FROM THE EDITOR

Dr. Emzar Djgerenaia

My, our or somebody else’s Georgia

All evils and misfortunes begin with “my and your”. Yet, it started when humankind came into being and one savage said to another in the first cave – it is my place and that catch is also mine. Since that time nothing has changed in human’s instincts that we, unlike Pavlov, call interests and not instincts. Nothing has changed except for their external form. The more the humankind develops, the more perfect become the forms. The constant subject for debates – my or our – is a struggle of two great thinkers that has continued till present: the first of them is Plato with his ideal society, Atlantis, unsuccessfully sought by the world till present day (as it might have existed only in Plato’s conscious), with his vision of common property and humanism of mankind based on it; the second one is Aristotle with his realism based on human instincts and aspiration towards private property.
In all epochs property has been cause for all wars and conflicts, and this subject has not been exhausted till now becoming more actual than ever. Property right far exceeds the notion of possessing a certain thing, property – be that land or factory. Perhaps, it is the most incomplete and primitive notion. I think the main thing is to belong to oneself. This condition is the most complex in its anatomy and hardly attainable. I think it was this that the Great Ilia implied in his words about the formation of civil society where society would consist of free proprietors that would create a territorial and political formation and obtain the right to the greatest property on earth – right to establish taxes. This is the very initial substance explaining everything – global, local, political or economic. All territorial wars and conflicts have been caused by this very property as it is connected with disposal of the wealth obtained from taxation. Policy consists in determining game rules for establishing tax in economy and disposal of property as well as determination of real proprietor. Thus, policy in local and global scales implies gaining property right for the establishment and disposal of taxes. The rest is entourage and packaging technology.
The third level of property is right to the possession of natural wealth as the XXIth century is an epoch of strained wars for the redistribution of resources. One of my wise friends, Mr. Vladimir Papava, has even recently told me that by 2020 drinking water would become a subject of much more intrigues than oil today. I got much worried as our country would become a sphere of interest for dinosaur countries and no one knows what will happen then … today our property is only geo-policy for which we are torn into pieces. If we add water resources to this! Our country holds the second or third place in water resources. By this time people who would think and speak in Georgian would become a rarity in Georgia
Therefore, the keys to economic recovery lie in clarification of property right and It is time to begin with this. Perhaps, we started it long ago and decided whose property we are? I joke, I know that we decided on it and I even know whose we are, I only asked a question. Yet, let us solve it to the end as soon as possible for Georgia will not stand serving both patrons for long. Moreover, three ones. Once the patron is chosen, let us declare this publicly, as it is not love that, as Rustaveli says, one should conceal. I know it but tell me once again whom we belong to. I know the answer will make me pleased and I will finally be able to say to my country washed with May rains and warmed with timid spring sun that Plato’s and Aristotle’s dispute about my and our has been solved here in Georgia.
Why are Georgians always first and original in everything? Yet why not? Let us solve property issue and the problems of country will be settled too. True, I, too, do not belong to myself – this is my grandson’s fault. Kindly let me only know who possesses the right of imposing taxes and whom my country belongs to. Please, tell me, I will be glad.