Rampant consumption is not needed for functional economy

My comment at a Truthout.org post:

Rampant consumerism/disposable consumption is the major enabler of income inequality in modern capitalist economies. Capitalized production of goods is how financial capital and power are shifted away from productive workers and concentrated in the hands of owners. 

The intellectual property of the capital goods determines much of its value and control of such information is legally mandated by government policy. The elites of any given economy/nation have enormous influence over policy. 

Mass consumption of disposable goods is not necessary for a functional economy. A functional economy only needs a continuous and constant exchange of goods *and* services so an economy powered primarily by the exchange of services can be functional. 

If intellectual property were not constrained, an economy based on services derived from freely available intellectual property is possible. For example, computer programming services to custom modify open source software for a specialized application; independent musicians free to interpret song covers for any occasion.
Control of intellectual property and other information is at the root of many global economic woes and other injustices. The truest reform is information transparency and that should start with universal whistleblower protection.

A regular and ongoing theme to my thinking.