Cal Poly Sustainability Book Club

Discussion led by Kate Lancaster

February 18, 2011

Agenda for a New Economy

by David Korten

David Korten

Fran Korten

Natural Step - Backcasting

“Why is our economic system consigning billions of people to degrading poverty, destroying Earth’s ecosystem, and tearing u the social fabric of civilized community?” (page 20)

Awareness

Phantom WealthAccounting EntryDebtBuccaneers Alice in WonderlandGrowth!!!TechnologyLimits to Earth

Baseline - Wall Street

Richest 2% own 51% assets, while poorest 50% own 1%

Baseline

1. Provide every person with the opportunity for a healthy, dignified and fulfilling life;

2. Restore and maintain the vitality of Earth’s natural systems;

3. Nurture the relationships of strong caring communities;4. Encourage economic cooperation in service to the

public interest and democratically determined priorities;

5. Allocate resources equitably to socially and environmentally beneficial uses; and

6. Root economic power in people– and place- based communities to support the democratic ideal of one-person and one-vote citizen sovereignty.

Creative Solutions – New Story

Page 51

VERSUS

Personal and RootedFair and balancedInternalized costsCreating livelihoods

Greed is not a virtue; sharing is not a sin.

“True democracy is born only through its practice.” (page 105)

From “me” to “we”Indicators (Bhutan, Ecuador, Costa Rica)

New Stories

1. Self-organize into dynamic, inclusive, self-reliant communities of place.

2. Balance individual and community needs and interest.

3. Practice frugality and reciprocity4. Reward cooperation.5. Optimize the sustainable capture and use of

energy and matter by adapting to specific details of the microenvironment.

6. Form and manage permeable boundaries7. Cultivate diversity and share knowledge.

Organizing Principles of Healthy Living Systems

1. Living wealth indicators2. Living wealth money system3. Shared prosperity4. Living enterprises5. Real democracy/real markets6. Local living economies7. Global rules

Seven Intervention Clusters

Ecological BalanceEquitable DistributionLiving Democracy

Decide on Priorities

http://www.grandmotherscouncil.org/