Hi @sofabear.
All the problems the world faces are manufactured. They'd all disappear if folks just started to think for themselves. @stevenlytle is right, although capitalism alone isn't a solution because it requires government and laws to restrain it... Getting govt out of things can only help, but ultimately the problem is the competitive-mind.
Humans are naturally cooperative, not so much competitive. But there are two minds we can choose from: Yin and Yang...
If truly civilised societies, people don't use money... Have you heard of the concept of the 'gift economy'?
:)