Dispatch from the Colombia River Gorge
admin October 26th, 2007
(Frances) I spoke here last night to a conference of the Rural Development Initiatives, a fabulous organization bringing democracy to life in hundreds of rural communities in Oregon and Washington.
This morning I heard one of my heroes, Michael Shuman, speak about local living economies. He’s the author of the Small-Mart Revolution, the book that busted the myths that keep us feeling helpless on the global corporatization treadmill.
For one, global corporations don’t have it all sewed up! Michael reminds us that 58 percent of our economy is place-based, not dependent on centralized corporate power. The myth that somehow global companies create more “efficiencies” (and that’s why they’re displacing independent businesses) was busted by this basic fact: Michael says we taxpayers are now shelling out $113 billion a year in subsidies to lure and retain global corporations in our communities. Imagine what could happen if we removed this huge barrier in the way of local businesses. Imagine if we shifted public policies to instead encourage local entrepreneurship—which generates, studies show, roughly three times more dollars in local economies compared to chain stores with distant owners.
I’m off to Portland now after a deeply rewarding time with those creating living democracy in their communities.
Frances
