Questions for the commons movement
Article / 13th September 2016There are many questions still to be answered in the growing literature on the commons, central to which is the role of the state in respecting and fulfilling our basic socioeconomic rights. The ‘commons’ can become a very strong discourse and practice to re-order today’s progressive political forces, but does it mean we have to abandon universal claims of equality and human rights? An enquiry by Francine Mestrum.
An energy revolution is possible: Tax havens and financing climate action
Article / 7th September 2016According to a new report by Friends of the Earth International, it is a gross injustice that the world’s richest multinational corporations and individuals do not pay their fair share of taxes and continue to pollute without limit. But we can stop tax avoidance and use that money for building sustainable and just societies through a clean energy revolution.
Looking good and making a fast buck? Why rich countries help the poor
Article / 7th September 2016The arguments for rich nation’s moral duty and responsibility to help the distant needy are well known, but short-term political and commercial advantages are dominating the practice of redistributing foreign aid. And the underlying problem is a lack of critical public engagement and concern, writes David Hulme in an extract from his new book, ‘Should Rich Nations Help the Poor?’.
Want to see a new kind of economy?
Article / 1st September 2016What is common wealth? And how might we use it to build a more local, equitable and sustainable economy? Peter Barnes imagines an economy in which everyone benefits from a variety of co-inherited and co-created assets.
Dag Hammarskjöld and spirituality at the United Nations
Article / 31st August 2016The UN is a place of contrast between selfishness and sharing, and represents the major battle line for the future of humanity’s soul and collective wellbeing. It is the locus for the emergence of higher values concerning humanity as a whole, and the rebirth of the race as a Planetary Entity, writes Donald Key.