Democrary vs dictatorship in technology

Weekender
TECHNOLOGY
Michael John Uglo

By MICHAEL JOHN UGLO
WELCOME to the 2021 technology talks. This is the second last topic on ‘Dessicates’ (Digitalised Economic Structures Synchronising Institutions Capacity Advancing Top Earning Space).
I pay tribute to the late Sir Mekere Morauta, a hero who in his capacity as then prime minister salvaged this nation when it hit the doldrums through his honoured constitutional and economic reforms.
The word “privatisation” resonates with Sir Mekere’s name in PNG economic circles, I could say. I would also say he walked the talk.
Sir Mekere stand along side other leaders that have made lasting impressions in hour history. The late Sir Iambakey Okuk is linked to a major road network in the country and the Dash 7 and 8 planes brought in from Canada.
At the provincial level the late David Goro Mai introduced the free education concept in Chimbu in the 1980s in his term as premier.
I also have much respect for Sir Michael Somare for his faithfulness in serving PNG with his heart which makes him adorable. He has set a record as the longest serving parliamentarian in Commonwealth nations.
These are lasting legacies. I could go on with all our leaders in all areas of life but time and space do not allow here.
To you readers, whom all of our highly esteemed people are serving and from whom these honours are earned, I hope that you have enjoyed the break from much stress.
Let us begin. If you are doing work, for instance, running in a particular direction with your body mass, you are producing a motion. This amount of motion is called momentum, which is measured in kilogram meter per second (kgms-1 ).

Alvin Tofler’s quote. – Picture from azquotes.com

An example of a momentum machine is a rocket that works using the principle of working mass. That working mass can be called an exhaust velocity. The rocket uses the working mass for propulsion to reach its destination through its exhaust velocity.
In a similar way PNG is traversing to reach its right destination. Our people in the three arms of government are part-takers in the course of PNG’s journey cushioned by the masses including the private sector and our development partners.
It is very good to have a God-fearing Prime Minister James Marape, because as they say, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Thus, this holds the hope for a good future.
Rocket propulsion is a gallant idea that implants when we have in-phase an energy filled laser. Lasers come as spectral electromagnetic radiations from atoms when electrons are excited by electric current or other lasers.
Astronauts’ by-products of respiration while they are on a space trip can provide the laser for the working mass in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and water (H2O). These by-products come from the biochemical processes of metabolism for the astronauts’ livelihood and sustenance. The chemical reactions involved (i.e, respiration) to produce them are environmentally friendly or ecologically sound.
The rocket or spaceship does not need the fuselage to blast off if man plans to go beyond the satellite Moon, Mars, Venus or to any other planet anywhere in the universe for that matter. This is very similar to what you have seen in science fiction films or even computer games created on your game playing electronic devices like your mobile phones.
The fuel that can provide the working mass are carbon dioxide gas, water and methane gas and nothing sophisticated.
The advantage here is that there will be negligent heat generated so this is the technology which man can use to go anywhere in the universe. That is man can now go beyond the moon as he can no longer be restricted by the massive heat generated by the blasting of the different stages of the rocket’s fuselages that endangers astronauts’ lives, hence restricting passage to other galactic and celestial bodies.
Back to earth
The above logic for a space trip and smooth running of the affairs of the silent majority in PNG is always compromised by greedy decision-makers in their quest to get rich. We can claim to be a democratic nation but some of our conduct speaks the converse and we can be likened to egoists or dictators.
“This hypothesis is deduced from a model where dictators are assumed to value both personal consumption and staying in office. In the model, dictators can restrict civil liberties and diffusion of information, which reduces economic growth, but increases dictators’ probability of surviving in office.
“The model also implies that dictators enforce harsher restrictions on civil liberties if the global rate of technological change is low, if the capital shares of their economies are high, if their ability to discern politically dangerous from economically relevant information is poor, and if their positions in office are insecure.”
The above quotes are from a December 2009 report by Carl Henrik Knutsen of the University of Oslo (Austria). Further, “… Rodrik and Wacziarg (2005) argue that democratic economies have better adaptive capabilities against adverse shocks. Knutsen (2012) finds robust empirical support in that democracies produce higher economic growth than autocracies via improved technical change.”
You can see the difference here that in a democratic country people can get help to prosper fully to utilise their potential as provided for by the constitution.
This is not happening here in PNG where by all doors are closed except for cronies and allies to have access to help and opportunities. As stated in the above report, technology is the armour that will make the much-needed breakthrough in PNG where everyone including those who do not have assets and collaterals to guarantee them a loan. How do we do that? A good question.
Production structures
There is a neat working in the computer structures or its architecture. Looking closely, it is like people’s brain and their thoughts. The central processing unit (CPU) which does all mechanical work of availing the information processing resembles the brain. The standby distributers called registers like the programme counter of the computer system ensure that the chip carries out the logic functions as well as arithmetic procedures via the control unit to decode the programmes and execute the instructions from the operation code.
So, the mapping process of a memory, whether from a motherboard or at the other segment of the data bus for hard drives to the computer chip makes certain for the direction of a particular signal. This resembles the thought of the brain as decoded from the software portion of the programme.
A descriptive life cycle model of process development and innovation, as previously reported, is used as a framework to analyse historical trends in the technological development of US automotive engine plants.
Using the plant as the unit of analysis, the author examines trends in product diversity, equipment development, backward integration, and productivity improvement. Results support the original research framework and help to clarify the important impact of process changes on the sources of productivity improvement, the capability for product innovation, and the cost of change.
This is from a publication by William J Abernathy in October 1976. The depictions as cited above are the similar abstraction pathways and methodologies PNG needs to adopt to align its modes of addressing its development matters to manage and develop this nation in all areas including economic prosperity.
Organisational structure
The breakthrough technology in state-of-the-art modern technology-based computers is a 0.1 micron diameter barred construction. It involves millions upon millions of metal (silicon and germanium for two) oxide like about 3.2 million transistors doing nothing but only communication with switching and amplification of electrons. These are all done in an organised and controlled manner.
Economy and technology
The world’s superpower, the United States of America allows for creativity and innovation at the centre of its governance. A lot of technological innovations are emanating from this nation.
This emphasises the innate potential of the nation and its people. Its motto is one of a self-denial and servant leadership which seems to drive this nation forward. The motto in simplicity is “if I do not know and you know it, you teach me and I will pay you big money.”
One lesson that comes to light is the idea of privatisation. The entire US economy is more than 85 per cent privately owned. Private companies operate businesses and pay taxes to the state in a stringent manner and coordinated manner. This seemingly is the US’s engine of growth for its economy.
To serve the people as a democratic nation we have to employ state-of-the-art organisation now seen in technology and that is the computing machine and as ambient in pervasive computing. Presently we are in the technology era and our focus should be on technology and not elsewhere.
Technology’s lessons will mould us to be leaders, not egoists but altruists that have PNG people as members of a family. It is morally okay to uphold our identity as this is our source of strength and uniqueness.
Next week: Economic structure, income distribution and political power = Institutions and economic performance with technology.