A Billion-Dollar Primer
By Donella Meadows
–April 23, 1987–
The President is requesting $6 billion for Star Wars. U.S. farmers received $23 billion in subsidies last year. Congress overrode the veto on the $88 billion highway plan.
All these billions of dollars whizzing about in the news are vitally important, I’m sure. As taxpayers and citizens we ought to keep our eyes on them. But personally, [...]
Rambo Still Rules the White House
By Donella Meadows
–April 2, 1987–
There was reason to hope that after the Iran-contra affair the Administration would deal with foreign policy in a manner a bit less swashbuckling. But its decision about IIASA last week, while a minor matter, just a small omen, suggests that the White House is still dominated by the Rambo mentality.
IIASA is the International Institute for [...]
We Loved Ronald Reagan So Much
By Donella Meadows
–January 1, 1987–
Watching the nation writhe over another crisis of the Presidency, I am reminded of a chilling story called “We Love Glenda So Much” by the South American writer Julio Cortazar.
Glenda is a movie star. Everyone loves her. Her fans know her films by heart; they study her every gesture and word.
Of course Glenda has bad moments. [...]
Folly in Iran, Folly in Nicaragua
By Donella Meadows
–December 18, 1986–
The perfect word for U.S. policy in Iran and Nicaragua is folly.
In The March of Folly Barbara Tuchman defines government folly as “the pursuit of policy contrary to the self-interest of the state.” To put it bluntly, folly is official stupidity.
As examples Tuchman describes the corruption of the Renaissance Popes, which provoked the Protestant secession; the [...]
Why Would Anyone Want to Play Starpower
By Donella Meadows
–December 4, 2011–
When leaders in socialist countries wonder why their people are disaffected, when my conservative friends tell me how lazy and undeserving the poor are, when my liberal friends tell me how greedy and scheming the rich are, I wish they could all play Starpower.
Starpower is a deceptively simple classroom game. I have played it all over [...]
