Date archives "July 2010"

The mycelial approach to social change: networking transformations instead of achieving ‘hierarchical’ reform

We can see there is a hierarchy focused way of creating change which is focused on changing what the hierarchy (government) does. And then there is a way that is based on transforming people from a grassroots way and then linking them up in mycelial networks. And which is based on collaborating between the different… Continue reading

How much inequality is compatible with a commons approach? Southern anti-poverty strategies based on rough social equality

“If rough social equity is essential to a healthy commons, the other side of that equity’s roughness is (presumably) some acceptable level of inequality. So how unequal should our economy be from a commons perspective?” Kim Klein responds to the above question posed by Sean Thomas-Breitfeld. Both authors are inspired by the following book: *… Continue reading

Three scenarios for future connectivity in Europe

The Rand Corporation think thank has a report featuring three scenarios on the future broadband/p2p infrastructure, commissioned by the EU: * Trends in connectivity technologies and their socioeconomic impacts. Final report of the study: Policy Options for the Ubiquitous Internet Society. By: Jonathan Cave, Constantijn van Oranje-Nassau, Helen Rebecca Schindler, Ala’a Shehabi, Philipp-Bastian Brutscher, Neil… Continue reading

Rise of the prosperians: beyond stimulus or austerity

On one side, Keynesians. On the other, “austerians.” The former argue: spend, spend, spend, for the real problem in the economy’s a lack of demand — not enough buying power to create jobs and trade. The latter argue: cut, cut, cut, for the real problem’s a lack of supply — a shortage of financial capital,… Continue reading

The link between poverty, (de)centralisation and (non)connectivity

A talk by Iqbal Quadir , “Technology Empowers the Poorest”, summarized by Kevin Kelly: “In Quadir’s view, it’s not that centralization per se creates poverty. Poverty is the natural beginning state of all societies, east or west. Rather, decentralization is the engine which removes poverty and brings wealth. To the degree that infrastructure, education, and… Continue reading