Corporations Already Rule the World
By Donella Meadows
–February 8, 1996–
The title of David Korten’s new book — When Corporations Rule the World — does not refer to some theoretical future state. Korten’s point is that corporations already rule much of the world, and that the consequences aren’t good, not even for corporations.
His book is a detailed documentation — names, cases, numbers — of dysfunctional corporate [...]
Why Doesn’t Anyone Ever Say That?
By Donella Meadows
–December 14, 1995–
Back a decade or two ago when we weren’t paying much attention, the advertising industry took over American politics, reducing debates to soundbites, using polls to tell politicians what to say, polishing image while banishing ideas.
Worst of all advertisers taught government leaders their central trick. Say any fool thing over and over and over, and it [...]
What Would Happen If We Went Beyond Partisan Politics?
By Donella Meadows
–June 29, 1995–
Suppose we all woke up one fine morning and decided, as a nation, to solve our problems instead of beating each other up over them. Suppose we quit twisting ourselves into knots trying to put all blame on one party and all credit on the other. What if we chose instead to move forward together?
Right, I [...]
How to Talk About Changing a System
By Donella Meadows
–December 1, 1994–
Most of what government does makes little long-term difference, thank goodness. Spend more money here and less there; strengthen a regulation here, weaken one there. Those are fiddles, small and reversible adjustments to the existing system.
But every now and then government actually changes the system in a way that has long-lasting effects. That’s what it failed [...]
Ithaca Creates Its Own Money
By Donella Meadows
–May 19, 1994–
I just got a thick envelope in the mail, and when I opened it, money fell out.
Four bills, to be exact, along with four newsletters. The bills are denominated in “Ithaca Hours.” On one side they say IN ITHACA WE TRUST. The other side reads, “This note entitles the bearer to receive one (two, one-half, or [...]
