The British Study Edition of the Urantia Papers

placed on the retired list at any age by court order countersigned by the pension commissioner of the regional government.

^72:6.3 ¶ The funds for old-age pensions are derived from 4 sources:

^72:6.4 1. One day’s earnings each month are requisitioned by the federal government for this purpose, and in this country everybody works.

^72:6.5 2. Bequests — many wealthy citizens leave funds for this purpose.

^72:6.6 3. The earnings of compulsory labour in the state mines. After the conscript workers support themselves and set aside their own retirement contributions, all excess profits on their labour are turned over to this pension fund.

^72:6.7 4. The income from natural resources. All natural wealth on the continent is held as a social trust by the federal government, and the income therefrom is utilized for social purposes, such as disease prevention, education of geniuses, and expenses of especially promising individuals in the statesmanship schools. 50% of the income from natural resources goes to the old-age pension fund.

^72:6.8 ¶ Although state and regional actuarial foundations supply many forms of protective insurance, old-age pensions are solely administered by the federal government through the 10 regional departments.

^72:6.9 These government funds have long been honestly administered. Next to treason and murder, the heaviest penalties meted out by the courts are attached to betrayal of public trust. Social and political disloyalty are now looked upon as being the most heinous of all crimes.

7. TAXATION

^72:7.1 The federal government is paternalistic only in the administration of old-age pensions and in the fostering of genius and creative originality; the state governments are slightly more concerned with the individual citizen, while the local governments are much more paternalistic or socialistic. The city (or some subdivision thereof) concerns itself with such matters as health, sanitation, building regulations, beautification, water supply, lighting, heating, recreation, music, and communication.

^72:7.2 In all industry first attention is paid to health; certain phases of physical well-being are regarded as industrial and community prerogatives, but individual and family health problems are matters of personal concern only. In medicine, as in all other purely personal matters, it is increasingly the plan of government to refrain from interfering.

^72:7.3 ¶ Cities have no taxing power, neither can they go in debt. They receive per capita allowances from the state treasury and must supplement such revenue from the earnings of their socialistic enterprises and by licensing various commercial activities.

^72:7.4 The rapid-transit facilities, which make it practical greatly to extend the city boundaries, are under municipal control. The city fire departments are supported by the fire-prevention and insurance foundations, and all buildings, in city or country, are fireproof — have been for over 75 years.

^72:7.5 There are no municipally appointed peace officers; the police forces are maintained by the state governments. This department is recruited almost entirely from the unmarried men between 25 and 50. Most of the states assess a rather heavy bachelor tax, which is remitted to all men joining the state police. In the average state the police force is now only 1/10 as large as it was 50 years ago.

^72:7.6 ¶ There is little or no uniformity among the taxation schemes of the 100 comparatively free and sovereign states as economic and other conditions vary greatly in different sections of the continent. Every state has 10 basic constitutional provisions which cannot be modified except by consent of the federal supreme court, and one of these articles prevents levying a tax of more than 1% on the value of any property in any one year, homesites, whether in city or country, being exempted.

^72:7.7 The federal government cannot go in debt, and a 3/4^th referendum is required before any state can borrow except for purposes of war. Since the federal government cannot incur debt, in the event of war the National Council of Defence is empowered to assess the states for money, as well as for men and materials, as it may be required. But no debt may run for more than 25 years.

^72:7.8 ¶ Income to support the federal government is derived from the following 5 sources:

^72:7.9 1. Import duties. All imports are subject to a tariff designed to protect the standard of living on this continent, which is far above that of any other nation on the planet. These tariffs are set by the highest industrial court after both houses of the industrial congress have ratified the recommendations of the chief executive of economic affairs, who is the joint appointee of these two legislative bodies. The upper industrial house is elected by labour, the lower by capital.

^72:7.10 2. Royalties. The federal government encourages invention and original creations in the 10 regional laboratories, assisting all types of geniuses — artists, authors, and scientists — and protecting their patents. In return the government takes 50% of the profits realized from all such inventions and creations, whether pertaining to machines, books, artistry, plants, or animals.

^72:7.11 3. Inheritance tax. The federal government levies a graduated inheritance tax ranging from 1% to 50%, depending on the size of an estate as well as on other conditions.

^72:7.12 4. Military equipment. The government earns a considerable sum from the leasing of military and naval equipment for commercial and recreational usages.

^72:7.13 5. Natural resources. The income from natural resources, when not fully required for the specific purposes designated in the charter of federal statehood, is turned into the national treasury.

^72:7.14 ¶ Federal appropriations, except war funds assessed by the National Council of Defence, are originated in the upper legislative house, concurred in by the lower house, approved by the chief executive, and finally validated by the federal budget commission of 100. The members of this commission are nominated by the state governors and elected by the state legislatures to serve for 24 years, 25% being elected every 6 years. Every 6 years this body, by a 3/4^th ballot, chooses one of its number as chief, and he thereby becomes director-controller of the federal treasury.

8. THE SPECIAL COLLEGES

^72:8.1 In addition to the basic compulsory education program extending from the ages of 5 to 18, special schools are maintained as follows:

^72:8.2 1. Statesmanship schools. These schools are of 3 classes: national, regional, and state. The public offices of the nation are grouped in 4 divisions. The 1^st division of public trust pertains principally to the national administration, and all officeholders of this group must be graduates of both regional and national schools of statesmanship. Individuals may accept political, elective, or appointive office in the 2^nd division upon graduating from any one of the 10 regional schools of statesmanship; their trusts concern responsibilities in the regional administration and the state governments. Division 3 includes state responsibilities, and such officials are only required to have state degrees of statesmanship. The 4^th and last division of officeholders are not required to hold statesmanship degrees, such offices being wholly appointive. They represent minor positions of assistantship, secretaryships, and technical trusts which are discharged by the various learned professions functioning in governmental administrative capacities.

^72:8.3 Judges of the minor and state courts hold degrees from the state schools of statesmanship. Judges of the jurisdictional tribunals of social, educational, and industrial matters hold degrees from the regional schools. Judges of the federal supreme court must hold degrees from all these schools of statesmanship.