Keeping basic consumption cheap, and charging heavily only above a certain level, means that user-fees do not bear down on poor people.

ECONOMIST: California's economy

Iraq's oil production has increased by more than 40% in the past five years to 3 million barrels of oil a day (still below the 1979 high of 3.5 million set by Iraq's state-owned companies), but a full 80% of this is being exported out of the country while Iraqis struggle to meet basic energy consumption needs.

CNN: Why the war in Iraq was fought for Big Oil

Iraq's oil production has increased by more than 40% in the last five years to 3 million barrels of oil a day (still below the 1979 high of 3.5 million set by Iraq's state-owned companies), but a full 80% of this is being exported out of the country while Iraqis struggle to meet basic energy consumption needs.

CNN: Why the war in Iraq was fought for Big Oil

Obviously, funding the basic pension through the broad-based consumption tax would lower the burden on active workers and employing firms.

FORBES: Work Begins on Reforming the National Pension

Finalize proposals for tax and social security system reform before the end of FY 2011, including raising the consumption tax rate to 17 percent and basic pension benefits of 70, 000 yen per month for all persons 65 years and older.

FORBES: "Key to Rebuilding Japan: Ten Decisions and Actions"

The business associations have been push to covering the entire basic pension (currently JPY 66, 000 monthly) through the consumption tax, with the goal of leaving no person uncovered, and making payments to all retirees, regardless of income.

FORBES: Work Begins on Reforming the National Pension

Owing to the basic truth that we produce in order to consume, and that consumption of shelter is a given, the best path for the government to take in order to save housing would be to de-emphasize its ownership, or at the very least make it equal in the eyes of the law with regard to other investments.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Consumption in the poorest countries, meanwhile, is too low to meet even the most basic needs of 1 billion people.

ECONOMIST: Poverty consumed, perhaps