The first principle of the market economy is that it is comprised of many small buyers and sellers, which implies a substantial degree of equity. Another fundamental market principle is that costs are internalized in the producer's price. David Korten More Quotes by David Korten More Quotes From David Korten As an economy measures performance in terms of the creation of money, people become a major source of inefficiency. David Korten economy creation people We can have democracy and a prosperous, just, and sustainable human future. Or we can have corporate rule. We cannot have both. David Korten corporate democracy humans An economic system can remain viable only so long as society has mechanisms to counter abuses of either state or market power and the erosion of the natural, social, and moral capital that such abuses commonly exacerbate. David Korten erosion abuse long The proper goal of an economic democracy agenda is to replace the global suicide economy ruled by rapacious and unaccountable global corporations with a planetary system of local living economies comprised of human-scale enterprise rooted in the communities they serve and locally owned by the people whose wellbeing depends on them. David Korten goal suicide people The professional study of economics has become ideological brainwashing. It is a defense of the excesses of the capitalist system. David Korten excess defense study We should be moving toward local currencies not global or European currencies. David Korten currency europe moving I think one of the most important skills of a local organizer of a local economy is an ability to put on a terrific street party. David Korten party skills thinking Capitalism has defeated communism. It is now well on its way to defeating democracy. David Korten democracy communism way Capitalism is not about free competitive choices among people who are reasonably equal in their buying and selling of economic power, it is about concentrating capital, concentrating economic power in very few hands using that power to trash everyone who gets in their way. David Korten choices hands people It is interesting to note that the 200 richest people have more assets than the 2 billion poorest. David Korten assets people interesting There are actually very few US politicians who have integrity and vision. David Korten vision politician integrity In the US, most progressives start to see the differences between internationalism and economic globalization. David Korten economic-globalization internationalism differences Global competition is about winners and losers. David Korten winner competition loser More humane societies are usually smaller, like the Scandinavian countries and Holland, where it is much easier to reach consensus and cooperation. David Korten cooperation easier country There is no visible sign that the current politicians in the US are willing to see the need for change. David Korten currents politician needs Not exclusively, but the bulk of our local economy should be covered by local currencies, which is more efficient than having global currencies which lose connection with reality in the markets, shops and communities of the people. David Korten community reality people There is a huge shift taking place in the global awareness in the last 5 years with strong views about globalization and the power structures of major corporations. David Korten strong views years Moreover, statistics can be deceiving: the growth of jobs in the US in the 90s was due to many part-time jobs, with no benefits and generally low pay. David Korten hype jobs lying To achieve true sustainability, we must reduce our "garbage index" - that which we permanently throw away into the environment that will not be naturally recycled for reuse - to near zero. Productive activities must be organized as closed systems. Minerals and other nonbiodegradable resources, once taken from the ground, must become a part of society's permanent capital stock and be recycled in perpetuity. Organic materials may be disposed into the natural ecosystems, but only in ways that assure that they are absorbed back into the natural production system. David Korten ecosystems zero taken But we can also take the radical view that the test of an economy has to do with the extent to which it is providing everybody with a decent means of living. David Korten tests views mean
