This episode is all about learning from the Zapatistas, a revolutionary indigenous movement in Chiapas, Mexico. Their autonomous zone has thrived for over 25 years, demonstrating that building a better world is possible, even when facing immense challenges.

We'll unpack how they’ve managed to stay autonomous and self-sustaining despite numerous attempts by the Mexican military to take control. They’ve done this through a powerful combination of direct democracy, economic cooperatives, community self-defense, and ingenious uses of propaganda to control their own narrative.

But this isn’t just about theory. We’ll take you into the heart of their communities to see how direct democracy plays out in their daily lives. Imagine a world where everyone participates in decision-making, from local assemblies to regional councils. Where leaders are accountable to the people, serving without pay, their work seen as a duty rather than a path to power. We’ll see how these principles are reflected in their justice system, their approach to education, and even the way they distribute land.

One of the things that struck me is how they've managed to build a thriving economy despite limited resources. Their cooperative model, where workers have a direct say in how things are run, has allowed them to not just survive, but to flourish. They've even managed to compete in the global market, particularly with their high-grade organic coffee.

What's really inspiring is their commitment to re-indigenizing their society. They’ve reclaimed their heritage and traditions, weaving them into every aspect of their autonomous zone, from their government to their education system. This reminds me of what we discussed about using our local history here to inform how we build our own communities.

Subcomandante Marcos, a key figure in the Zapatista movement, calls for building “a world capable of containing many worlds.” This resonates with what we’ve been talking about – the need for decentralized, localized networks, where diverse communities can govern themselves and thrive.

As always, we’ll be connecting the dots to our own context, exploring how we can apply these lessons to build a better future in our own communities. The Zapatistas show us that change is possible, even against seemingly insurmountable odds. Join us as we explore their remarkable story.

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The Iliad

The Ancients

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