Decentralism
Mildred J. Loomis

More people than ever before are consciously engaged in some kind of decentralist venture which expresses not merely rebellion against authoritarianism, but also faith in the possibility of a new kind of society. Each crises in the human situation has produced its decentralist movements in which men and women have turned away from the nightmares of megapolitics to the radical realities of human relationships. Often mistakenly identified as radical, decentralism is in fact based on many traditional values.

With Loomis' great historical understanding, this invaluable book provides indispensable grounding for today's activists. In it, she documents the ideas and experiments of some of the early decentralists, among which include Arthur Morgan, Henry George, Benjamin Tucker, Paul Goodman, and Ralph Borsodi. They all shared a common belief in restoring community self-reliance and bringing economic and social activities back to a more human scale. Advocates for cooperation, self-sufficiency, the household economy, and the small community, their early experiments played a pivotal role in introducing and supporting organic agriculture, consumer rights, cooperatives, and worker-owned businesses. These earlier movements saw a resurgence of neighbourhood revival, community economic reconstruction, co-ops, and land trusts, many of which continue to operate successfully today. 

Referred to as the "grandmother of the counter-culture," Mildred J. Loomis (1905-2000) was an author, educator, and social activist. Having taught at the Borsodi School of Living in New York State, she continued to lead conferences, workshops, and seminars once she moved to Ohio. There, her own home operated as the outpost of the eastern School of Living, and she established a decentralist newsletter called The Interpreter. 

Includes a foreword by George Woodcock and a preface by Hazel Henderson. 

2005; 170 pages

Decentralism Retail Prices
Paperback:
978-1551642499 $19.99
Hardcover:
9781551642482 $48.99