Big things. Little things.

What if we shifted to a “needs-based” economy? Part 2 - with Helena Norberg-Hodge, Local Futures

May 12, 2022

01:11:12

What if we shifted to a needs-based economy?

Join me in our episode today featuring the incredible Helena Norberg-Hodge, world-renowned linguist, author, activist and filmmaker, as we discuss why shifting to a needs-based economy (or localization) would be the best path to addressing multiple converging crises that we face in the world today. Helena is the founder and director of Local Futures, a non-profit organisation dedicated to the revitalisation of cultural and biological diversity and the strengthening of local communities and economies world-wide.

Today we cover:

The economy as a root cause perpetuating the crises we see in the world today;
The history of our economic system;
What a “needs-based” economy is;
Whether we can adapt our current systems (e.g. economic, political, legal, food systems) to be “needs-based” to address the current crises, or whether we need to implement a whole new system;
Whether any economic models (e.g. Doughnut Economics, Degrowth Economics) appeal to Helena as viable systemic solutions;
Helena’s experience in Ladakh (otherwise known as Little Tibet) witnessing the societal shift from a needs-based economy (based on a mentality of abundance) to a Western economic model (based on scarcity);
A bit about World Localization Day, what it’s all about and how to get involved;
The issue of economic illiteracy as a barrier to effective climate and environmental activism;
Why we all need to be literate in the areas of ecological and economic literacy to engage in effective activism;
Helena explains the main points to focus on when building economic literacy.

Show links: