Info, news & debate
Economy
Could you explain Mercantilism, if you were asked?
If you were asked, could you describe Mercantilism? I dare say you could have a good go at Capitalism and Feudalism. But Mercantilism? And is it worth finding out? I think it is, because it tells us a lot about the system we live under now
Can we have multinational corporations and democracy?
Up until this moment in human history, power has always been abused. By ‘power’ I mean ‘the ability to make decisions that affect the direction in which humanity moves’. Ultimate power in other words, rather than local power.
The top ten economic growth myths
Are you tired of the lazy assumption on Newsnight, the Today programme and in the news media that economic growth is what’s required to solve all of our problems? It’s the Holy Grail, that-which-cannot-be-questioned, from Evan Davies to Jeremy Paxman.
Egni: sustainable investment and clean energy
Another great community renewables project. Please pass these on to anyone you think may be looking for an ethical investment that will get more renewable energy into the grid, and start to take control of our electricity supply
Campaign to develop the Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) Network in the UK
Community supported agriculture (CSA) is a partnership between farmers and the local community, in which the responsibilities, risks and rewards of farming are shared. Benefits are enjoyed by both sides
‘Breaking the Frame’ gathering & volunteer opportunity
Here’s some information on a great gathering happening in Derbyshire in May, and see below for an interesting volunteer opportunity in London to assist in organising the event. Over to David.
Polish family farms criminalised for local food sales
Dear Friends/Drodzy Przyjaciele, Polish Embassy protest at 2:30 on 20th February. Please circulate! Get your banners together! We hope to see as many of you
The battle to save Polish small farms from corporations
This is something we really want to support. Corporate land-grabs, supported by subservient governments, are happening the world over, and it’s a disaster for ecology and democracy.
Sneaky marketing: heads-up for anyone with an online presence
Here’s the incomparably wonderful Bill Hicks on marketing. If you don’t know him, just put his name into YouTube. You’re in for a treat.
Re-skilling vs distributism: how to turn ‘do-it-yourself’ into small businesses
Hi all, Lowimpact.org has been all about re-skilling since we started in 2001, and we’ve gained a big audience through that. I was sitting on a bus in London last year, looking down at people in the street in Brixton
Distributism – an idea whose time has come?
Here’s an idea that I’d like to see gain some ground in 2014 – it’s called distributism. It’s a practical rather than a spiritual idea, but really, I think that some sort of distributism has to happen before we can think about developing spiritually as a species.
Our award for most misleading and mendacious article of 2013 goes to MoneyWeek’s ‘End of Britain’
You may have seen a sensationalist video called ‘the End of Britain’ that’s been doing the rounds throughout 2013. It’s a flashy, authoritative-looking video, and well it should be, as it’s produced by MoneyWeek Magazine
Introducing the Land Workers’ Alliance – representing small-scale producers
We wanted to introduce the Land Workers’ Alliance (LWA) via a first-hand account of their AGM, held at Trill Farm, Dorset, on the 23rd & 24th of November, 2013.
Community-owned energy: how to sideline the big energy companies
A quick Halloween update from Sharenergy. We’re very proud to say we are involved in 4 great share offers at the moment – spanning wind, hydro, solar and woodfuel technologies and across a swathe of the UK
Do you think you live in a democracy?
You can’t change anything by voting. Or, as Emma Goldman put it: ‘if voting changed anything, they’d make it illegal’. Politicians can rearrange deckchairs but they can’t steer the ship away from the iceberg
Eigg: community-owned island & the 1st completely wind, water and sun electricity grid in the world
Sometimes a story will remind us that things can be done differently. The Isle of Eigg story is one of them. For more details of exactly what happened on Eigg, see Alastair Mcintosh’s book Soil and Soul (available here).
Every picture tells a story: the elites behind the fracking industry
NB: for a larger image click here. Let’s get one thing clear, this is not about conspiracy theories. This isn’t about a powerful elite meeting in darkened rooms to fondle their fluffy white cats whilst talking in menacing tones.
Help stop giant supermarkets taking over community assets
The lease has come up for renewal for a very popular pub called the Wheatsheaf in Tooting, south London, in a prime location opposite Tooting Bec tube station.
Review of ‘Why Marx Was Right’ by Terry Eagleton
Review of Why Marx Was Right, by Terry Eagleton. Yes, we’re all looking for alternatives to capitalism – it destroys democracy, it eats nature and it’s vacuous – but you don’t have to have read any philosophy or economics
Two more community-owned renewables schemes that you can get involved with
If you would like to see more community-owned co-operative renewable energy projects in the UK, there are practical ways that you can help. Over to Jon for some schemes you can invest in