New Economy Coalition HackPad notes

Today one of the New Economy Coalition's project meetings happened - on hackpad. We met online, on the phone, 100% virtual to explore the questions:

When you think about what is essential to the success of the movements for Thriving Resilience and a New Economy, what key alignments have we established, what tensions need to be resolved, and what deeper inquiries must be undertaken? 

Mike Toye from Quebec, Canada identified the trend we are seeing in a new set of principles. He laid

out two sets (below).  The timing of the conversation was interesting for me - I had spent the better part of the night before talking with my better half about values, principles and their place in the happiness movement. We had discussed the evolution from "might makes right" to chivalry and then the golden rule, the stories that encapsulated these cultures, the timing of these stories, the common thread among them and where we are when follow that thread.  Our resolution from that conversation was to explore values, principles and the emerging story for the happiness movement, with a perspective of reverence for what is worthy of being celebrated in our past.

My personal belief is the more conversations we have like this at a personal and professional level, the more principles are issued, the more values are identified, the closer we are to the new economy - one based on happiness, social justice, sustainability and resilience for all beings.

The principles Mike identified:

• 
  Organizing Principles of the Living Economy (David Korten)

Organize around place-based living communities that feature diversity and local self-reliance in the use of local energy, nutrients, water, and material resources to meet the needs of all while maintaining the health and resilience of natural systems. 

Manage the allocation of these resources to optimize and maintain the health and resilience of the community and its members. 

Encourage limited local competition for excellence, but within the larger frame of cooperation and sharing essential to life’s existence.

Keep decision making local. 

Prohibit behaviours that compromise the health and vitality of natural systems. Require that each contribute and allow each to take, but not beyond its needs.

Maintain managed permeable boundaries..

• New Economy Network Principles

Measuring Progress:  Economic progress shall be measured in terms of the well-being of all human societies, other living species, and ecosystems

Respecting Natural Limits:  The economy shall draw from, and inject into, ecosystems only what is compatible with maintaining a healthy and resilient natural world over the long run.

Democratizing the Economy: All institutions that manage, regulate and execute economic activity, including private corporations, shall be democratically controlled by all affected stakeholders in order to serve long-term societal goals.  

Ensuring Economic Progress:  Governments, on their own and in conjunction with private markets, shall work to ensure prosperous and resilient economic outcomes by making adequate investments in health, education, nutrition, shelter, physical infrastructure, and technology.  

Localizing Control:  Economic policy shall favor subsidiarity, i.e. the localization of economic decision-making and control to the greatest extent possible consistent with democracy, equity, efficiency and resilience.  

Taming Finance:  All monetary systems and financial institutions shall be regulated as essential public utilities for the benefit of society as a whole, and for nurturing the 'real' economy.

Enhancing Fairness:  Significant economic inequality shall be understood to be inherently and profoundly antithetical to achieving human and ecological well-being, and shall be rapidly reduced.  

Providing Fulfilling Livelihoods:  Individuals shall be ensured of substantial opportunities for decent paid work, employee ownership, and the right to organize in the workplace, and shall be accorded proper recognition for work performed outside of the formal wage economy owing to its fundamental role in enriching community and family well-being. 

Fostering New Values:  Economic values shall be redirected, by all fair and reasonable means, away from excessive materialism and shifted toward values that prioritize flourishing communities, individual happiness, and a healthy and resilient natural world based on lower material flows.  

Redefining Globalization:  International economic relations shall rest upon the same principles enumerated above that apply to economic activities within nations, such that economic justice also becomes embedded in such relations.