Dan McGrath asked about what I meant by "economic democracy" in Minneapolis. Here's a reply, with two hot local links...skip to the links if time-challenged...
Here's a working definition of economic democracy: "we are all created equal as stakeholders in the future, and have a right to shape our economic environment, institutions, and systems to reflect this equality." Minneapolis businesswoman and author Marjorie Kelly wrote "The Divine Right of Capital: Dethroning the Corporate Aristocracy." She notes that our Constitution originally referred only to "rich, white men." With much bloodshed and suffering, we have managed to make the US Constitution apply somewhat to women and to people of color. We have not addressed the aristocracy of wealth, which destroys democracy -- on a local scale, as well as on a national and global scale. Here are two links to local groups working for economic democracy: http://c4cr.org/ Citizens for Corporate Reform has bills under consideration in the MN State House and Senate to make the "Code for Corporate Responsibility" into law. National, coordinated efforts are also underway. If the code were to pass, corporate leaders would be legally bound to stop externalizing costs of their business onto our shared environment and onto people. Currently, corporate officers are *legally bound* to externalize all costs onto workers, government, and the environment, even if that means breaking the law. Corporations often intentionally break the law - even commit felonies - writing off fines as a "cost of doing business" and walking a way with a tidy profit. In starkest local terms, corporations are legally bound to economically rape Minneapolis - to extract as much wealth from our workers and local resources as possible, at the lowest possible cost to the "corporation." http://www.ncdf.org/ Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund is a Minneapolis-based investment group specializing in development of cooperative corporations with democratic member control and economic participation, local autonomy, and concern for local community and environment. With over $8 million in capital and over 100 member cooperatives in 11 states, NCDF is growing "economic democracy" throughout the region. This is just a start. There are more resources, of course. As well-intentioned as local political and corporate leaders might be, they will never be able to work for "we the people" or to bring "economic democracy" (without which "political democracy" is dying) unless we create economic laws and institutions which empower "we the people" and our leaders to make decisions based on democratic principle. n pedaling off to tilt at windmills and earn a living..from Kingfield..Gary Hoover REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
