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Reinventing Capitalism with Helena Norberg-Hodge

A VERY unique guest

Join us for another stimulating episode of "Business for Humanity," where we engage with Helena Norberg-Hodge, a pioneer of localization and renowned critic of economic globalization. Helena compellingly argues that we must make a straightforward choice between reconnecting deeply with each other and nature, or perpetuating a path of inequality, isolation, and environmental degradation.


unique INSIGHTS

In this session we explore critical topics of Localization and Happiness Economics. We’ll examine how economic globalization has contributed to the breakdown of local communities, ecological degradation, and social alienation, benefiting a small number of global corporations at the expense of people and the planet. Helena will introduce the concept of Localization, discussing its potential to foster sustainable local agriculture, reduce reliance on long-distance transportation and industrial practices, and promote stronger democratic participation and diverse education systems. Additionally, we will delve into the principles of Happiness Economics, shifting the focus from GDP-driven growth to a more holistic understanding of well-being. The session will explore how embracing localized economies can lead to more equitable, sustainable, and fulfilling lives for individuals and communities.

✿ Local Is Our Future By Helena Norberg-Rodge


The first sentence in the book sets the tone: „For our species to have a future, it must be local“. It is a book which seeks to offer a different voice, away from „the bigger is better narrative“ to a „much gentler, more feminine, inclusive perspective that places human and ecological well-being front and center“. It is Helena's conviction that „connection, both to others and to Nature herself, is the wellspring of human happiness“. The book thoroughly examines globalization, highlighting aspects often overlooked, and proposes changes in current politics to promote revitalized localization. Additionally, it not only explores localization initiatives, often more successful than commonly recognized, but also provides grassroots inspiration. It showcases the diversity of such initiatives, explains how they can generate significant social impact, and encourages a collective movement toward "big picture activism" of such localized solutions.Through detailed analysis and real-world examples, Helena presents a case for building sustainable, community-oriented futures.


book summary
In the first three chapters, Helena Norberg-Hodge examines the costs of economic globalization, providing a detailed introduction to the structural impacts of financial deregulation on health, food security, environmental consequences, and growing inequality. She explains how globalization has led to significant socio-economic changes, affecting community well-being and the environment. This analysis sets a foundation for understanding the interconnectedness of these issues and the need for systemic change.

The fourth chapter explores the rise of extremism, a topic that adds a broader context to the discussion of local futures. Norberg-Hodge discusses how economic insecurity linked to globalization can contribute to the adoption of far-right narratives, referencing the backlash against BIPOC communities during the Black Lives Matter demonstrations in summer 2020. This chapter provides insights into how the global financial system influences social dynamics and tensions.

Chapters 5, 6, and 7 present arguments for localization through examples of grassroots local food enterprises. These chapters outline the steps and policy changes needed to promote localization, such as updating trade treaties, financial regulations, and taxation policies. Norberg-Hodge illustrates how local food movements can lead to improvements in other sectors like energy, finance, and education, enhancing community resilience and sustainability.

Chapter 8 addresses common objections to localization, such as the belief that globalization alleviates poverty, cities are more efficient, and fair trade can solve the problems of globalization. Norberg-Hodge responds to these objections by explaining that globalization has complex impacts on poverty and resource use, and that local production can be a viable alternative for many communities. This chapter engages with various perspectives to provide a comprehensive view of the potential for localization.

The ninth chapter returns to the topic of globalization, offering additional evidence of its drivers and impacts. This chapter reinforces the initial arguments and deepens the reader's understanding of globalization's influence. Norberg-Hodge presents data and examples to highlight the significance of considering more localized economic models.

The final three chapters (10–12) discuss the concept of 'big picture activism' and the potential for an economics of happiness through localization. These chapters focus on creating a new narrative that challenges traditional views on globalization and emphasizes the benefits of local economies. Norberg-Hodge suggests informational campaigns to increase awareness about globalization's impacts and promote collective action towards systemic change.

A good example of the core values and beliefs proposed in the book is the description of pre-modernization Ladakh as a harmonious and self-sufficient society with strong community bonds and cooperative social structures. The Ladakhis practiced sustainable agriculture and animal husbandry, maintaining a balanced relationship with their environment. Their culture was rich in spiritual traditions, primarily influenced by Tibetan Buddhism, and their economy was largely self-sufficient with minimal dependence on external goods. This traditional lifestyle had a minimal environmental impact, ensuring the stability and resilience of their society.

In contrast, modern life is depicted as increasingly fragmented, with weakened community ties and a shift towards individualism. Consumerist values and materialistic beliefs dominate modern societies, leading to a relentless pursuit of economic growth at the expense of social and environmental well-being. Local Futures critiques this, highlighting the loss of traditional knowledge and cultural practices, replaced by a homogenized global culture that prioritizes efficiency and profit. This shift, it is argued, results in social isolation, environmental degradation, and a sense of disconnection from nature and community.

The book concludes with a dialogue between Norberg-Hodge and Wendell Berry, a proponent of small-scale agriculture. This conversation aligns with the book's themes and provides a reflective ending that emphasizes community, sustainability, and human well-being. The dialogue reinforces the central ideas and offers a sense of possibility for a localized future.

✿ About Helena Norberg-Hodge

Helena Norberg-Hodge is a distinguished linguist, author, and filmmaker renowned for her work in promoting localization and sustainable economies. She is the founder and director of Local Futures, an international non-profit organization dedicated to the new economy movement, and the convenor of World Localization Day. Helena has received numerous accolades, including the Right Livelihood Award, GOI Peace Prize, and the Arthur Morgan Award for her contributions to community resilience and ecological well-being.

  • Educated in Sweden, Germany, Austria, England, and the United States, Helena specialized in linguistics, including studies at the University of London and with Noam Chomsky at MIT. Her work, spanning almost half a century, has garnered support from notable figures such as Jane Goodall, HH the Dalai Lama, HRH Prince Charles, and Indira Gandhi. She has initiated localization movements worldwide and co-founded the International Forum on Globalization and the Global Ecovillage Network.

  • Helena is the author of several influential books, such as "Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh," which has been translated into over 40 languages and sold half a million copies. Her latest work, "Local is Our Future: Steps to an Economics of Happiness," continues to build on her extensive research and activism. She has also produced the award-winning documentary "The Economics of Happiness," which has been praised for its powerful message on sustainable living.

  • In addition to her academic and advocacy work, Helena has lectured in seven languages and appeared in numerous media outlets, including MSNBC, The Times, The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Guardian. She has written extensively on issues of globalization, sustainability, and community well-being, contributing to a wide range of publications and engaging in global dialogues on these critical topics.

THE PARADIGM

Happiness Economics

“The goal of economic policy should be collective wellbeing: how happy and healthy a population is, not just how wealthy a population is.” (Nicola Sturgeon)


Find here our initial analysis of values, institutions and theory of change.


Introduction to the approach

At the heart of Happiness Economics lies the central premise that human flourishing occurs only when we stand in solidarity with one another and remain deeply connected to nature. This requires place-based social and economic solutions which emerge from our close proximity to the natural environment and our bonds and traditions within the community. Hence, modern society must choose between two contrasting paths: to persist with a fast-paced, large-scale, long-distance, monocultural techno-development that isolates us from both each other and our natural habitat—leading to social and ecological decline—or to deliberately slow down, scale back, and nurture local and meaningful connections, thereby restoring social and economic structures that align harmoniously with nature.

Happiness Economics is based on the following principles:

  • Economic Globalization: The deregulation of trade and finance in order to enable businesses and banks to operate globally; the emergence of a single world market dominated by transnational companies.
  • Localization: Localization is a socio-economic philosophy that advocates for local production and consumption of goods and services as a means to build sustainable and resilient communities. The core tenets of localization emphasize the importance of reducing dependence on global markets and fostering local economies, cultures, and environments.

Core Values and Beliefs
  • Happiness Economics suggests that a deep connection with each other and nature fosters human and ecological well-being. Our natural craving for love and closeness to nature has often been replaced by the "un-real" needs of global consumerism. Therefore, a "new economy" must shift institutional support from favoring globalization and consolidation toward decentralization, self-sufficiency, and local empowerment. Communities should draw on ancient and traditional wisdom and technologies to create a better local future.

    • institutions
    Localization, defined as "the process of economic decentralization that enables communities, regions, and nations to take more control of their own affairs," is proposed as a systemic and sustainable solution to the problems of globalization. This strategy involves two main components: correcting policies that excessively favor globalization and empowering local communities to develop sustainable, interdependent, place-based economies on a human scale.

    1) Reducing Globalisation

    • Economic Success Measures: Reduce focus on GDP which does not account for externalities or genuine well-being.
    • Finance: Re-regulation of the banking and financial system is needed to curtail unregulated capital flow and stop discrimination of local / SME investments.
    • Taxation & Subsidies (Energy and Capital): Tax policies should not unduly favour tech-intensive over labor-intensive production, directly subsidise large companies or banks, or provide tax breaks for high capital and fossil energy use. Taxation of fossil fuels to reduce pollution.
    • Land use: Urban zoning should integrate residential, business, and small-scale production to foster community-based living.
    • Food & Agriculture: Funding should shift from industrial agribusiness to organic and sustainable farming practices.
    • Health & Safety: Discriminatory regulations needs to be readjusted to the scale of production, easing burdens on small-scale producers and enabling them to compete with large corporations.
    • Infrastructure: Funds should be redirected from high-speed motorways or national infrastructure facilitating long-distance transportation.
    • Healthcare: Investment should be directed toward smaller local clinics focusing on care and prevention, ensuring broader and more effective healthcare coverage.
    • Media: Policies should promote diverse media ownership and restrict harmful content.
    • Education: Education systems should shift away from corporate-centric curricula, focused on STEM and specialisation.
    2) Supporting Localisation

    • Economic Success: MeasuresDeploy alternative indicators, such as Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) and Gross National Happiness (GNH), which account for economic, environmental, and social factors.
    • Finance: Support for community banks and credit unions, along with support for inexpensive start-up loans, local investing, local currencies, local exchange trading systems (LETS).
    • Taxation & Subsidies (Energy and Capital): Subsidies should shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy, promoting decentralized power plants to reduce pollution, create jobs, and strengthen local economies. Encourage remunicipalisation, "buy local" rules for renewable energy, e.g. solar gardens, as well as microgrids.
    • Land use: Local land use rules should protect wild areas, open spaces, and farmland from development.
    • Food & Agriculture: Policies that support small-scale, diversified agriculture, local food systems, and food security are essential. Support for community-supported agriculture, farmers markets, permaculture, farmland trusts.
    • Health & Safety: Support for cottage food laws or food sovereignty.
    • Infrastructure: Support for public markets and community spaces, enhancing local economies and participatory democracy.
    • Healthcare: Support for holistic, alternative medicine and supporting indigenous healing practices.
    • Media: Support for local/regional TV, radio and news to strengthen community bonds and local culture.
    • Education: Place-based learning, incorporating local agriculture, architecture, and appropriate technology.
    The overall objective is to ensure that "real" basic needs are met locally, providing full employment and decent wages, while empowering local communities and restoring self-esteem and identity. Striving for a healthy balance between local and global, international trade should be primarily used for surplus production or for products that cannot be sourced locally, systematically reducing dependency on export markets. Localized production should significantly improve resource usage, reduce waste, transportation, and packaging, and increase resilience, as well as maintain diversity and biodiversity.

    Beyond national policies, new trade treaties are necessary to reclaim power, mandating businesses to be place-based, fully responsible for pollution and negative externalities, and accountable to local communities. These treaties should prioritize healthy local and national economies over corporate profits and GDP growth, enabling countries to regulate the production, distribution, and consumption of goods. An example of such policies is the Alternative Trade Mandate, developed by fifty trade unions and civil society organizations within the EU in 2013-14. This mandate calls for international trade rules that protect public services, carefully regulate finance industries, and provide countries with the policy space to regulate in the public interest.
    Change and Transformation Approach
    Shifting direction requires efforts on at least two levels:

    • Global Educational Initiative: Increase the understanding of the costs and negative impacts of globalization to generate civic pressure on governments for policy change at the national level. Awareness and education are critical in this process, helping people comprehend the interconnected nature of global issues and the benefits of local, sustainable solutions.
    • Support and Coordination of Local Grassroots Movements: Strongly support and coordinate local grassroots movements to connect and scale community initiatives for social impact. Moving beyond single-issue campaigns to unite diverse efforts under a common vision for systemic change is crucial. This broader perspective enables activists to tackle the root causes of various underlying problems simultaneously, fostering collaboration and solidarity among different groups while challenging the status quo.
    The transition will not be immediate, as demonstrated by the example of food and agriculture. Although some local and regional governments support local food initiatives, national policies still favor global agribusiness. Greater pressure on policymakers is needed to eliminate the damage caused by the global food system and level the playing field for local and smaller producers. At the same time, transformation towards a localised food system requires the creation of infrastructure and carefully implemented incentives for farmers to diversify production, reduce reliance on chemicals and fossil fuels, and endorse local markets.

    Definitions

    • Globalization, or globalisation (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences), is the process of interaction and integration among people, companies, and governments worldwide. (Wikipedia)
    • The anti-globalization movement, or counter-globalization movement,[1] is a social movement critical of economic globalization. The movement is also commonly referred to as the global justice movement,[2] alter-globalization movement, anti-globalist movement, anti-corporate globalization movement,[3] or movement against neoliberal globalization. (Wikipedia)
    • Trade agreement, any contractual arrangement between states concerning their trade relationships. (Britannica) 
    • Investor–state dispute settlement (ISDS), or an investment court system (ICS), is a set of rules through which countries can be sued by foreign investors for certain state actions affecting the investments (FDI) of that investor by that state. (Wikipedia)
    • Urbanization, the process by which large numbers of people become permanently concentrated in relatively small areas, forming cities. (Britannica)
    • Comparative Country Indices (ISA): Guide to World Social Indices: In addition to the field studies which are at the heart of many sociology research projects, access to ‘official social book-keeping’ and other contextual data can be helpful. Since countries differ in their arrangements attention only to international sources is covered here.

    the WEBCAST

    Join The Interactive Exploration

    Find here all live video recordings within 7-14 days after the event.


    Plus, additional materials, comments and answers to Q&A questions.


    Watch the recording by section

    Find here the videos from our live session in four parts:


    1. Introduction: agenda setting and warm-up questions
    2. Guest Presentation: introduction of our guest and main presentation
    3. Exploratory Q&A: open discussion about values, institutions and change theory
    4. Meta Inquiry: see more information below

    Watch the full recording on YouTube (1:35h)

    Click here for the full session

    Practitioner's Forum

    Here you can find the most memorable comments, questions and shared resources from the plenary conversation.

    KEY INSIGHTS FROM Practitioners'

    Here you can find the most memorable insights, comments, questions from you, the community. Simply select from the drop down menu on the right -->

    1. What ARE YOUR KEY TAKEAWAYS?
    • Linus H : I see ones own decisions on consumption as moral decisions. Meanwhile I think the system behind is responsible for putting individuals into a position where they need to make such decisions. Localisation as a policy path seems to solve this "dilemma"!
    • Anne Knoop-Hashimawari : I've done field research in Honolulu on the Island of O'ahu Hawaii and here the principle of Aloha Aina (love for the land) is being revived. Led by the belief: "The land is the chief and man is it's servant"
    • Linus H : Generally, i feel like it is easy to buy Swiss grown food in any supermarket. Another issue is the lack of funding for organically produced products.
    • Adina Tarry: The question is whether we can find the middle ground and not go back...civilisation and global exchanges of innovation have advantages; careful not to throw the baby with the bath water
    • Ahmed Dirie : Localization in food production and tourism is far from human realities. Weather doesn't allow to grow all our foods. And adventure is human nature.
    • Davide Paliaga : That’s for the great keynote! What about trying to “convert” corporate leaders and repurpose corporations? Moving from shareholder value maximisation to maximising planetary wellbeing. In the end, both directors and executives are people like us, jut playing a different game.
    • Leon Khaimovich : Finally! Our intellectual efforts need re-balancing. We focus on how we get things done and not paying enough attention to why we want it and how it will affect us long-range and what the side-effects are. We need to be humble and recognize our limits of being rational, especially when we ask “why”. And “why” is—ultimately—not a scientific question; it’s a theological question. Think globally and act locally. And the extent for global action should be limited by the extent of our ability to answer “why” questions. It means that it would be healthy to go backwards. That’s the reason why localization may be helpful at this point of our development. And if we go and try, it should be on small scale.

    2. Questions from the community
    • Oleg Koefoed: In Denmark, the association Andelsgårde invite citizens and others to support their purchase of land and farms to create regenerative agriculture. The association was created as a reaction to foreign purchase of land as farmers retire and are unable to pass on the land to their children or to young farmers due to the price of land being much higher than what they can afford individually. Questions: how does such an initiative gain sufficient momentum to make a real difference? how common is such an initiative in other countries? how might it be made even more local and common?
    • DeFlon : Any Chinese initiatives?
    • Bella O : You mentioned countries and governments working together, it sounds great - what do you think would be a good first steps, because the politicians might not see as a good idea.
    • Silke : How does the export and import of the same product maximize corporal profits?
    • Sebastian - Context Collective, Berlin: "The normal relieves you from relating" was a statment I heard yesterday and it deeply resonated as indeed, the Need for relating has never been greater and at the same time the reflext to a Business as "normal" never been more predominant. How do you embrace that paradox?
    • Bella O : Some of you mention different local initiatives - is it possible to make a total list with great local farmers and markets? That could be very useful :-)
    • Linus H : Our concept of GDP is almost 100 years old - how can it be that our economies are still so heavily based on such a metric? Why is there no dynamic/progress in this?
    • Lenka : I have been reflecting on the problem of scale and I can imagine and see the downscaling in food production, education, local currencies. However, how do we heal/transform industries which need to have a certain scale? Pharmaceurical, automotive, hi-tech research?
    • Val : I support the overall thinking however I wonder how will the reduction/collapse of a shipping system impact economies? It is a huge sector of employment and income. What would the cost be if governments had to regulate this?
    • Adina Tarry : Economy has been globalised since the Silk Road – is this necessarily bad?
    • Anne Knoop-Hashimawari: How can we avoid exotisizing (and again.. exploiting by appropriation) indigenous people and wisdom while turning to them for answers on how to do organize our systems and lives differently?

    Presentations and Core Concepts

    Here you can download all available presentations for free!

    Core Concepts
    ISDS [Wikipedia]

    Invvestor State Dispute Settlement - Wikipedia

    Communitarianism [Stanford]

    Bell, Daniel, "Communitarianism", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2024 Edition)

    Social and Solidarity Economy

    Fonteneau, B., Neamtan, N., Wanyama, F., Morais, L. P., & De Poorter, M. (2010). Social and solidarity economy: Building a common understanding.

    Studies
    Building diverse, distributive and territorialized economies

    Moragues-Faus, A., Marsden, T., Adlerová, B., & Hausmanová, T. (2020). Building diverse, distributive, and territorialized agrifood economies to deliver sustainability and food security.

    Local Food Systems: Review

    Enthoven, L., & Broeck, G.V. (2021). Local food systems: Reviewing two decades of research.

    IPSOS Global Trends 2023

    IPSOS (2023). A New World Disorder.

    Downloads
    Business for Humanity Presentation

    Download full presentation with the session slides as PDF file

    meta inquiry for experts

    Reflecting Deeper From Multiple Perspectives

    Expand your horizons by engaging in critical reflection on each paradigm within the context of fundamental philosophical, political or economic questions


    Glean deeper insights through comparative analysis across various approaches to enrich your journey forward.


    Watch the Meta Inquiry

    In this section, we take on the role of "transformation scientists" to explore the proposed alternative theory from a broader perspective. Using a standard inquiry framework, we focus on three key areas: a) core values, b) institutional changes, and c) change and transformation strategies. This approach allows us to analyze each aspect in greater detail, identifying its unique features while also comparing it to other frameworks and theories to gain deeper insights. In the last section we often include a "reality check" that looks more comprehensively at the progress of transformative approaches based on current research and available data.

    Executive Summary


    Overall categorisation

    • Helena Norberg-Hodge stresses above all the local, the place. She is primarly focused on policy interventions which strengthen a (re-)localizationion such as the renegotiation of trade contracts or subsidizing local instead of global organisations. In addition local actors - business, farmers, communities - are taking a central role in happiness economics as an active force for transformation.

    a) Core Values


  • In our comparison of political ideologies, we apply our standard framework to confirm that Happiness Economics predominantly aligns with communitarianism, represented by the green box in the middle. Communitarianism emphasizes the importance of community, social cohesion, and shared values ("We"). It is often linked to an idealized past, with the notion that a sense of community is perceived as lacking in the present (backward arrow). To further explore how this ideology shapes Happiness Economics, we will examine welfare/well-being indicators and position Happiness Economics within the broader context of the social and solidarity economy.
  • For the last 70 years, welfare has primarily been measured by GDP (Gross Domestic Product), reflecting the neoliberal ideology that values mainly what has a market price. In contrast, Happiness Economics focuses more on the GPI (Genuine Progress Indicator), which values prosocial behaviors like volunteering, and the GNH (Gross National Happiness), which emphasizes conservation and thus highlights how Happiness Economics values tradition.
  • The social and solidarity economy encompasses economic actors that prioritize democratic governance, autonomous management, and the well-being of people and communities. It strives to balance economic success with fairness and social justice, through voluntary participation and partnerships (often local) with the public and civil sectors.

    • b) Institutional Changes

    • The institutional framework has been expanded to include two additional perspectives: (1) large, global corporations, which often wield more influence than nation-states, and (2) the state acting as an entrepreneur by creating new markets.
    • In the context of happiness economics, the state plays a crucial role. On one hand, states are expected to promote relocalization through redistributive measures, such as prioritizing subsidies for small and local businesses. On the other hand, they are responsible for providing new infrastructure to support the local economy, such as establishing public banks or creating spaces for small-scale commerce.
    • Finally, it should be noted that Happiness Economics views the economy through a "diverse" lens, recognizing that provisioning for needs occurs not only through the market but also through non-market forms, such as local food sharing or the gift economy. This, along with the fact that local production—regardless of how it is organized—still requires coordination across regions to optimize for sustainability and security, suggests that linkages accross countries play a necessary role, even within the framework of Happiness Economics.

    c) Change and Transformation Strategy

    • Happiness Economics targets two distinct change strategies, which are not easy to reconcile. First, its anti-globalization strategy requires political pressure, as such a shift can only be implemented top-down. In contrast, its re-localization strategy is a grassroots, bottom-up effort. How these two strategies can be effectively integrated remains unclear.

    d) Reality Check

    • A recent meta-review painted a more calibrated view on whether local food system "are good". The authors found that consumers participating in Local Food Systems (LFS) tend to have better health due to increased consumption of fresh, unprocessed food and are willing to pay a premium for local products, though willingness to pay varies by consumer characteristics and product types. While farmers feel recognized for their work in LFS, their economic performance varies widely, and while LFS are often associated with environmentally-friendly practices, the claim that they help mitigate climate change due to reduced food miles is not strongly supported by scientific evidence.
    • Also when food security and resilience of food production are important objectives the question is not whether healthy agro-ecosystems are better achieved by global versus local, but rather how to encourage diversity throughout the food system.
    • And whether or not globalisation is seen negatively or positively is also unclear. Some studies claim that globalisation has peaked, with many countries now turnig back to protectionism.

    Meta Inquiry Presentation for Revision and Download

    DIVING DEEPER

    Looking for further insights?

    Find here additional resources and books related to the session 


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    Further Readings and Resources


    Helenas' Website

    Please visit the excellent website of Local Futures!

    Helena's Blog

    We also particularly recommend the blog of the website.

    Private Homepage of Helena

    If you want to learn more about Helena Norberg-Hodge please go here.

    Insightful Interview with Helena
    Marc Buckley has done a long and insightful episode with Helena Norberg Hodge on Local is the Future.
    Localization: Essential Steps to an Economic of Happiness

    This report describes the impacts of the global economy, and provides a detailed listing of policy shifts and grassroots initiatives that can move towards the local.

    Localization Action Guide

    Join the localization movement to build resilient local economies and flourishing communities. Local Futures produced a detailed Localization Action Guide to encourage everyone to 'GO LOCAL' - anytime, anyplace. It offers tangible and tested ways for individuals, communities and organizations to take effective action.

    Gaian Economics

    This is a book about living well within our means. The pun here is intentional. For, what we are exploring in this anthology is not just ways of reducing our consumption to levels that enable natural systems to self-regenerate, but how we can do so in ways that permit a high quality of life – so that we live within our means and that we live well.

    Small is beautiful, big is subsidized

    This detailed report describes how government policies have consistently supported the large and global at the expense of the small and local. Originally published in 1998, it is still relevant today.

    Connecting to place and nature

    A conversation between Helena and Iain McGilchrist.

    The Economics of Happiness

    Watch the Ted-X talk with Helena Norberg on the economics of happiness.

    Solidarity Economics

    Over the past few years, my involvement as an activist and organizer in the Global Justice and Solidarity
    Movement (sometimes called the “anti-globalization” movement) has led me on a search for new and effective
    ways to imagine alternatives to the devastating economic and social practices of capitalist globalization.

    World's Top 100 Economies

    The campaigning NGO Global Justice Now (formerly World Development Movement) have done us all a favour by updating the table comparing the economic might of the largest countries and corporations. Headline finding? ‘The number of businesses in the top 100 economic entities jumped to 69 in 2015 from 63 in the previous year’ according to the Guardian’s summary.

    Research on Degrowth

    Scholars and activists mobilize increasingly the term degrowth when producing knowledge critical of the ideology and costs of growth-based development. Degrowth signals a radical political and economic reorganization leading to reduced resource and energy use. The degrowth hypothesis posits that such a trajectory of social transformation is necessary, desirable, and possible; the conditions of its realization require additional study.

    Polanyi and Kapp on social costs

    This article examines Karl Polanyi’s and K. William Kapp’s social cost proposals to test their suitability for a
    “revolutionary” Social Ecological Economics that radically breaks with neoclassical and neoliberal paradigms.
    Whilst some coherence is revealed in their revolutionary social cost analyses and solutions, this is much messier
    than previously thought.

    Biophysical Limits to economic Growth

    For over a century economics has loosely guided the global economy’s national economies. Natural science tells us that the climate crisis has been both caused by the global economy and ultimately threatens its continuing existence. Because that crisis is now in an accelerating phase of visible destruction, the economics profession may be ready to address the question:
    How can we construct an economics consistent with the biophysical limits to economic growth?

    From Economizing to Ecologizing

    This paper integrates emerging knowledge about the differences between right (holistic) and left (analytic) brain thinking, Indigenous wisdom, and the physics, biology, complexity, and chaos sciences into ideas for a new economic orthodoxy. Doing so offers the potential to shift away from today’s predominantly economizing mindsets towards integrated ecologizing mindsets that more holistically and realistically represent the world.

    State-civil society relations

    Degrowth thought and strategies suffer from a tension between viewing the state as incapable of initiating transformational change and making a political appeal to it to do precisely this via targeted eco-social policies. While a small number of academic papers has theoretically addressed this tension, there is a lack in research on the strategic implications arising from conceptualizations of the state and state-civil society relations within degrowth/postgrowth approaches.

    Social and Solidarity Economy

    This paper summarizes the findings of research carried out under the UNRISD project Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy.

    Economic Localization Revisited

    The concept of economic localization, although receiving increasing academic and practical interest, still lacks a solid theoretical background. Our aim here is to suggest a working definition of the term economic localization and to outline its possible interpretations and operationalizations.

    The Revolutionary Potential of Ecological Economics

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