David C. Korten - Agenda for a new economy: from phantom wealth to real wealth

More Praise for Agenda for a New Economy

In this new edition of his groundbreaking book, David Korten steps up with a new, practical, and energizing guide we all can use to transform todays economic disaster into a living democracy.

Frances Moore Lapp, author of Getting a Grip 2 and Diet for a Small Planet

What I love about this edition of Agenda for a New Economy is that David Korten brings together previously fragmented ideas about how to move forward into a compelling, cohesive framework for personal, community, and government action. This book will get you from yes, but how? to yes, and heres how.

Alisa Gravitz, Executive Director, Green America

David Korten has updated and strengthened an already timely and insightful book. No one has done a better job at bringing together the multiple criseseconomic, environmental, social, politicalin which we find ourselves today. His vision of the path forward is clear and compelling.

James Gustave Speth, Dean, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies; former Administrator, United Nations Development Programme; and author of The Bridge at the Edge of the World

At an urgent moment in human history, David Korten offers a new way to organize our economy that is both inspired and deeply practical. This is a must-read guide to creating a viable future.

Stacy Mitchell, Senior Researcher, Institute for Local Self-Reliance; Chair, American Independent Business Alliance; and author of BigBox Swindle

Faith communities at their best help us see and believe in what is possible and help us face inconvenient truths and uncomfortable realities. At their worst, faith communities kill dreams and reinforce fantasies. David Kortens new book can help all of us who lead and participate in faith communities to fulfill our best potential and stop playing to our worst. Its urgent, important, clear, and downright inspiring, and it challenges us to pursue what is excellent, mature, and real.

Brian McLaren, author of A New Kind of Christianity

David Korten tells the truth like no one elsea truth our planet needs us to hear.

Marjorie Kelly, cofounder, Corporation 20/20; founding editor, Business Ethics magazine; and author of The Divine Right of Capital

Korten turns conventional economic thinking upside down and inside out. This book reveals what is really going on in the U.S. and global economyand what can and should be done about it.

Van Jones, founder, Green for All and author of The Green Collar Economy

Just as the global economy crumbles, David Kortens timely plan for a new economya locally based living economywill keep Spaceship Earth on a steady course, while bringing greater equality and strengthening our democratic institutions. And as if that were not enough, it will bring us more joy.

Judy Wicks, cofounder and Chair, Business Alliance for Local Living Economies

David Korten shows that patching the tires of a vehicle thats going over a cliff is neither sane nor acceptable. But the financial crisis can be a healing crisis, and Korten gives us prescriptions that could actually give us a thriving and just economy that works for people and the planet.

Vicki Robin, cofounder, Conversation Cafs and coauthor of Your Money or Your Life

The most important book to emerge thus far on the economic crisis. David Korten provides real solutions.

Peter Barnes, cofounder, Working Assets, and author of Capitalism 3.0

A great book. Korten provides solutions far beyond economics. If we care about the health, safety, education, and well-being of our society and want to create a world with a semblance of social and economic equity, this book is the next big step in that direction.

Peter Block, author of Community and Stewardship

A stirring defense of life and liberty. Guided by the hand of Adam Smith, David Korten paints a spirited picture of a new economy: in bold strokes, from the Earth up, and for all the people. Obama watchers, take notepage after page, redesign trumps reform and shouts, Yes, we can!

Raffi Cavoukian, singer, author, entrepreneur, ecology advocate, and founder of Child Honoring

AGENDA FOR A NEW ECONOMY

OTHER BOOKS BY DAVID C. KORTEN

Community Management

Getting to the 21st Century

The Great Turning

People-Centered Development

The Post-Corporate World

When Corporations Rule the World

From PHANTOM WEALTH to REAL WEALTH

DAVID C. KORTEN

A publication of the New Economy Working Group

Agenda for a New Economy

Copyright 2010 by The People-Centered Development Forum All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed Attention: Permissions Coordinator, at the address below.

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Second Edition

Paperback print edition ISBN 978-1-60509-375-8
PDF e-book ISBN 978-1-60509-376-5
IDPF e-book ISBN 978-1-60509-841-8

2010-1

Project management, cover and interior design by Valerie Brewster

Copyediting by Karen Seriguchi, proofreading by Todd Manza, index by George Draffan

Cover image: ChuckStryker/istockphoto

To Steve Piersanti and the incredible staff of BerrettKoehler, who proposed this book project and supported it above and beyond the call of duty

To the staff and board of YES! Magazine, who are communicating a new vision of human possibility to the world

To the staff, board, and local network members of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, who are building the New Economy from the bottom up