Economic localism, A new American dream
In the United States, far from Wall Street, a new economic future is taking root. Its breeding ground: local food, renewable energies and crowdfunding. Between environmental destruction and relocation, rare and precarious jobs, junk food and unhealthy political lobbying, fewer and fewer believe that globalized capitalism can serve the common good. At the instigation of BALLE, a network which brings together 30.000 small entrepreneurs, the construction of living local economies has become a real transition program and a credible denial to TINA, the famous "There Is No Alternative" by Margaret Thatcher. This movement shows that the keys to resilience and prosperity lie in the relocation of activities and the sharing of wealth.
"There has been so much suffering here." Gar Alperovitz, professor of political economy at the University of Maryland, has these simple and strong words to explain the citizen momentum that has taken hold of the United States and which some people do not hesitate to compare to a new American revolution . The silent, almost invisible movement of media radars began around local food, stimulated by the awareness of the disastrous effects of junk food. It has spread to finance, as the indecent economic situation so well expressed in 2011 by the “Occupy Wall Street” movement was confirmed: 400 Americans hold more wealth than 180 million of their compatriots combined, the 99 % who are struggling with unemployment and wages at half mast. This movement was fueled by the dismay of those who hoped that the Obama administration would embark on the path of renewable energy, but saw it give in to the sirens of oil and gas companies. It is also characterized by growing mistrust of the functioning of the political system. Because since 2010, and the adoption of the "Citizens United" law, the major financial and industrial conglomerates have further increased their influence on American political life by gaining the right to finance electoral campaigns. Unions and associations can also contribute, but obviously do not weigh. Californian citizens campaigning for a law making it mandatory to label GMO products were able to realize this during the last elections in 2012: agribusiness giants, Monsanto in particular, spent more than $ 23 million on various campaigns to counter their proposal. With success.
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