Could we please be more creative with the next generation fair/efficient/democratic/open-source government/economy/social system discussions with something other than "assume an Internet"?

Manufacturing plants and supply lines require massive concentration of energy and resources (howsoever enumerated), and equipment must conform to interoperability standards designed by the small percentage of the population competent to apply the requisite high math and engineering.

The carriers and operators, with regulation and price structures almost completely in their favour, are struggling to maintain infrastructure with only 25% of the population on-line. Extending and maintaining (without advancing) a ubiquitous infrastructure for an entire population would likely require as many resources as would otherwise solve the social, economic or other balances to be resolved by whatever new system of organization.