March 2013

The old economic model has utterly failed us. It has destroyed our communities, our democracy, our economic security, and the planet we live on. The old industrial-age systems—state communism, fascism, free-market capitalism—have all let us down hard, and growing numbers of us understand that going back there isn’t an option. But we also know that transitioning to some kind of a new economy—and, probably, a new governing model to match—will be a civilization-wrenching process. The new system should be as democratic as possible, with strong mechanisms in place that protect the common wealth and the common good. It needs to put true costs to things, and hold people accountable for their actions. Above all, it needs to be rooted in the deep satisfactions—community, nature, family, health, creativity—that have been the source of real human happiness for most of our species’ history. As we peer out into this future, we can catch glimmers and shadows...