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  • From: kevin s <k.skvorak@verizon.net>
  • To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [permaculture] 'celebrating' Grameen, Nobel, and capitalism
  • Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2006 09:49:32 -0500


hi folks,

i guess i woke in one of those 'moods' this morning, (so pls don't anyone take it personally) and i felt the urge to respond to this.

there is so much change under way in the world, good and bad. i have been involved a lot lately with solidarity work for oaxaca where the old anticapitalist movement in mexico is being repressed in a new dirty war. this is relevent - ( the new dirty war fueled by the same old US corporate interests)- because the struggle there is a representation of community self empowerment, using traditional indigenous models of political organizing and mutual aid, and i'll bet no one from APPO is sure as hell going to get a Nobel Prize for it.

i mean, there are so many ways for poor people to re-gain self empowerment, is really becoming 'good little capitalists' (with or without a garden) what these individuals and communities need most?

ok, i know this is a big simplification of grameen, but it seems to be the macro 'ethic' involved.

traditional community structures are broken all over the world-and those that are left are resisting all over the world- and it is capitalism (colonialism,white supremacy, consumerism etc) that has broken them.

imho, in terms of ethics- zapatismo has a lot more in common with permaculture than the Grameen bank does. so i would celebrate if the Nobel went to one of the EZLN Comandantas

i do have hope for permaculture as part of the solution for privileged industrialized people and those 'down below' alike. but i'm sorry i don't have hope for a permaculture 'movement' that indentifies more with 'lifestyle' liberal green consumerism, than it does with genuine social justice, local autonomy, and the like. (i'm not saying it does-but it feels that way at times)

anyway, thanks for the rant space. again, pls don't take it personally. i am just mad at the world these days

in peace,
kevin




re:

From: Jim <ashevillecurrencyproject@gmail.com>

I was at one of the many simultaneous house parties that took place
around the USA yesterday, in celebration of the Nobel Prize going to
Mohammed Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank. The house parties were
organized by RESULTS, ( results.org ) an anti-hunger group.

The most intriguing thing for me was the revelation that, as a condition
of getting a loan, borrowers promise to plant vegetables. Here's the
text from the website, and the link to it.
-- Jim


The 16 decisions of Grameen Bank
http://www.grameen-info.org/bank/the16.html
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. We shall follow and advance the four principles of Grameen Bank ---
Discipline, Unity, Courage and Hard work in all walks of our lives.
2. Prosperity we shall bring to our families.
3. We shall not live in dilapidated houses. We shall repair our houses
and work towards constructing new houses at the earliest.
4. We shall grow vegetables all the year round. We shall eat plenty of
them and sell the surplus.
5. During the plantation seasons, we shall plant as many seedlings as
possible.
6. We shall plan to keep our families small. We shall minimize our
expenditures. We shall look after our health.
7. We shall educate our children and ensure that they can earn to pay
for their education.
8. We shall always keep our children and the environment clean.
9. We shall build and use pit-latrines.
10. We shall drink water from tubewells. If it is not available, we
shall boil water or use alum.
11. We shall not take any dowry at our sons' weddings, neither shall we
give any dowry at our daughters wedding. We shall keep our centre free
from the curse of dowry. We shall not practice child marriage.
12. We shall not inflict any injustice on anyone, neither shall we allow
anyone to do so.
13. We shall collectively undertake bigger investments for higher incomes.
14. We shall always be ready to help each other. If anyone is in
difficulty, we shall all help him or her.
15. If we come to know of any breach of discipline in any centre, we
shall all go there and help restore discipline.
16. We shall take part in all social activities collectively.




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