The Schumacher Center’s First Annual Decentralist Conference was held on June 28-30, 1996 at Williams College in Williamstown, MA. The Center, aided by over 50 co-sponsoring organizations, convened the Conference on Decentralism and the practical details of creating more human scale institutions. The Conference has brought together academics and activists, liberals and conservatives – people who have learned how to make communities and neighbors work better.
Out of 240 participants, over sixty shared their experience, problems, accomplishments, and research in formal presentations as well as informal discussions throughout the event.
The Conference featured keynote presentations as well as panels and workshops on
- Local currency projects, including Paul Glover of Ithaca Hours
- Enterprise loan funds and SHARE projects
- Worker co-operatives
- Regional Food Systems
- The role of technology in a decentralized economy
- Citizen-initiated environmental projects
What is Decentralism?
Transcending traditional categories of “right” and “left,” decentralism has been the logical meeting place for those who believe that preserving human scale and encouraging a spirit of community are essential for the human spirit to thrive. In a world afflicted with giantism in its social, economic, and political institutions, decentralism is often mistakenly identified as radical, but it is in fact based on many traditional values. Decentralists are a diverse group, but they share a common belief in restoring community self-reliance and bringing economic and social activities back to a more human scale.
Over the centuries, human scale has had many eloquent advocates, ranging from Lao Tzu and Aristotle to Kropotkin and Jefferson, Gandhi and Chesterton. Fritz Schumacher introduced the concept of human scale to mainstream industrial society in the book Small Is Beautiful: Economics As If People Mattered. In it he called for an economy of permanence, based on human values and sustainable uses of natural resources, and this marked a cultural shift in our thinking about economics.
Schumacher’s ideas rekindled a modern interest in the human scale, decentralist approach; an interest which has been intensified by today’s social, economic, and environmental crises. The modern environmental movement has awakened an interest in the decentralized approach as issues of energy use, resource consumption, and bioregional preservation gain urgency. Intensified globalization has brought forth the need for cultural and community preservation and appropriate technologies. Many visionaries and activists in a variety of fields have opted to develop small-scale, community-based solutions to these problems. Together with the writings of Leopold Kohr, farmer Wendell Berry, economist Ralph Borsodi, regional planner Jane Jacobs, bioregionalist Kirkpatrick Sale, and many others, they continue to build a modern decentralist legacy.
The Schumacher Center for a New Economics is dedicated to gathering this rich decentralist tradition, continuing to bring the values of scale and sustainability into our modern discourse and demonstrating that small is not only beautiful—it is a viable alternative.
Conference Schedule
Friday Afternoon, June 28
2:00-5:00 pm, Chapin Hall: Registration
3:00-5:00pm, Depart from Chapin Hall: Tour of Caretaker Farm, Community Supported Agriculture
5:15-6:00, Mission Park: Dinner
Friday Evening, June 28
Opening Keynote, 7:00-9:00 pm / Chapin Hall, Open to the Public
“The History and Promise of Decentralism in America” featuring:
Kirkpatrik Sale, author of Rebels Against the Future and
John McClaughry, co-author of the Vermont Papers
Reception, 9:00-10:30 pm / Chapin Hall and Bernard Music Center
Meet the Conference Presenters and Co-sponsors
Visit the Literature Tables and the Learning Alliance Bookstore, Mission Park
Saturday Morning, June 29
7:30-8:45 Mission Park: Breakfast
Panels
9:00-11:15 Brooks Recital Hall, Bernard Music Center
Please note that the panels overlap in time.
Panel I. The Stakeholder Approach to the Redistribution of Wealth
Phillip Flynt-Bell — Franklin Institute
James Cumming — Chaos Management, Ltd.
Jef Hoeberichts — Community-based business developer
Shann Turnbull — Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics
10:15-12:30 Presser Choral Hall, Bernard Music Center
Panel II. Environmental Citizenship
Robert Beaudoin — Fundamental Action to Conserve Energy
Rachel Fletcher — Great Barrington Housatonic River Walk
Al Fritsh — Appalachia – Science in the Public Interest
Workshops
I. Local Currencies and the Decentralization of Money
Hopkins Building, Room 401.
9:00 – 10:00
A. An Introduction to Local Currencies
Timothy Mitchell — Valley Trade Conncetion, Franklin Co. CDC
10:15-11:15
B. Womanshare: A Skills Exchange Bank
Diana Mc Court and Jane Wilson —Co-founders, WOMANSHARE
11:30-12:30
C. Hour Money: How to Start and Manage a Local Currency System
Paul Glover — founder, Ithaca Hours
II. Design and Land Use for Self-Sustaining Communities
Hopkins Building, Room 1964.
9:00 – 10:00
A. Sim-Eco-City: Designing an Eco-Community
David Skrbina — The Walden Group
10:15-11:15
B. Community Land Trusts: The Challenge and the Opportunity
Robert Swann and Susan Witt — Schumacher Center for a New Economics
11:30-12:30
C. Designing Human-Scale Economic Systems
Don Newey — Farmco Associates
III. Community Renewal and Mutual Aid
Hopkins Building, Room 206.
9:00 – 10:00
A. The Art of Community
Spencer MacCallum — The Heather Foundation
10:15-11:15
B. The Ecology of Community Consensus
Stephen Parker and Suzanne Terry — The HighLand Center for Land and Human Ecology
11:30-12:30
C. Lifelong Learning Communities at Work
Bartley B. Nourse — The Learning NetWork
IV. Theories and Strategies for Decentralization
Hopkins Building, Room B03.
9:00 – 10:00
A. Overcoming Corporate Resistance to a decentralized Economy
Ward Morehouse — Program on Corporations, Law, and Democracy
10:15-11:30
B. Rooted Families: Implications for Decentralism
Scott Richert — The Family in America
Thomas Woods, Jr. — Southern League
11:30-12:30
C. Decentralized Approaches to Solving Community Problems
Jennifer Marshall — Family Research Council
Saturday Afternoon, June 29
12:30-2:00 Mission Park, Lunch
Panels
2:00-4:15 Brooks Recital Hall, Bernard Music Center
Please note that the panels overlap in time.
Panel III. Re-localizing Food Systems
Joanna Campe — Remineralize the Earth
Gail Feenstra — UC Sustainable Ag. Research and Education Program
Robyn Van En — Community Supported Agriculture of America
Mark Winne — The Hartford Food System
3:15-5:30 Presser Choral Hall, Bernard Music Center
Panel IV. Community Information Technology
Steve Cisler — Senior Scientist, Apple Computer
Carolyn Lukensmeyer — America Speaks
Kael Loftus — Netcom On-line Communication Services
Scott Savage — Center for Plain Living
Workshops
I. Local Currencies and the Decentralization of Money
Hopkins Building, Room 401.
2:00 – 3:00
D. Local Exchange and Trading Systems (LETS) in the U.K.
David Boyle — New Economics Magazine (London)
3:15-4:15
E. Time Dollar Systems: Advantages and How-tos
Edgar Cahn — Time Dollar Institute
4:30-5:30
F. Money and The Concentration of Power
Thomas Greco — Community Information Resource Center
II. Design and Land Use for Self-Sustaining Communities
Hopkins Building, Room 1964.
2:00-3:00
D. Catron County Takes on Federal Land Management
James Catron — Catron Institute
3:15-4:15
E. Twin Oaks Commune: A model Intentional Community
Nexus — Federation of Egalitarian Communities
4:30-5:30
F. Principles and Patterns of Land Use for Sustainable Communities
David Jacke — The School of Living; Permaculturist
III. Community Renewal and Mutual Aid
Hopkins Building, Room 206.
2:00-3:00
D. The CommUnity Transformation Process
Carole and David Schwinn — CommUnity Transformation Process
3:15-4:15
E. Diversity, The Key to Community
Ed Dodson — Henry George School
4:30-5:30
F. Ecological Community Accounting
Emily Hunter — The Land Institute, Matfield Green Project
Sara Wilson Doyle — Schumacher Center
IV. Theories and Strategies for Decentralization
Hopkins Building, Room B03.
2:00-3:00
D. Whole Life Economics
Barbara Brandt — author, Whole Life Economics: Revaluing Daily Life
3:15-4:15
E. Wealth or Welfare? Centrist vs. Decentralist Paradigm
Romesh Diwan — International Society for Gandhian Studies
4:30-5:30
F. Women, Population, and Global Crisis
Asoka Bandarage — Mt. Holyoke Collge, Women’s Studies Program
Saturday Evening, June 29
5:30-6:30, Mission Park, Dinner
Panel V. Keynote, 7:00-9:30 pm / Chapin Hall, Open to the Public
“Local Currencies: Shaping a Decentralized Society” featuring Seven Local Currency Activists and Theorists
Sunday Morning, June 30
7:15-8:45 am Mission Park, Breakfast
Panels
8:45-11:00 Brooks Recital Hall, Bernard Music Center
Please note that the panels overlap in time.
Panel VI. Worker Owned Cooperatives
Newell Lessel — Industrial Cooperative Association
Peter Fishe — Berkshire Worker Ownership Center
O’Brien Boldt — Retired Businessman
Len Krimerman — GEO Magazine
8:45-11:00 Presser Choral Hall, Bernard Music Center
Panel VII. Community Development Sustainability Indicators
Jeanne Gage and Don Harker — Mountain Association for Community Economic Development
Diane Elliot Gayer — University of Vermont; Community Planner
Maureen Hart — Hart Environmental Data
Workshops
I. Local Currencies and the Decentralization of Money
Hopkins Building, Room 401.
8:45-9:45
G. Natural Exchange System
Gerald de Costa — Heather Foundation
10:00-11:00
H. The Future of Local Currencies
Lewis Solomon — author, Rethinking Our Centralized Monetary System: The Case for a System of Local Currencies
Bob Swann — Schumacher Center for a New Economics
Shann Turnbull — Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics
II. Design and Land Use for Self-Sustaining Communities
Hopkins Building, Room 1964.
8:45-9:45
G. Community Development of Financial Institutions
Greg Ramm — Institute for Community Economics
Susan Witt — Schumacher Center for a New Economics
10:00-11:00
H. The Citizen Planner
Harrison Bright Rue — Citizen Planner Program
Dianna Shannon — City of Boulder, Environmental Affairs Office
III. Community Renewal and Mutual Aid
Hopkins Building, Room 206.
8:45-9:45
G. Communities and Organizations: Negotiating Transitions in Leadership, Structure, and Culture
Christopher Schaefer — Alliance for Organization and Community Renewal
10:00-11:00
H. Community Building: Preparing for the Long Haul
Bill Vitek — Clarkson University; editor, Rooted in the Land (forthcoming)
IV. Theories and Strategies for Decentralization
Hopkins Building, Room B03.
8:45-9:45
G. Decentralizing Education
John Gatto — New York City school teacher, author of Dumbing Down
10:00-11:00
H. Principles for Self-Governance in the Information Age
Navin Girishankar and David Datelle — Progressive Policy Institute
Sunday Afternoon, June 30
11:00-12:30pm, Mission Park,Brunch
12:30-2:00pm, Chapin Hall, CLOSING KEYNOTE
3:00-5:00pm, Depart from Chapin Hall, Tour of Caretaker Farm, Community Supported Agriculture