The following text is a chapter from the report Alternatives to Economic Globalization, from the International Forum on Globalization.

Ten Principles for Sustainable Societies

As part of our series on vision, we are reprinting a chapter from Alternatives to Economic Globalization: A Better World is Possible, edited by John Cavanaugh and Jerry Mander. It is a report from the International Forum on Globalization formed after the “Battle in Seattle.” Contributors include Maude Barlow, Walden Bello, Vandana Shiva, and many others. The book attempts to answer the question, “If you’re not for globalization, then what are you for?” —Eds.

On a rainy …

There is no shortage of sensible solutions to our global problems, such as those in the column at the left. What the world lacks is an effective means to cooperatively implement them everywhere, simultaneously. Individual nations cannot tackle the challenge of global problems alone or even in limited alliances or unions. Other nations, alliances or unions would still be free to ignore or exploit problems like global warming, cheap labour, and corporate tax shelters to gain a competitive advantage in the global marketplace.

Enter the Simultaneous Policy (SP) – a peaceful, yet revolutionary political tool that empowers voters …

By: George Dor, From: Pambazuka News

How do we challenge neoliberalism and corporate globalisation? Can we develop demands that enjoy the support of those most severely affected and simultaneously lay the ground for an alternative system? How do we develop educational programmes that encourage critical thinking in countries where such thought is actively discouraged? Can the demand for reparations for damage caused by neoliberalism and its predecessors be conceptualised as part of a process of fundamental change? These are the types of questions that are tackled in the series of articles in this week’s Pambazuka News. The articles …

Participatory Economics (parecon for short) is a type of economy proposed as an alternative to contemporary capitalism. The underlying values parecon seeks to implement are equity, solidarity, diversity, and participatory self management.

The main institutions to attain these ends are workers and consumers councils utilizing self management decision making methods, balanced job complexes, remuneration according to effort and sacrifice, and participatory planning.

“A great many activists and concerned people ask, quite rightly, what alternative form of social organization can be imagined that might overcome the grave flaws — often real crimes — of contemporary society in more far-reaching ways than short-term reform. …

Biomimicry has been a featured topic of discussion and the subject of presentations at a range of recent conferences including Industrial Ecology 2000, The Natural Step annual conference, Bioneers and EnvironDesign 5. This new methodology offers science, industry, municipalities, even individuals, a new way of accessing nature’s intelligence and principles of design.

Janine Benyus, author of the book “Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature”, and presenter at the above-mentioned conferences, provided us with a description of biomimicry and its significance to the way it can shape the future.

Biomimicry (from bios, meaning ‘life,’ and mimesis, meaning ‘to imitate’) is a design principle that …