As viewed by five United States Citizens in 2011
Gene Marshall with coauthors Ben Ball,
Marsha Buck, Ken Kreutziger, and Alan Richard
“I hope The Road is read and discussed by groups of friends and neighbors across the country. Sidestepping the political stalemates of the day, the authors name the basic problems facing our society, explain why “taking the long view” is crucial (but largely missing), and propose the processes by which we might create an ecodemocracy.”
—Charlene Spretnak, author of Relational Reality,
The Resurgence of the Real, and States of Grace
Table of Contents
Introduction: Toward a Unified Progressive Vision
Part One: Ten Wake-up Calls for Civilized Sleepers
1. The Primacy of the Ecological Crisis
2. The Undermining of Democracy
3. The End of the Fossil-Fuel Economy
4. The Population Plight
5. The Continuing Drag of Patriarchy
6. The Enduring Curse of Racism
7. The Death Throes of Theocracy
8. The Obsolescence of War
9. The Tyranny of Phantom Wealth
10. The Horror of Poverty
Part Two: Taking the Long View
11. The Dawn and Demise of Civilization
12. Living in a Transitional Period
13. Democracy as an Unfinished Revolution
14. Ecology, Democracy, Free Markets, and Socialism
15. Facts, Authenticity, and Workability
16. A New Spectrum of Political Positions
Part Three: Seeing Society Whole
17. Economic Processes
18. Political Processes
19. Cultural Processes
20. The Rebalancing of Society
Part Four: Eco-Democracy:
How Do We Get There from Here?
21. The Plausibility of Radical Change
22. The Forces of Transformation
23. The Role and Limitations of Electoral Politics
24. The Never-Ending Task of Citizen Education
25. The Need for Nonviolent Noncooperation
26. The Strategic Importance of Local Empowerment
27. The Reshaping of Global Institutions
28. Step-by-Step Strategy
29. The Ever-Unfolding Vision, Strategy, and Action.
Afterword: The Challenge to Each of Us
The Road from Empire to Eco-Democracy calls us to explore and co-create a massive social trans-formation we will never fully understand and that will not be completed in our lifetimes. Currently, most social activists focus on their own worthwhile projects, but tend to lack a comprehensive overview of the deathtrap into which humanity has cornered itself, as well as how to construct a social vehicle within which humanity can survive and thrive. This book is an attempt to provide that.
More rave reviews of The Road:
“The authors represent a deep and wide range of experience in areas such as: education, engineering, business, energy, physics, music, urban planning, politics, social activism, ecology, feminism, and religion. Though vast changes are necessary, these authors envision humanity finding a plan of action that is satisfying and realistic. With this book we aim to fertilize the fruitful imagination and courage it will require to walk this Road. Wise, insightful, forthright, systemic, and clearly written, with moments of special brilliance. The framing of “The Forces of Transformation” and “The Role and Limitations of Electoral Politics” are particularly distinctive and useful contributions.
—David Korten, author of Agenda for a New Economy,
The Great Turning From Empire toEarth Community,
and When Corporations Rule the World
“I’m often depressed by the … un-integrated, non-systemic band-aid solutions which have become public policy staples. The Road neither trivializes the challenges nor tumbles into the trap of simplistic solutions.”
—David Sanborn Scott, Ph.D., Vice-President (for Americas) International Hydrogen Association, Founding Director, Institute for Integrated Energy Systems, University of Victoria, Canada, author of Smelling Land: The Hydrogen Defense Against Climate Catastrophe