the mayor.

 

INT. OFFICE OF MAYOR’S SECRETARY DAY

 

A big office full of documentation. The secretary Anica sits beside the table and types something on the computer keyboard. She wears a simple outfit. The office is full of flowers. John enters through the open door.

 

JOHN

Hello, is the mayor here?

 

ANICA

Yes he is, but he is not

available right now.

 

JOHN

It’s important…

 

John does not pay attention to Anica any more and continues to walk towards the door with the sign Mayor Aleksandar…

 

ANICA

Excuse me! Please…

 

John knocks on the door and enters without waiting.

 

INT. MAYOR’S OFFICE DAY

 

The office is large. Classical dark rustic furniture. Work table with a computer and big monitor. One lower table with four chairs for guests. The walls are arranged with pictures. The shelves are full of books. The big window opens a view of the sea.

 

The mayor wears a dark blue suit and tie. He reads electronic mail.

 

JOHN

Hello Aleksandar!

 

Aleksandar rises his eyes from the computer.

 

JOHN

I am John. I would like to

become mayor instead

of you.

 

ALEKSANDAR

(gives a surprised look)

Oh really…

 

JOHN

Yes. How can I do that?

 

Aleksandar stands up from his table. They shake hands.

 

ALEKSANDAR

Hello, please sit down….

(shows the chair)

 

They sit in chairs.

 

ALEKSANDAR

(continues)

The best way for you to

become a mayor is to make

an agreement with me.

 

JOHN

Let’s make an agreement.

 

ALEKSANDAR

First, you need to show me

your program and in it a

greater productivity than

I offer. If you make me

believe you are better I

will support you and

withdraw from here.

 

JOHN

That seems too complicated

for me. I was told that I

may become a mayor whenever

I want. Nobody mentioned

programs and agreements…

 

ALEKSANDAR

Yes, they told you well…

If you offer in a computer

center only one percent

larger productivity than I,

and if I would not be able

to follow it, the position

is automatically yours.

But that is risky because

it excludes an agreement.

 

JOHN

How do you measure

productivity?

 

ALEKSANDAR

We measure it by the

evaluations we receive for

our work from the people.

 

JOHN

That means I need to offer

a higher mark?

 

ALEKSANDAR

Yes.

 

JOHN

How?

 

ALEKSANDAR

If you offer 1% higher

evaluation and 1% larger

responsibility then me you

get the right to work

here…

 

JOHN

I will!

 

ALEKSANDAR

But it is not that simple

as it looks like because

our system calls for

responsibility rigidly.

The Mayor directly manages all

business in the commune and

he is responsible for the

realization of all

businesses. This chair is

very hot…

(shows his chair)

 

JOHN

OK! (says self-confidently)

 

ALEKSANDAR

If the people here gave you

lower evaluations for your

work than you proposed that

hat on your head (red) will

grow.

 

John does not pay attention to his warnings any more.

 

JOHN

Where is the computer

center?

 

ALEKSANDAR

Each computer you use here

is connected to the

computer center.

 

JOHN

Thanks…

(smiles and starts leaving

the room)

 

ALEKSANDAR

(with good intensions adds)

Our system awards good

work. If you achieve

offered production this hat

on your head will get

smaller. But I’m warning

you again. If you propose

a greater productivity than

you can accomplish your hat

will grow…

 

John confidently waves back to him and leaves the office.

 

INT. OFFICE OF MAYOR’S SECRETARY DAY

John passes Anica without a word. Anica looks at him very surprised.

INT. CITY ADMINISTRATION HALL DAY

John randomly enters into the next office in which he sees an officer at the desk and pulls back into the hall without a word. In another attempt he encounters an empty office and enters.

INT. OFFICE DAY

 

John sits at a computer. Types in the increase of productivity for the mayor position 1%. Thinks a little bit and adds one zero. Thinks a little bit more and adds one more zero and registers his offer by typing the enter key in the keyboard. So that greed has pushed John to offer 100% greater productivity for the mayor’s position. Then John opens the page that defines his responsibility and without thinking types rise of 1,000%. He made a typo. He makes a grimace but waves his hand carelessly and registers his offer.

 

INT. MAYOR’S OFFICE DAY

 

At the same time the Mayor’s computer starts to flash and sound the alarm. Aleksandar is very surprised when he sees what productivity John offers. He silently picks up his things, and leaves the office rolling his eyes.

 

INT. CITY ADMINISTRATION HALL DAY

 

At the exit Aleksandar meets John, shakes hands with him and leaves without a word.

 

INT. MAYOR’S OFFICE DAY

 

John sits in the mayor’s chair, puts his feet on the table, rubs his hands with glee, and smiles self-lovingly.

 

EXT. STREET DAY

 

Street full of small locals. Pleasant peace fills the air.

 

Kevin stops a passer-by Bogdan on the street. Bogdan is a middle-aged man, carelessly dressed, a little bit slow in comprehension. Phlegmatic.

 

KEVIN

Hello, excuse me please,

where is the closest police

station?

 

BOGDAN

(phlegmatically)

We do not have police

stations.

 

KEVIN

(surprised)

How can I find policemen?

 

BOGDAN

(phlegmatically)

We do not have policemen.

 

KEVIN

(surprised)

How come?

 

BOGDAN

Just like that…

(says like it is the most

natural thing)

 

KEVIN

(is more surprised)

So, who protects you from

crime?

 

BOGDAN

(phlegmatically)

We do not have crime.

 

KEVIN

Well, who enforces the

laws?

 

BOGDAN

(phlegmatically)

We do not have laws.

 

KEVIN

(is very surprised)

What?

 

BOGDAN

We do not have laws.

(repeats like it is the most

natural thing)

 

KEVIN

How come?

 

BOGDAN

How come? (thinks a little

bit)That’s how! At the

beginning we had laws but

we developed our

relationships so much that

nobody uses laws any more.

They become unnecessary.

 

KEVIN

(very surprised)

How can you exist without

laws?

 

BOGDAN

Exactly as you see… We

alone create, carry out,

and change the rules in

our relationships. Alone!

 

KEVIN

(is very surprised)

How?

 

BOGDAN

It is clear what is right

and what is wrong and we

observe to it. Sometimes

we listen to opinions of

experts and then we make

agreements about how

things need to be done.

At the end, the mutual

evaluations give power to

each of us…

 

KEVIN

Then I am in charge too?

 

BOGDAN

Yes. That is what assures

good relationships in

society.

 

KEVIN

(very surprised)

And it works just like

that?

 

BOGDAN

Yes, it works just like

that. (He thinks a little

bit and adds) It works

perfectly, much better then

where you have come from.

 

Brandon and Frances pass by across the street. They wave their hands to Kevin. Kevin relaxes a little bit when he sees them and waves back.

 

KEVIN

(shouts to them)

Where are you going?

 

BRANDON

(shouts to Kevin)

To the soccer stadium!

 

Kevin waves his hand again. Then he turns back to Bogdan, thinks a little bit and asks…

 

KEVIN

Are there any available

jobs in the army?

 

BOGDAN

(phlegmatically)

We do not have an army.

 

KEVIN

(is not surprised any more)

I should have thought so…

 

BOGDAN

(smiles on that and adds)

When we citizens of this

peaceful place decided to

stop supplying our army

with money that was its

end… We dismissed it and

destroyed the arms…

 

KEVIN

You do not have arms?

 

BOGDAN

No… Not that we do not

have baseball bats and

kitchen knives but nobody

gets the idea to use them

as arms.

 

KEVIN

So, what protects you?

 

BOGDAN

(phlegmatically)

Nothing attacks us.

 

KEVIN

?

 

BOGDAN

We have learned that the

worst danger comes from

great leaders, those to

whom their nation or

homeland is the most

important thing.

 

KEVIN

Why?

 

BOGDAN

Such people just use their

nations for their

megalomaniac goals and

nothing good can come from

that…

 

KEVIN

So how do you protect

yourself from them?

 

BOGDAN

Simply, we easily recognise

such people… then we give

them very negative

evaluations… That shuts

their mouths far before

they are able to produce

any evil.

 

KEVIN

(thinks a little bit and

asks)

So what will I do? I do not

know anything but police

work!

 

BOGDAN

(thinks deeply and says)

You do not need to do

anything that you do not

want to do. When you find

what you want to do, you

will do it because you will

like doing it.

 

KEVIN

?

 

BOGDAN

(continues)

Don’t worry. If you need

anything just ask for

Bogdan. I am always

here somewhere…

 

Bogdan waves to him and starts walking away.

 

KEVIN

(calls over)

Thank you.

 

Kevin leaves to another direction with a worry on his face. Some children pass by cheerful and smiling. Kevin absorbedly watches them and after a while he starts smiling too…

 

INT. MIKI’S OFFICE

 

Miki sits in his office and sets up some papers. There is a picture of his wife Mirjana on the table. The furniture is modern, the chairs are comfortable. Light curtains at the window let in light wind. Birds chirp outside.

 

Somebody knocks on the door.

 

MIKI

Come in!

 

Diane enters the room. Looks magically hot in her bright red dress.

 

DIANE

Please excuse me for

disturbing you. Do you

have time for me?

 

MIKI

Of course.

 

They shake hands.

 

MIKI

Please sit down.

 

Diane sits in a chair.

 

MIKI

(continues)

Drink?

 

DIANE

No thanks…

 

Miki sits too.

 

MIKI

What can I do for you?

 

DIANE

I am very confused here in

a new environment…

 

MIKI

I understand. I was

confused as well.

 

DIANE

I supposed you are an

influential man in a high

position here?

 

While asking the question she crosses her legs and shows her beautiful thighs.

 

MIKI

Yeah, something like that…

(responds half confused

half calculatingly)

 

DIANE

Can you advise me with

what I should work here?

 

MIKI

What did you work so far?

 

DIANE

Mainly I have helped

successful people…

(thinks little bit)

…is it getting hot in

here…

 

She unhooks upper button on her dress, shakes it, and shows the place where her beautiful breasts are joined. Blood rushes to Miki’s head but he restrains because he is married with Mirjana. He stands up, approaches the window, and opens it widely.

 

DIANE

(continues)

What have you worked

before?

 

MIKI

I was a party official,

something like a director.

 

DIANE

I thought something like

that… …I immediately

recognise a successful man.

 

MIKI

(tries to be modest)

It’s not just like that…

 

DIANE

Oh no, I do not make

mistakes here. (smiles) I

recognise a man in charge.

 

Miki smiles modestly and nods his head self-lovingly. Diane thinks a little bit and continues shyly.

 

DIANE

I always wanted to be an

actress. I participated

in part of an acting course

with Mr. Blabinger.

I was supposed to take

an exam but I couldn’t

because I was very busy.

You know, we travel…

Mr. Blabinger had a lot

of respect in my skills.

He offered me a role in

a theatre performance.

It was not supposed to be

a big role but he told me

it would be a very

noticeable and memorable

role.

 

MIKI

What role would that be?

 

DIANE

I was supposed to be a

striptease dancer…

But, as I said I was very

busy… Now I have more

time so I can accept a

more significant movie

role. Can you help me?

 

Tension rises…

 

MIKI

(says calculatingly)

I’ll look for something…

 

DIANE

Oh, thank you very much…

 

MIKI

(smiles)

Nothing, nothing…

 

DIANE

You would never understand

how much it means to me.

This is my greatest wish.

If you help me I will

forever be in your debt.

Just tell me how to pay

back the favour and I’ll

do it.

 

Diane stands up seductively from the chair to hug Miki in the “friendly” manner. Miki is surprised a little bit. He stands up from his chair as well and spontaneously embraces her waist. She kisses his cheeks.

 

Tension culminates…

 

She notices that he is very sensitive to her closeness, hesitates what to do, thinks a little bit and then slowly moves her head towards Miki and kisses his lips. He moves his head a little bit away. She slowly kisses his lips again. He moves away his head a little bit again. When she kisses his lips third time, he does not move his head away any more…

 

EXT. STREET IN FRONT OF THE LAZAR’S HOME DAN

 

Rock paved street. Two rows of stone houses. Each balcony is full of flowers. Doors, windows, shutters are freshly coloured.

 

Al tries hard to decrease the size of his red hat. He is a trash remover. He has a trash collector’s uniform and tricycle with a garbage box. Right now he is cleaning the street in front of the Lazar’s house with a broom. Lazar is coming. He has sympathized Al from his childhood. Lazar is a former communist leader and a criminal. In Heaven Lazar is almost an exemplary husband and worker. He wears something similar to a military uniform and a hat “titovka” with a red star.

 

Lazar is very pleasantly surprised to meet Al. He widens his arms…

 

LAZAR

Al!

 

Al looks at him half interested.

 

LAZAR

You are an idol of my

youth!

 

Al does not change his face. Lazar tries to imitate Al. A smile emerges on his face because he is not a skilled actor. He puts his forefinger on his chest and asks…

 

LAZAR

Are you talking to me?

Are you talking to me?

Are you talking to me?

 

But he hit Robert de Niro in the movie Taxi driver.

 

AL

(responds melancholically)

It wasn’t me…

 

LAZAR

Doesn’t matter…

(he waves with his hand

happily)

Let God give you good

health and a long life!

 

Al looks at Lazar a little bit better…

 

AL

Do I know you?

 

LAZAR

We cooperated a little bit.

Do you remember cocaine

from Colombia?

 

AL

(convincingly)

I have never done cocaine

in my life!

 

LAZAR

C’mon, I am not your judge.

Besides that we transported

firearms to Iraq…

 

AL

(now Al recognises Lazar)

Oh, I remember you now…

… you are a communist

from Yugoslavia…

…Lazar?

 

LAZAR

(says proudly)

That’s me!

 

They shake hands friendly.

 

AL

So how are you doin’?

 

LAZAR

Not bad…

 

AL

Do you know something about

my relatives?

 

LAZAR

Your father is good.. He is

not far away from here….

I don’t know about

others… Ask him.

 

Al is satisfied with the answer and continues…

 

AL

You communists have always

impressed me strongly.

The way you arranged your

underground we were not

even able to dream about.

Nobody was able to

interfere with your

business…Nobody!

 

LAZAR

Those were good times.

And you have remained in my

memory as a very moral man.

You have always helped

friends and killed enemies.

 

AL

Those were good times, but

it is not recognised as

good here.

(shows up his long hat)

 

LAZAR

(complains)

No, one cannot kill a man

like a man here! They

immediately send you right

to Hell! Yes, they do…

 

Al thinks a little bit…

 

AL

If I were in power here,

I would return good old

values back. In the first

place a hierarchy.

Authorities would have an

unconditional power.

I would establish order and

discipline. One would know

what anyone is supposed to

do and allowed to do.

Everything would bloom.

Flowers would grow

everywhere, birds would

chirp like in the old days.

(his eyes start to sparkle

for a moment)

 

LAZAR

Do it for God’s sake. I

would support you strongly.

 

Anica, Lazar’s wife, interrupts them from the balcony of their house.

 

ANICA

Lazar you haven’t done the

dishes…

 

LAZAR

(responds unwillingly)

Just a moment…

 

ANICA

Do it now, it will start

to smell bad!

 

LAZAR

(says silently so that her

wife cannot hear him)

Godfather, let’s continue

this conversation later.

 

Al agrees and continues to broom the street.

 

EXT. STREET DAY

 

Large building with a board “Auto Salon”. Through the glass of window one can see displayed models.

 

Danny stands on the street in front of the auto salon. In the glass of the store window he sees himself with a big red hat. He is unsatisfied. Thinks a little bit and takes the hat off, rolls the edge of the hat so that it looks smaller and puts it back on his head. Now he is satisfied. He enters the auto salon full of new cars.

 

INT. AUTO SALON

 

A contemporarily arranged place. Rade works there. He is the chief of the salon, an elegant gentleman in a suit and tie.

 

DANNY

Hello.

 

RADE

Hello. Can I help you

please?

 

DANNY

I need ten Mercedes.

 

RADE

Ten Mercedes?

 

DANNY

Yes…

 

RADE

Why do you need ten

Mercedes?

 

DANNY

I need.

 

RADE

You are supposed to order

cars you need. These are

exhibition models.

 

DANNY

No problem, I’ll take them.

 

RADE

I can’t help you.

 

DANNY

Uh…

 

RADE

But if you need one

immediately I can give it

to you from reserves.

 

DANNY

I need ten Mercedes

urgently.

 

RADE

Sorry, I cannot help you.

 

Danny sees on the Rade’s coat a tag with the name Rade. He pulls the chief of the salon into a corner.

 

DANNY

(says confidentially)

Rade, I’ll give you one

Benjamin Franklin if you

try to help me. (he shows the

bill of 100 dollars)

 

RADE

Ha ha ha ha ha… (smiles)

Money is worth nothing

here!

 

Danny is embarrassed because of the wrong estimation of the situation and tries to escape…

 

DANNY

I did not offer money but

the artistic picture of

Benjamin Franklin.

 

RADE

(now seriously)

You cannot buy me. Besides,

your orientation is pretty

unhealthy here. If you

continue like this your hat

(red) will grow.

 

Danny wants to finish the conversation.

 

DANNY

OK, give me then a

beautiful new model, but

a big one please!

 

RADE

Please fill the

application.

 

DANNY

(grumbles)

Ah, this bureaucracy!

 

Danny fills the application and Rade brings keys…

 

RADE

Here are the keys. Your car

is there…

(he points to it with his
finger)

 

Danny takes a Mercedes cabriolet and leaves whispering..

 

EXT. SOCCER STADIUM DAY

 

A big stadium. The amphitheatre may hold about 35,000 people. It is covered with a metal grid structure. One can say that it looks like somebody put two slippers with ends inside each other.

 

Brandon wants to play soccer in Heaven as well.

 

INT. DRESSING ROOM DAY

 

Brandon enters the club’s dressing room. Big room. Lockers, benches, hooks… On one door is a sign that says massage, on second sauna, third showers…

 

Here Brandon meets Srđan a soccer player.

 

BRANDON

Hi, I am Brandon.

 

Brandon gives a hand to Srđan to shake.

 

SRĐAN

Srđan, nice to meet you…

 

They shake hands.

 

BRANDON

May I play soccer here?

 

SRĐAN

You can if you are good.

Have you already played

somewhere?

 

BRANDON

Of course! I played for

Manchester United, for

Barcelona and for Zaprešić.

 

SRĐAN

Excuse me?

 

BRANDON

(confidently)

Really!

 

SRĐAN

Have you played with

Ronaldinho?

 

BRANDON

Yes.

 

SRĐAN

In what position?

 

BRANDON

Right winger.

 

SRĐAN

(very satisfied)

You are accepted. Here is

the uniform. The game is

about to start!

 

EXT. SOCCER STADIUM DAY

 

Only one person is in the public. This is Frances who has come to support Brandon because she is in love with him.

 

BRANDON

(asks a team-mate)

Where is the public?

 

SRĐAN

There is no public.

 

BRANDON

I see but why?

 

SRĐAN

People come very rarely to

watch us. They live here

actively…

 

BRANDON

What does that mean?

 

SRĐAN

They like playing soccer

themselves or doing

something else rather than

watching us play.

 

BRANDON

(makes a face)

So why do you need such

a big stadium?

 

Srđan feels that Brandon is naïve so he starts pulling his leg.

 

SRĐAN

It stayed here since ever.

I offered to carry it down

to your place, but was

refused…

 

BRANDON

What?

 

SRĐAN

(smiles strangely)

I was told it is too heavy

for me…

 

BRANDON

(understands the joke and

smiles)

I know you are joking me.

 

SRĐAN

I used to be a devil, but I

improved myself and now I

am good…

(he makes a devil face)

Ha ha ha ha…

 

Brandon makes a surprised face. Srđan calms down and continues seriously.

 

SRĐAN

The stadium should be

removed but no one knows

if it would be needed one

day. (shrugs shoulders)

 

The play starts. Brandon gets a beautiful goal. Team mates congratulate him by slapping his shoulders. Frances applauds from the amphitheatre.

 

SRĐAN

(is surprised)

You have a fan! I haven’t

seen one in a long time.

 

BRANDON

That’s Frances. She is my

girlfriend.

(thinks a little bit)

No fans here?

 

SRĐAN

No. People are

self-confident here and do

not need idols.

 

Brandon shrugs his shoulders. He turns to Frances and waves to her. She responds the same. Now he is very happy she is there.

 

BRANDON

(says to himself)

Brandon is good, Frances

is the best.

 

EXT. PARK DAY

 

After the game Brandon and Frances walk through the park. Old pine trees. Sea is close by. Brandon looks Frances in the eyes.

 

BRANDON

I love you more than ever.

 

Frances smiles but her face shows she worries about something.

 

BRANDON

What’s wrong?

 

FRANCES

(worries)

If I do not get back to

work on Monday I’ll lose

my job…

 

BRANDON

It’s not that bad?

 

FRANCES

It’s even worse. The

company is in a crisis.

They just wait for an

excuse to fire workers…

 

BRANDON

You will find a better

job…

 

FRANCES

There are no good jobs on

the market. They cannot

even provide enough income

to pay the rent…

 

BRANDON

Uh…

 

FRANCES

I will need to find a

roommate like a student…

 

BRANDON

Brandon earns a lot. He

will find a solution…

 

FRANCES

You are a sweetheart but

I cannot accept it.

 

BRANDON

We will find a solution.

First we need to find an

escape from here. (he is

absorbed in thoughts)

But it doesn’t seem bad

here at all…

 

They leave absorbed in thoughts.

 

 

Go to Heaven Part IIII

Communism Part II

They are all very curious. Some of them show it loudly, some just nod their heads, and some are afraid to show any interest. Miki concludes that they should continue with presenting the new world to the newcomers.

 

MIKI

(continues)

Let’s go further… We can

freely choose every job we

want.

 

DANNY

(interrupts)

What does that mean?

 

MIKI

We can work wherever we

want.

 

DANNY

OK. I always wanted to be

a medical doctor. May I?

 

MIKI

Are you a doctor?

 

DANNY

No!

 

MIKI

Theoretically you may be

a doctor but practically

I would not recommend it

to you.

 

DANNY

Why not?

 

MIKI

Because here patients

choose their doctors. I

can easily bet you won’t

be busy. Besides that,

patients evaluate doctors.

If you make a mistake in

healing somebody the

patient would give you a

negative evaluation and

that is not good for you.

If you make a big mistake,

the whole town can give

you negative evaluations.

I would highly recommend

you study medicine

first…

 

JACK

And what if 10 people

apply for the same job?

 

MIKI

Then the applicant who

offers the best

productivity gets the

job…

 

JACK

How in God’s sake would you

measure the productivity of

medical doctors?

 

MIKI

Well, the best way is by

marks that patients give

you, but also with your

responsibility.

 

JACK

How?

 

MIKI

Every candidate can raise

their responsibility.

Double responsibility, for

example, would double the

influence of each mark

received from patients.

If you take a responsibility

value of 10, each received

evaluation will give or

take 10 knots off your hat.

Higher responsibility

raises risk. The person who

offers the highest

productivity and

responsibility gets the

job. This is in fact a

developed market of work…

 

DANNY

(mocks him)

Oh oh oh!

This is the market of

work!!!

 

MIKI

Yes, the best worker always

stays at every work post.

That’s why we have the best

possible production.

 

DANNY

Then, one cannot have

whatever job they want!

 

MIRJANA

Yes, they can! The person

who really wants some job

would invest more effort to

get it. Here, nothing can

stop him…

 

Frances joins the conversation.

 

FRANCES

Everyone can get a job here

and choose what to do?

 

MIKI

Yes, here we do not have

neither privileged nor

unemployed people.

 

FRANCES

(smiles surprised)

Cool…

 

John asks a question.

 

JOHN

Do you have a mayor?

 

MIKI

Yes, we do.

 

JOHN

And everyone may become a

mayor if they want?

 

MIKI

Yes everyone may become a

mayor if they want. Of

course he or she has to

offer the best productivity

for the position.

 

JOHN

(says absorbed in thoughts)

Interesting, I’m starting

to like this place.

 

Danny asks a question with a very arrogant voice.

 

DANNY

Who is the owner of

companies?

 

MIKI

We are all equal right

owners of companies.

 

DANNY

So, you are commies?

 

MIKI

We have equal rights here.

 

DANNY

(sarcastically)

We have seen very well how

these equal rights look

like!

 

MIKI

Everything is fine here.

 

DANNY

If I do not want to be

equal, do I have a choice?

 

MIKI

You have the choice here

only if we all agree about

that. Unfortunately such

a chance is very weak…

 

DANNY

That’s what I thought…

 

MIKI

(thinks a little bit and

continues)

However, you have a choice.

At the end of the main

street turn left and maybe

you can find a commune

you like more. If you turn

right you would get to

Hell. I do not recommend

entering!

 

DANNY

I’ll look for something

better…

 

Murmur. Most agree with Danny.

 

BETTE

You will not go anywhere

before we see what it is.

 

Danny is dissatisfied but silent. They are all absorbed in thoughts.

 

MIKI

Let’s have a lunch break.

We will continue after

that…

 

They all agree, standing up from the chairs and leave the room.

 

INT. RESTAURANT SELF-SERVICE DAY

 

A very cozy self-service restaurant gives a homely atmosphere. Silent background music plays from speakers. The restaurant is full of different tasty foods nicely arranged in buffets. There is also a middle-aged chubby cook in white with a big hat who helps serve.

 

BETTE

(asks a cook)

Is this organic food?

 

COOK

We have healthy food only.

 

BETTE

(nods her head satisfied)

Our farmers poisoned us

with pesticides and

hormones.

 

The cook, a cheery man by nature, smiles to this comment, he raises his arm and makes a face as if to guarantee his food is of good quality.

 

At the end of the line of food Bette finds out that there is not a cashier to pay the lunch to.

 

BETTE

(asks them all)

Where is the cashier?

 

They turned around and searched for a cashier but could not find one…

 

DANNY

(shrugs his shoulders)

It must be complimentary

of the airline company due

to the shit we are in…

 

BETTE

Might be …

 

They carry trays with food and sit at the tables.

 

BETTE

(continues)

… but it seems we are in

a much bigger problem.

 

DIANE

(sits beside Bette)

What do you mean?

 

FRANCES

You heard what they said!

 

They speak loudly so that everyone in the restaurant hears what they’re saying. Jack, who sits at the neighbouring table, responds.

 

JACK

Yeah, I think someone’s

playing us. Maybe it’s

Candid Camera?

 

Everyone looks around trying to find a camera, which is possibly making a video of them.

 

BRANDON

I can’t see a camera.

 

FRANCES

Me neither…

 

JACK

Of course you cannot see

it! The show wouldn’t be

called “Candid Camera” if

the camera isn’t hidden.

 

BETTE

(seconds his opinion)

It’s true, it sounds

unrealistic that everyone

can work whatever they

wish!

 

DANNY

Someone is screwing around

with us!

 

KEVIN

It seems serious to me!

 

AL

Me too…

 

JOHN

I don’t think it’s bad

here…

 

John puts a bite in his mouth as if nothing strange has happened.

 

DIANE

(a bit worried)

I hope not…

 

INT. WELCOME CENTER (again)

 

Danny is first to return to the welcome center. He sits in front of the computer and types an e-mail to his business partner…

 

Hi George,

 

Something very strange has

happened to me. If you

receive this letter maybe

it is not that strange…

 

Write to me,

 

Danny

 

Sends the e-mail and immediately receives the response “The recipient is unknown.” He swallows a noodle, inhales and exhales unsatisfied.

 

At that time the others return from lunch. Mirjana continues the speech after the break.

 

MIRJANA

(continues)

We have developed direct

democracy here…

…especially in economy…

 

DANNY

(mocks her sarcastically)

Oh oh oh…

 

MIRJANA

We all participate in the

distribution of common

money.

 

DANNY

(mocks her again)

Oh oh oh…

 

Mirjana looks at Danny and smiles.

 

MIRJANA

Now comes a real surprise

for you! We have directly

decided to direct all the

money for the needs of

joined consumption.

 

She presents a diagram on a big screen where individual consumption is reduced to zero. The joined consumption accumulates all of the money.

 

DANNY

Wait a moment, what does it

mean, all the money goes to

the joined consumption?

 

MIRJANA

That means we do not

receive incomes here. We

all consume what ever we

need and everything is

financed from the common

consumption budget.

 

DANNY

Incomes do not exist,

everyone takes what they

need? … You are even

worse than commies!

You are crazy!

 

MIRJANA

We are not crazy. We

function excellently.

 

DANNY

So who decides what a

consumer is going to

consume?

 

MIRJANA

The consumer alone.

 

DANNY

How convenient! Let’s say

I am a consumer who orders

a pizza and while waits to

be served asks politely for

ten Mercedes cars to be

packed to go. Any problem

there?

 

MIRJANA

Here we have completely

different values then you

are used to. If somebody

takes ten cars here it

would be equally foolish

like the one who takes ten

dinners instead of one.

No intelligent person does

this…

 

DANNY

OK, let’s say I am foolish

and stupid and still ask

for ten Mercedes. What

would happen then?

 

MIKI

Cars are made by the orders

of the people. With such

behaviour you can produce

a shortage of spare cars.

Then the people here may

get angry at you and give

you negative evaluations.

A lot of negative

evaluations and you finish

at the end of the main

street right…

 

Danny does not look satisfied with the answer, neither do the others…

 

MIKI

(continues)

When we came here we

thought the same as you.

We directed all of the

money for incomes. We had

no taxes at all. We were

full of money. Normally we

had to pay each good or

service. We had to pay

doctors, schools, police,

courts, everything…

(he thinks a little bit)

What was even worse, we

privatized everything. On

my way to work I had to

stop 13 times to pay

crossing over someone’s

private property. That

Lazar wanted to privatize

even air, but he didn’t

succeed! Police did

not want to talk to you

before you paid them.

Firemen did not want to

extinguish a fire before

you pay them. Medical

doctors did not want to

look at you before you pay

them. We have produced a

worse situation than you

have had, and almost

finished right in Hell…

 

MIRJANA

Not me!

 

MIKI

(ironically)

Sorry I forgot to say that

you have always been

perfect. That’s the reason

I am very happy with you.

 

Mirjana pretends she didn’t hear irony in his voice.

 

MIRJANA

Do you ask yourself if I

am very happy with you?

(asks with silent voice)

Have you cleaned the

carpet?

 

MIKI

(silently responds to

Mirjana)

Oh, you have started

delivering compliments to

me in public…

(continues loudly)

When we saw that it could

not be worse we started

directing money for the

common consumption

purposes.

 

Mirjana passes a minor conflict and continues…

 

MIRJANA

But we didn’t allow anyone

to use that money in our

name. Not the presidents,

nor representatives,

neither the professionals,

nobody! We requested to

spend the money alone

where we want to.

 

MIKI

(continues)

That’s how we finally took

the privileged power from

the leaders. That’s how the

taxes started to serve us!

 

DANNY

(mocks him)

Oh oh oh…

 

Miki does not pay attention…

 

MIKI

That ended up so well that

we all finally individually

gave all our money for

taxes. In that manner we

abolished incomes. Now we

finance all consumption

from the common expenses

budget. These are

significant changes…

 

DANNY

If I ever work here, I

would still like to

receive an income…

 

MIKI

Why do you need it when

everything is free of

charge?

 

DANNY

I do not believe in your

system. (says honestly)

 

MIKI

You could all vote to keep

your salaries but your

voices will be drowned in

the sea of votes from all

of us who do not need

salaries any more. The

result of all your votes

could ideally affect us to

receive a salary in the

amount of a few dollars.

This would slightly reduce

the common consumption but

still everything would be

free of charge because we

who live here want it. We

do not want salaries.

That’s how we live.

However, if you persuade

most of us to keep wages

then incomes would return

and normally most of the

goods would have to be

purchased. Honestly, We

do not see it as a

possibility because we

know our way is the best.

 

DANNY

I do not believe in your

system. (repeats honestly)

 

MIKI

OK. We cannot give you an

income because it does not

exist here, but we can give

you money, as much as you

want, with which you cannot

buy anything because

everything is free of

charge here.

 

Danny nods his head satisfied.

 

JACK

Wait a moment! If

everything is free of

charge why would anybody

work hard to get something

when he can have it without

work?

 

MIRJANA

Here work is not a

difficult trouble but

pleasant satisfaction.

Work is a value itself.

 

They are all absorbed in thoughts. Jack breaks the silence…

 

JACK

I was told that the market

determines the value of

work.

 

MIKI

That’s correct too, but you

still do not know how the

free work market looks

like.

 

JACK

(repeats surprised)

We still do not know how a

work market is supposed to

look like?

 

MIKI

Correct! The market of work

is supposed to make balance

between the demand and supply

of work. Have you had an

equal demand for all work

posts?

 

JACK

Work cannot be equally

demanded. Somebody always

gets better jobs and

somebody worse jobs…

 

MIKI

Here we do not have better

and worse jobs!

 

JACK

(sarcastically)

How convenient!

 

MIKI

You think better jobs are

those that give bigger

statuses and influences in

society. These are

illusions… We have

eliminated them…

The workers at more

influential work positions

receive more evaluations

from the people. If they

fail terribly they can

easily finish in Hell…

 

DANNY

(mocks him powerlessly)

Yeah…

 

MIKI

(doesn’t pay attention to

him)

The moment we abolished the

work privileges all jobs

became equally demanded.

 

JACK

?

 

MIKI

Nobody would choose bad

jobs if they exist. The

work is free here.

 

JACK

(excitedly)

So you think we didn’t work

freely?! That I was a slave

for 45 years?

 

MIKI

(calmly)

To be honest, that’s

right… You do not know

what free work is!

 

JACK

(asks sarcastically)

Would you be so kind and

tell us poor, ignorant

people what free work is?

 

MIKI

Here we choose whether we

want to work, and then we

choose what we want to

work. That is free work.

 

JACK

(continues)

So what if all the people

choose not to work?

 

MIKI

That is impossible! We

confirm our productive

powers by the work. By

giving up from it we would

practically negate

ourselves…

 

JACK

Everything is possible!

 

MIKI

That would be the same as

your top sportsmen give up

from competitions. We have

competitions for each work

post here.

 

JACK

Now that sounds cruel!

 

MIRJANA

It’s not cruel at all.

There is a job for everyone

here. No ones job is better

than others’. No one’s

economic existence depends

on work. Each person

competes exactly as much as

it is suitable to his

nature. Everyone likes

their jobs and finds

satisfaction in work…

 

Jack watches Miki suspiciously.

 

MIKI

(continues)

Let me conclude, work values

more than goods here. If

that would not be the case,

then we would return back

to individual incomes, you

are used to. But this is

paradise and everything

is OK.

 

MIRJANA

That would be all for now.

Any questions?

 

FRANCES

You said that you direct

production and consumption

on your own. It’s not clear

to me how?

 

MIRJANA

Here we have fictitious

money that everyone directs

where he thinks is more or

most important. An

individual who thinks that

health care should be more

developed than public

recreation, would direct

more money for health

care and less for the

public recreation. The sum

total of all statements of

all individuals determines

production.

 

FRANCES

So how can you order a car?

 

MIRJANA

We order cars

individually…

We successfully cover all

individual orders by the

common consumption budget.

If we are not able to do

so, we would return to

individual incomes…

…which would not be a

problem at all…

 

Thinks a little bit and then continues.

 

MIRJANA

The point is we have

created a democratically

planned economy that

implements the most

rational and useful

production. The system of

work competition carries

out the best possible

production. Our economy

is the best one.

 

DANNY

OK, now you came to the

subject I am an expert at.

Good old capitalism has the

best economy because it

makes the highest profit.

That’s a well known thing!

 

MIKI

Incorrect! The best worker

on every public work post

makes the highest profit

that capitalism cannot

follow. Public companies

won over private ones and

that sent capitalism to

history…

 

Danny makes a face as if something hit him but does not have the guts to continue discussion.

 

MIRJANA

(continues)

When capitalism started

leaving, the profit started

losing its importance…

…man has become the main

value. Now profit does not

exist any more at all and

man is all for us…

 

FRANCES

(concludes)

Sounds good…

 

DANNY

Sounds bad!

 

MIKI

(smiles and continues)

And now, the last surprise

for today. It’s enough that

workers here work two hours

a day in order to satisfy

the needs of the whole

community.

 

DANNY

(suspiciously)

We will see…

 

JACK

(sarcastically)

So what are you doing the

rest of the time, if one

is allowed to know?

 

MIKI

We can work what we want

and as much as we want.

The rest of the time we do

the same as we do while

work – we enjoy life.

 

MIRJANA

More questions?

 

Murmur in the room but there are no more questions.

 

MIRJANA

We know that you are full

of surprises, but don’t

worry, everything will

be OK. We are actually one

big good family, happy and

satisfied…

 

MIKI

Now you are free to go

where ever you want and to

do what ever you want. All

inhabitants of Heaven will

gladly help you whenever

you need it…

 

FRANCES

So where will we sleep?

 

MIRJANA

Uh, thanks for reminding

me…

 

Mirjana types something into her computer which automatically inserts pictures and descriptions of available houses and apartments into all monitors in front of them.

 

MIRJANA

(continues)

I’ve just opened pages with

available houses and

apartments here. Please

choose which place suits

you best… If somebody is

not handy with computers

I will help them.

 

They all move towards monitors and search…

 

INT. BEDROOM LATE NIGHT

 

Kathy and Jack have chosen a rustically arranged and very pleasant apartment.

 

They both lie in bed ready to sleep, watch the ceiling, and think.

 

KATHY

Have you noticed that blue

hats have been given to a

soccer star and a famous

singer? That looks like

protection to me. There is

no justice anywhere!

 

JACK

And we went to church every

Sunday. I ask myself why?

 

KATHY

I went to church every

Sunday. You did not.

 

JACK

Are you starting again?

 

KATHY

You have accused me in

front of everyone that it

was my fault we got red

hats.

 

JACK

Then whose fault is it?

 

KATHY

Why mine? I live a fully

standard life. I am the one

who washes, cooks, and

cleans. You are the one who

comes home drunk on

Fridays!

 

JACK

You are the one who

persistently cooks the

“healthy” food I cannot

stand. You are the one who

likes to sling mud at me

whenever I drink a little

bit with friends. You are

a grumble witch! God sees

everything!

 

KATHY

Me a grumble witch! And

what are you? You are the

one who sent everyone to

Hell! You are a grumble old

goat!

 

JACK

Me grumble? You have not

seen, in all your life,

a more tolerant person

than me!

 

KATHY

(sarcastically)

Yeah, that is the reason

our relatives often come

over and enjoy spending

time with us.

 

JACK

They do not avoid us, I

avoid them. None of them

are normal people!

 

KATHY

Uh, what a tolerance!

 

JACK

I am tolerant! It is not my

fault they are abnormal.

 

Kathy gave up from the discussion and turns angrily to her side of the bed.

 

 

 

Go to Heaven Part III

They are all very curious. Some of them show it loudly, some just nod their heads, and some are afraid to show any interest. Miki concludes that they should continue with presenting the new world to the newcomers.

 

MIKI

(continues)

Let’s go further… We can

freely choose every job we

want.

 

DANNY

(interrupts)

What does that mean?

 

MIKI

We can work wherever we

want.

 

DANNY

OK. I always wanted to be

a medical doctor. May I?

 

MIKI

Are you a doctor?

 

DANNY

No!

 

MIKI

Theoretically you may be

a doctor but practically

I would not recommend it

to you.

 

DANNY

Why not?

 

MIKI

Because here patients

choose their doctors. I

can easily bet you won’t

be busy. Besides that,

patients evaluate doctors.

If you make a mistake in

healing somebody the

patient would give you a

negative evaluation and

that is not good for you.

If you make a big mistake,

the whole town can give

you negative evaluations.

I would highly recommend

you study medicine

first…

 

JACK

And what if 10 people

apply for the same job?

 

MIKI

Then the applicant who

offers the best

productivity gets the

job…

 

JACK

How in God’s sake would you

measure the productivity of

medical doctors?

 

MIKI

Well, the best way is by

marks that patients give

you, but also with your

responsibility.

 

JACK

How?

 

MIKI

Every candidate can raise

their responsibility.

Double responsibility, for

example, would double the

influence of each mark

received from patients.

If you take a responsibility

value of 10, each received

evaluation will give or

take 10 knots off your hat.

Higher responsibility

raises risk. The person who

offers the highest

productivity and

responsibility gets the

job. This is in fact a

developed market of work…

 

DANNY

(mocks him)

Oh oh oh!

This is the market of

work!!!

 

MIKI

Yes, the best worker always

stays at every work post.

That’s why we have the best

possible production.

 

DANNY

Then, one cannot have

whatever job they want!

 

MIRJANA

Yes, they can! The person

who really wants some job

would invest more effort to

get it. Here, nothing can

stop him…

 

Frances joins the conversation.

 

FRANCES

Everyone can get a job here

and choose what to do?

 

MIKI

Yes, here we do not have

neither privileged nor

unemployed people.

 

FRANCES

(smiles surprised)

Cool…

 

John asks a question.

 

JOHN

Do you have a mayor?

 

MIKI

Yes, we do.

 

JOHN

And everyone may become a

mayor if they want?

 

MIKI

Yes everyone may become a

mayor if they want. Of

course he or she has to

offer the best productivity

for the position.

 

JOHN

(says absorbed in thoughts)

Interesting, I’m starting

to like this place.

 

Danny asks a question with a very arrogant voice.

 

DANNY

Who is the owner of

companies?

 

MIKI

We are all equal right

owners of companies.

 

DANNY

So, you are commies?

 

MIKI

We have equal rights here.

 

DANNY

(sarcastically)

We have seen very well how

these equal rights look

like!

 

MIKI

Everything is fine here.

 

DANNY

If I do not want to be

equal, do I have a choice?

 

MIKI

You have the choice here

only if we all agree about

that. Unfortunately such

a chance is very weak…

 

DANNY

That’s what I thought…

 

MIKI

(thinks a little bit and

continues)

However, you have a choice.

At the end of the main

street turn left and maybe

you can find a commune

you like more. If you turn

right you would get to

Hell. I do not recommend

entering!

 

DANNY

I’ll look for something

better…

 

Murmur. Most agree with Danny.

 

BETTE

You will not go anywhere

before we see what it is.

 

Danny is dissatisfied but silent. They are all absorbed in thoughts.

 

MIKI

Let’s have a lunch break.

We will continue after

that…

 

They all agree, standing up from the chairs and leave the room.

 

INT. RESTAURANT SELF-SERVICE DAY

 

A very cozy self-service restaurant gives a homely atmosphere. Silent background music plays from speakers. The restaurant is full of different tasty foods nicely arranged in buffets. There is also a middle-aged chubby cook in white with a big hat who helps serve.

 

BETTE

(asks a cook)

Is this organic food?

 

COOK

We have healthy food only.

 

BETTE

(nods her head satisfied)

Our farmers poisoned us

with pesticides and

hormones.

 

The cook, a cheery man by nature, smiles to this comment, he raises his arm and makes a face as if to guarantee his food is of good quality.

 

At the end of the line of food Bette finds out that there is not a cashier to pay the lunch to.

 

BETTE

(asks them all)

Where is the cashier?

 

They turned around and searched for a cashier but could not find one…

 

DANNY

(shrugs his shoulders)

It must be complimentary

of the airline company due

to the shit we are in…

 

BETTE

Might be …

 

They carry trays with food and sit at the tables.

 

BETTE

(continues)

… but it seems we are in

a much bigger problem.

 

DIANE

(sits beside Bette)

What do you mean?

 

FRANCES

You heard what they said!

 

They speak loudly so that everyone in the restaurant hears what they’re saying. Jack, who sits at the neighbouring table, responds.

 

JACK

Yeah, I think someone’s

playing us. Maybe it’s

Candid Camera?

 

Everyone looks around trying to find a camera, which is possibly making a video of them.

 

BRANDON

I can’t see a camera.

 

FRANCES

Me neither…

 

JACK

Of course you cannot see

it! The show wouldn’t be

called “Candid Camera” if

the camera isn’t hidden.

 

BETTE

(seconds his opinion)

It’s true, it sounds

unrealistic that everyone

can work whatever they

wish!

 

DANNY

Someone is screwing around

with us!

 

KEVIN

It seems serious to me!

 

AL

Me too…

 

JOHN

I don’t think it’s bad

here…

 

John puts a bite in his mouth as if nothing strange has happened.

 

DIANE

(a bit worried)

I hope not…

 

INT. WELCOME CENTER (again)

 

Danny is first to return to the welcome center. He sits in front of the computer and types an e-mail to his business partner…

 

Hi George,

 

Something very strange has

happened to me. If you

receive this letter maybe

it is not that strange…

 

Write to me,

 

Danny

 

Sends the e-mail and immediately receives the response “The recipient is unknown.” He swallows a noodle, inhales and exhales unsatisfied.

 

At that time the others return from lunch. Mirjana continues the speech after the break.

 

MIRJANA

(continues)

We have developed direct

democracy here…

…especially in economy…

 

DANNY

(mocks her sarcastically)

Oh oh oh…

 

MIRJANA

We all participate in the

distribution of common

money.

 

DANNY

(mocks her again)

Oh oh oh…

 

Mirjana looks at Danny and smiles.

 

MIRJANA

Now comes a real surprise

for you! We have directly

decided to direct all the

money for the needs of

joined consumption.

 

She presents a diagram on a big screen where individual consumption is reduced to zero. The joined consumption accumulates all of the money.

 

DANNY

Wait a moment, what does it

mean, all the money goes to

the joined consumption?

 

MIRJANA

That means we do not

receive incomes here. We

all consume what ever we

need and everything is

financed from the common

consumption budget.

 

DANNY

Incomes do not exist,

everyone takes what they

need? … You are even

worse than commies!

You are crazy!

 

MIRJANA

We are not crazy. We

function excellently.

 

DANNY

So who decides what a

consumer is going to

consume?

 

MIRJANA

The consumer alone.

 

DANNY

How convenient! Let’s say

I am a consumer who orders

a pizza and while waits to

be served asks politely for

ten Mercedes cars to be

packed to go. Any problem

there?

 

MIRJANA

Here we have completely

different values then you

are used to. If somebody

takes ten cars here it

would be equally foolish

like the one who takes ten

dinners instead of one.

No intelligent person does

this…

 

DANNY

OK, let’s say I am foolish

and stupid and still ask

for ten Mercedes. What

would happen then?

 

MIKI

Cars are made by the orders

of the people. With such

behaviour you can produce

a shortage of spare cars.

Then the people here may

get angry at you and give

you negative evaluations.

A lot of negative

evaluations and you finish

at the end of the main

street right…

 

Danny does not look satisfied with the answer, neither do the others…

 

MIKI

(continues)

When we came here we

thought the same as you.

We directed all of the

money for incomes. We had

no taxes at all. We were

full of money. Normally we

had to pay each good or

service. We had to pay

doctors, schools, police,

courts, everything…

(he thinks a little bit)

What was even worse, we

privatized everything. On

my way to work I had to

stop 13 times to pay

crossing over someone’s

private property. That

Lazar wanted to privatize

even air, but he didn’t

succeed! Police did

not want to talk to you

before you paid them.

Firemen did not want to

extinguish a fire before

you pay them. Medical

doctors did not want to

look at you before you pay

them. We have produced a

worse situation than you

have had, and almost

finished right in Hell…

 

MIRJANA

Not me!

 

MIKI

(ironically)

Sorry I forgot to say that

you have always been

perfect. That’s the reason

I am very happy with you.

 

Mirjana pretends she didn’t hear irony in his voice.

 

MIRJANA

Do you ask yourself if I

am very happy with you?

(asks with silent voice)

Have you cleaned the

carpet?

 

MIKI

(silently responds to

Mirjana)

Oh, you have started

delivering compliments to

me in public…

(continues loudly)

When we saw that it could

not be worse we started

directing money for the

common consumption

purposes.

 

Mirjana passes a minor conflict and continues…

 

MIRJANA

But we didn’t allow anyone

to use that money in our

name. Not the presidents,

nor representatives,

neither the professionals,

nobody! We requested to

spend the money alone

where we want to.

 

MIKI

(continues)

That’s how we finally took

the privileged power from

the leaders. That’s how the

taxes started to serve us!

 

DANNY

(mocks him)

Oh oh oh…

 

Miki does not pay attention…

 

MIKI

That ended up so well that

we all finally individually

gave all our money for

taxes. In that manner we

abolished incomes. Now we

finance all consumption

from the common expenses

budget. These are

significant changes…

 

DANNY

If I ever work here, I

would still like to

receive an income…

 

MIKI

Why do you need it when

everything is free of

charge?

 

DANNY

I do not believe in your

system. (says honestly)

 

MIKI

You could all vote to keep

your salaries but your

voices will be drowned in

the sea of votes from all

of us who do not need

salaries any more. The

result of all your votes

could ideally affect us to

receive a salary in the

amount of a few dollars.

This would slightly reduce

the common consumption but

still everything would be

free of charge because we

who live here want it. We

do not want salaries.

That’s how we live.

However, if you persuade

most of us to keep wages

then incomes would return

and normally most of the

goods would have to be

purchased. Honestly, We

do not see it as a

possibility because we

know our way is the best.

 

DANNY

I do not believe in your

system. (repeats honestly)

 

MIKI

OK. We cannot give you an

income because it does not

exist here, but we can give

you money, as much as you

want, with which you cannot

buy anything because

everything is free of

charge here.

 

Danny nods his head satisfied.

 

JACK

Wait a moment! If

everything is free of

charge why would anybody

work hard to get something

when he can have it without

work?

 

MIRJANA

Here work is not a

difficult trouble but

pleasant satisfaction.

Work is a value itself.

 

They are all absorbed in thoughts. Jack breaks the silence…

 

JACK

I was told that the market

determines the value of

work.

 

MIKI

That’s correct too, but you

still do not know how the

free work market looks

like.

 

JACK

(repeats surprised)

We still do not know how a

work market is supposed to

look like?

 

MIKI

Correct! The market of work

is supposed to make balance

between the demand and supply

of work. Have you had an

equal demand for all work

posts?

 

JACK

Work cannot be equally

demanded. Somebody always

gets better jobs and

somebody worse jobs…

 

MIKI

Here we do not have better

and worse jobs!

 

JACK

(sarcastically)

How convenient!

 

MIKI

You think better jobs are

those that give bigger

statuses and influences in

society. These are

illusions… We have

eliminated them…

The workers at more

influential work positions

receive more evaluations

from the people. If they

fail terribly they can

easily finish in Hell…

 

DANNY

(mocks him powerlessly)

Yeah…

 

MIKI

(doesn’t pay attention to

him)

The moment we abolished the

work privileges all jobs

became equally demanded.

 

JACK

?

 

MIKI

Nobody would choose bad

jobs if they exist. The

work is free here.

 

JACK

(excitedly)

So you think we didn’t work

freely?! That I was a slave

for 45 years?

 

MIKI

(calmly)

To be honest, that’s

right… You do not know

what free work is!

 

JACK

(asks sarcastically)

Would you be so kind and

tell us poor, ignorant

people what free work is?

 

MIKI

Here we choose whether we

want to work, and then we

choose what we want to

work. That is free work.

 

JACK

(continues)

So what if all the people

choose not to work?

 

MIKI

That is impossible! We

confirm our productive

powers by the work. By

giving up from it we would

practically negate

ourselves…

 

JACK

Everything is possible!

 

MIKI

That would be the same as

your top sportsmen give up

from competitions. We have

competitions for each work

post here.

 

JACK

Now that sounds cruel!

 

MIRJANA

It’s not cruel at all.

There is a job for everyone

here. No ones job is better

than others’. No one’s

economic existence depends

on work. Each person

competes exactly as much as

it is suitable to his

nature. Everyone likes

their jobs and finds

satisfaction in work…

 

Jack watches Miki suspiciously.

 

MIKI

(continues)

Let me conclude, work values

more than goods here. If

that would not be the case,

then we would return back

to individual incomes, you

are used to. But this is

paradise and everything

is OK.

 

MIRJANA

That would be all for now.

Any questions?

 

FRANCES

You said that you direct

production and consumption

on your own. It’s not clear

to me how?

 

MIRJANA

Here we have fictitious

money that everyone directs

where he thinks is more or

most important. An

individual who thinks that

health care should be more

developed than public

recreation, would direct

more money for health

care and less for the

public recreation. The sum

total of all statements of

all individuals determines

production.

 

FRANCES

So how can you order a car?

 

MIRJANA

We order cars

individually…

We successfully cover all

individual orders by the

common consumption budget.

If we are not able to do

so, we would return to

individual incomes…

…which would not be a

problem at all…

 

Thinks a little bit and then continues.

 

MIRJANA

The point is we have

created a democratically

planned economy that

implements the most

rational and useful

production. The system of

work competition carries

out the best possible

production. Our economy

is the best one.

 

DANNY

OK, now you came to the

subject I am an expert at.

Good old capitalism has the

best economy because it

makes the highest profit.

That’s a well known thing!

 

MIKI

Incorrect! The best worker

on every public work post

makes the highest profit

that capitalism cannot

follow. Public companies

won over private ones and

that sent capitalism to

history…

 

Danny makes a face as if something hit him but does not have the guts to continue discussion.

 

MIRJANA

(continues)

When capitalism started

leaving, the profit started

losing its importance…

…man has become the main

value. Now profit does not

exist any more at all and

man is all for us…

 

FRANCES

(concludes)

Sounds good…

 

DANNY

Sounds bad!

 

MIKI

(smiles and continues)

And now, the last surprise

for today. It’s enough that

workers here work two hours

a day in order to satisfy

the needs of the whole

community.

 

DANNY

(suspiciously)

We will see…

 

JACK

(sarcastically)

So what are you doing the

rest of the time, if one

is allowed to know?

 

MIKI

We can work what we want

and as much as we want.

The rest of the time we do

the same as we do while

work – we enjoy life.

 

MIRJANA

More questions?

 

Murmur in the room but there are no more questions.

 

MIRJANA

We know that you are full

of surprises, but don’t

worry, everything will

be OK. We are actually one

big good family, happy and

satisfied…

 

MIKI

Now you are free to go

where ever you want and to

do what ever you want. All

inhabitants of Heaven will

gladly help you whenever

you need it…

 

FRANCES

So where will we sleep?

 

MIRJANA

Uh, thanks for reminding

me…

 

Mirjana types something into her computer which automatically inserts pictures and descriptions of available houses and apartments into all monitors in front of them.

 

MIRJANA

(continues)

I’ve just opened pages with

available houses and

apartments here. Please

choose which place suits

you best… If somebody is

not handy with computers

I will help them.

 

They all move towards monitors and search…

 

INT. BEDROOM LATE NIGHT

 

Kathy and Jack have chosen a rustically arranged and very pleasant apartment.

 

They both lie in bed ready to sleep, watch the ceiling, and think.

 

KATHY

Have you noticed that blue

hats have been given to a

soccer star and a famous

singer? That looks like

protection to me. There is

no justice anywhere!

 

JACK

And we went to church every

Sunday. I ask myself why?

 

KATHY

I went to church every

Sunday. You did not.

 

JACK

Are you starting again?

 

KATHY

You have accused me in

front of everyone that it

was my fault we got red

hats.

 

JACK

Then whose fault is it?

 

KATHY

Why mine? I live a fully

standard life. I am the one

who washes, cooks, and

cleans. You are the one who

comes home drunk on

Fridays!

 

JACK

You are the one who

persistently cooks the

“healthy” food I cannot

stand. You are the one who

likes to sling mud at me

whenever I drink a little

bit with friends. You are

a grumble witch! God sees

everything!

 

KATHY

Me a grumble witch! And

what are you? You are the

one who sent everyone to

Hell! You are a grumble old

goat!

 

JACK

Me grumble? You have not

seen, in all your life,

a more tolerant person

than me!

 

KATHY

(sarcastically)

Yeah, that is the reason

our relatives often come

over and enjoy spending

time with us.

 

JACK

They do not avoid us, I

avoid them. None of them

are normal people!

 

KATHY

Uh, what a tolerance!

 

JACK

I am tolerant! It is not my

fault they are abnormal.

 

Kathy gave up from the discussion and turns angrily to her side of the bed.

 

 

 

Go to Heaven Part III