World System of Health Care

Here are some ideas for a world system of health care.

It may seem frivolous to use the term "world system" (or "world-system") as
a non-theoretical category, namely, in the sense of a
practical-system-to-be-organized which, from a theoretical point of view,
would more properly be called a "sub-system" of the world(-)system. By those
who wish to accelerate the coming of a general world revolution, the
creation of a world system of health care will likely be perceived as petty
"social democratism". By those who believe in the supreme rights of "market
forces" (market absolutism) the creation of a world system of health care
will likely be perceived as a heresy against market principles. However, in
my opinion, promoting the health of living people is more important than
promoting general immizeration for the purpose of promoting a collapse of
the world system and more important than promoting the freedom of global
capitalism.

A world system of health care would, in my opinion, be feasible in
technical, financial, and political terms.

(a) technical feasibility -- in Canada every citizen has a health card with
a health-system number as part of a computerized health administration
system. Depending on the province one lives in, all or major parts of the
health expenses of an individual are covered by the system. A similar system
could be installed world-wide, giving every citizen of the planet a health
card and access to the health system. (In USA that would mean that an
additional 35 million people would be covered by the health care system.
World-wide, I don't have the figures, but let's say, an additional 3 billion
people would be covered by the global health care system.) This would
consitute no unsurmountable problems for modern computer technology. The
health card would carry with it a certain entitlement for health care
services. This has some similarity with a coupon system, as discussed by
market socialists like Roemer, Boswell and Chase-Dunn.

(b) financial feasibility -- here one can apply post-Keynesian ideas, as
developed for the purpose of job-creation by economists like Bill
Mitchell/Australia and Warren Mosler/USA. Based on their monetary theories,
it is possible to finance job creation by public finance (their "employer of
last resort" schemes). Since these schemes operate without abolishing
markets, they can be considered as a kind of market socialism. If these
public financing methods can be used for job creation, they can,
conceivably, also be used for providing health services throughout the
world. A major difference between the Mitchell and Mosler schemes and a
world health care scheme would be in terms of scope. Their financing methods
are conceived for the national level. They would have to be adapted to a
global level of public finance.

(c) political feasibility -- (1) public support can be expected; (2)
politicians of periphery and semi-periphery countries could be very
interested in this, in my opinion. There are even politicians of first-world
countries who promote world-wide health in however modest a form (e.g., US
president Clinton). (3) How about the interests of the capitalist and
professional classes? The pharmaceutical and health care industries might be
interested; professional organizations of physicians in many countries could
be interested in this.

(d) "reparations" -- periphey and semi-periphery countries lose unequal
exchange value at the rate of about 1-2 trillion dollars per year. They
could claim substantial amounts of global money (e.g., applied to health
care) as compensation or "reparations" from the world(-)system.

If it can be imagined, it could be feasible -- see, the film "Star Wars" and
the American Star Wars program. There was only a difference of a few years.

To whoever might be interested in this.

Best regards,
Gert Kohler
Oakville, Canada