A Culture of Land Gifting
December 31, 2022
Bob Swann called prison his university. A conscientious objector during WWII, Bob reflected during his 30-month stay on the root causes of war, identifying them the economic system itself.
Newsletter Archive
BerkShares in The Natural Farmer
December 26, 2022
BerkShares: An Alternative Vision for Thriving Regional Economies was published in the Winter 2022-23 issue of The Natural Farmer, under the theme of “Challenging Corporate Capture.”
Courage to Dream: 50 Years of Small is Beautiful
December 21, 2022
With a deep need for such wisdom and courage today, this 50th anniversary is our opportunity to advance solutions that build on Schumacher’s vision.
Making Local a Shared Priority
December 19, 2022
Many E.F. Schumacher Lecture pamphlets evoke the special magic that happens when communities make “local” a shared priority.
Remembering Will Raap
December 15, 2022
A pioneer of Vermont’s vibrant ecosystem of socially and ecologically responsible businesses and a long-standing environmental steward, Will Raap passed away earlier this week at the age of 73, after a long-term illness. Through his enterprising leadership, Will became an inspiring leader in the localized food movement and a mentor to many new economy practitioners, including … Continued
Kate Raworth’s 42nd Annual E.F. Schumacher Lecture
November 15, 2022
Kate Raworth’s 42nd Annual E.F. Schumacher Lecture this past Saturday was positively brimming of energy. With a record-setting 1,400 registrants, the anticipation surrounding “Planetary Economics: New Tools for Local Transformation” was palpable. You can now watch a full recording of the lecture and subsequent Q&A. If you find Kate’s message as inspiring as we do, we hope you’ll share generously. … Continued
Renegade Economists
November 9, 2022
Anticipating Kate Raworth’s 42nd E.F. Schumacher Lecture this Saturday, a look back at other past “Renegade Economist” lecturers (who all happen to be women).
The Economics of Peace
September 20, 2022
“In my opinion, only an economic program can reach to the heart of the world peace problem… Our vision should encompass the world as a whole… a cooperative vision concerned with all of mankind, excluding none, and should focus upon the task of bringing justice through non-violent means.” ― Robert Swann, The Economics of Peace (1967)
Mikhail Gorbachev — “War is a Sign of Defeat”
September 6, 2022
The following is a reposting of a May 4, 2020 enewsletter. We share it after learning today of Mikhail Gorbachev’s passing.
Radical localism: a decades-long pursuit
August 16, 2022
BerkShares digital currency sparks new conversations around a time-honored theme.
The World Grid and New Geographies of Cooperation
July 19, 2022
“People have lived and died, businesses have prospered and failed, and nations have risen to world power and declined, all over energy challenges.” Richard Rhodes | Energy: A Human History
Newly Restored: E.F. Schumacher on Film (1977)
July 19, 2022
Is our gigantic and immensely expensive technology conducive to democratic freedom? The answer is: no, it is not. It is conducive to the development of great concentrations of economic power. At the height of his public writing and speaking, E.F. Schumacher made two tours through the United States. The first, organized in 1974 by a … Continued