not copyable
Schumacher also decried a complete lack of intelligence in economic matters. His analysis has resonated with millions of readers around the world, as his books have been published in dozens of foreign language editions.
People everywhere are finding themselves serving large organizations of all kinds, and many feel they are losing their sense of community.
But “Small Is Beautiful” isn’t just unrealistically romantic nostalgia. Schumacher was the first economist to question the assumption that we can build a durable future using non-renewable resources such as coal, oil and gas as primary energy sources.
“If we squander our fossil fuels, we threaten civilization, but if we squander the capital that nature around us represents, we threaten life itself. The modern industrial system … consumes the . . . it rests on irreplaceable capital which it happily counts as income.”
This profound critique of industrial capitalism, echoed by the Club of Rome’s 1972 “Limits to Growth” study—a report warning that the earth’s resources could not support exponential economic growth—became the basis of a new discipline of ecological economics still on the rise .
Persistence
For Schumacher, it is crucial to learn how nature regenerates, which he calls a “perpetual economy”.
Until recently, the illusion of infinite human power, even victory over other creations, prevailed, but now we’re not so sure anymore. More than ever, we need to focus on the sheer destructive power we have – not just through armed conflict between states, but through ecocide.
Schumacher spoke of our battle with nature and said “if we win the fight, we will find ourselves on the losing side.”
The bold ideas in “Small Is Beautiful” have had a degree of political impact. In the UK we have seen some powers devolved from Westminster to the Edinburgh and Cardiff councils. In Wales, this has also led to legislation for the “welfare of future generations”.
self reliance
Uniquely, Commissioner Sophie Howe has been tasked with scrutinizing decisions made by politicians and corporations as necessary to protect the interests of future generations.
The idea that we should be pursuing today, with Brexit backed, is Global UKbut we don’t seem to be very good at this.
more attractive British localto really empower local communities and help them become self-reliant in terms of food and other aspects of the new green economy.
Schumacher foresaw the global climate emergency and was one of the first advocates for the development of wind and solar power.
He cannot foresee how much of our energy supply now comes from such renewable sources, even though big corporations may control as much of it as he likes.
action
Schumacher has inspired many groups around the world to create community-supported agriculture projects, small technology and recycling workshops, and renewable energy initiatives.
He is not only an economist and philosopher, but also a doer, as a co-founder of the intermediate technology development group (now called Practical Action).
He is also Chairman of the Bristol Organic Regenerative Agriculture Pioneers Soil Association. Schumacher believes that ensuring healthy, viable soils is one of the prerequisites for a sustainable civilization.
When Schumacher died unexpectedly in 1976, the Schumacher Association was formed in his name and has held annual lectures in Bristol and elsewhere in the UK for many years.
It then gave birth to Dartington’s Schumacher College, which this year celebrates its 25th anniversarydayanniversary. It also spawned the Schumacher Academy in Bristol, which is a partner of the event.
Today, Schumacher’s ideas are more relevant than ever. At this event, we look ahead to the future of practical action, grassroots organizing and locally driven solutions.
the author
Professor Herbert Girardet is a co-founder of the World Future Council and a member of the Club of Rome.His latest book is Create regenerative cities (Routledge). Professor Girardet is also a trustee of the Resurgence Trust, which owns and publishes ecologist. Buy tickets here.
