Anish Agriculture Module 9

7/30/2019 Anish Agriculture Module 9

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TOPICSModule 9: Economic Paradigms of Sustainability

.. Seems like people arent interested in hanging around another thousand years or so

-Interview with Mike Wiggins, Tribal Chairman of the Bad River Ojibwe.i

Understanding EconomicsAn Indigenous economic model is required. At the center of Anishinaabeg minobimaatisiiwin lies a core set o

values which underlay a sustainable economy and way of life. First, there is the understanding that an

economy is part of a way of life not separate. When I asked elders about this many years ago, they said an

economy is how we liveajob was seen as something which came with the White man (a form of

colonization). So it is, that the return to an Anishinaabeg model should be considered.

What are some precepts?

Foundationally, there is an understanding that the natural law is the highest law higher than thelaws made by nation states, tribal governments or municipalities. It is the set of laws about ecologica

and social balances, actions and consequences. It is fundamental, and to this date remains enshrined

in part in the Navajo Nation constitution.

There is an understanding that we are all related. This is reflected in our dodaem systems, and all ofour teachings, which recognize that we are dependent upon the rest of our relatives, and that we are

humble beings at our best. There is an understanding of the sacred the Great Mystery. That the

world is full of animate beings, some of whom we can see, many of whom we cannot see. We are

taught that this world is a mirror of other planes, upon which our ancestors and spirits live and laugh

with us. We are taught that trees, rocks (aasin is an animate noun) have life, rivers have life, and

water is sacred. These teachings pre-suppose that we will recognize all of this in our relations to the

larger world. In the fall of 2012, I asked a spiritual teacher of the Anishinaabe about mining projects

in Anishinaabe Akiing, in a ceremony. I was told, there is a reason those things are in the ground, and

we as Anishinaabeg need to understand that. The spiritual beings are talking to our people, even in

this millennium, this time of the seventh fire.

There is an understanding of intergenerational responsibility. This is affirmed in the Iroquois teachinof in each deliberation we must consider the impact upon the seventh generation from now.. This

is a teaching of great privilege and responsibility. This is an Anishinaabeg economic model, at its

foundation.

The dominant economic model doled out in universities throughout the world is a model ofmercantile and capitalist economics. The model is flawed. At its foundation it is anthropocentric,

focused on the needs of humans without reference to the larger world, and is nave in its

presuppositions as to what is available for exploitation.

Amory, Hunter Lovins and Paul Hawkens book Natural capitalism provides an overarching analysis of the

material basis for the false reasoning. In its crystallized essence we find the understanding that for the world

to live as Americans do, we need five planets. Bob Constanza in Ecological Economics notes:

In the present day neoclassical Keynsian economics, economics has become focused on full

employment and optimal micro economic allocation of resources as measured by the growth i

the GNP is seen as necessary to maintain full employment. The issue of distribution has

receded into the background. The goal of the economy is to make the total pie bigger so that

everyone can get more without changing the relative size of the parts. Continuous growth in

parts and income is central in this paradigm, which assumes that aggregate wants are infinite


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and should be served by making aggregate production infinite.ii (ll7).

Social movements have challenged this paradigm in many ways -- the anti WTO movements, oppose trade

agreements, which usurp local economies and ecosystems, are an example from the last millennium on. New

movements, like the Occupy movement, point to the mal-distribution of wealth in the present economic

system. While these social movements have been highly critical of the mal-distribution of wealth in the

worlds dominant economic system, they have also been met with critical support in regards to the ecologica

failure of the American and world dominant economic system. This is true with food systems, dependent

upon fossil fuels, consumer systems intent upon producing a surplus need and desire, and consequently

surplus wastes.

Lester Brown of the Worldwatch Institute succinctly summarizes some of the conflict in Ecological Economics

economists see the environment as a subset of the economy. Ecologists, on the other hand, see the

economy as a subset of the environmentiii (3). As Brown and others watch the collapse of ecological

systems at an unprecedented level, it is also apparent that When observations no longer support theory

(economic), it is time to change the theory- what scientific Historian Thomas Kuhn calls a paradigm shiftiv

(6). In the case of Indigenous peoples, it is time to reassess our economic paradigm and reaffirm the

relationship between our worldview, and our economy. Many of the essential elements of Anishinaabeeconomic analysis are mirrored in the teachings of ecological economics.

Basic precepts of ecological economics include the following:

l) Sustainability

2) Inter and intra-species distribution of wealth

3) Discounting and inter-generational justice and

4) Dealing with non-monetized values.

The articulation of these is now emergent in the field of ecological economics. Understanding in that the

Earth is our Mother, and gives us our life is a central understanding. This mother also gives life to theeconomy. As David Pearce notes in Ecological Economics, The first and second laws of thermodynamics

instruct us in the idea of sustainability, the first law, is that matter cannot be created or destroyed. The

amount of renewable resources extracted should not exceed the Earths capacity to replenish these

resources, unless substitution of other renewables is possible. Second, wastes should not be emitted at leve

that exceed the earths capacity to absorb them.v

As Kenneth Boulding and David Pearce note, whatever is extracted form the environment will be returned

as waste. Thus, the rate of resource extraction is limited by the absorptive capacity of the Earth environmen

and the rate of regeneration. The economic implications of thisstate the impossibility of totally recycling,

which is prohibited because of entropy.vi We find that we are challenged in many ways in the systems of

production as GDP and wealth is associated not with efficiency, but with levels of production, hence, even

much recycling could be reduced by reusing glass bottles for instance, but the economy of the packaging

industry has created more GDP wealth, at the expense of efficiency and a more coherent relationship with

the environment. In short, these are scientific articulations of what Indigenous peoples would call the

Creators Law or the laws of nature.

Interspecies equity: The mass extinctions of species, which now abound from climate change, dam projects,

extractive industries, and a history of a country -- which killed fifty million buffalo -- illustrate the lack of

equity between speciesvii. Bob Constanza and Herman Daly in Ecological Economics note, Wealth is


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as transcultural -- meaning, they could be adopted by other countries, or perhaps Indigenous nations (of

which, Bhutan is essentially a nation state emerging from Indigenous cultures). Bhutans index as resulted in

some changes to their economic policies including limiting of deforestation of the country, and requiring all

tourists spend at least $200xii coming into the country. While some might think that tourism requirements

might discourage tourists, the reality is that people want to see why they are so darn happy.

Another set of indicators, called the Happy Planet Index of some l78 nations, listed Vanuatu as the happiest

country on the planet. Vanuatu, with some 209,000 people has an economy based on tourism (to bring in

cash income, largely from New Zealand and Australian tourists) and localized agriculture -- which provides

most of the food for the community. The capital city also boasts a brewery, making some fine beer, which,

interestingly enough, re-uses its own bottles, meaning not only less garbage, but a lower carbon footprint or

cost of transportation, reducing the price of a fine bottle of beer.

In 2009, Vanuatus governmentdeclared the Year of the Traditional Economy. The traditional economy,

provides most of the food and energy for a community (traditional medicines as well), and the basis for

tourism. In general, this region of the world (Melanesia) has a traditional economy, which outweighs the

dominant exchange economy, largely by necessity of their isolation -- and also by choice. Some eighty

percent of the country lives in rural village areas, where kustom prevails.

Ralph Regenvanu, a member of Vanuatus Parliament and past director of the Vanuatu National Cultural

Foundation spent some time talking with me about the happiness plan for his country. Some of the success

and happiness indicators in the country focus on the traditional economy, which satisfies, according to Ralph

most of their food and other requirements using traditional methods and forms of land, sea and resource

utilization (e.g. gardening practices), on their customary land and sea.xiii Access to this wealth, as opposed to

cash wealth is paramount to the Vanuatuans.

Indigenous languages remain, and the villages are, Governed by traditional leaders (chiefs and chiefs

councils). Still have their disputes resolved within communities by traditional leaders using traditional

dispute-resolution approaches; and have participated in custom ceremonies, which cement their place asmembers of their community. Ralph points out that the urban portion of the Vanuatu citizenry also stays

closely related to the rural and traditional way of life. They utilize kinship networks to access food and

other resources, provide manual labor, child care, aged care, and deal with their disputes in the traditional

way. In reality, the way of life of Vanuatu becomes The political, economic, and social foundation of

contemporary Vanuatu society and is the source of resilience for our populations, which has allowed them to

weather the vagaries of the global economy over past decades.

In reality, the self-reliant Vanuatu economy is very stable. While much of the rest of the world which today

faces massive economic upheaval, debt crises and financial bailouts, Vanuatu did not. A 2009 report by

OXFAM found that the impacts of the global economic crisis on families in Vanuatu had been negligible.xiv

The study noted the largest impact was on urban families who imported more of their rice and flour for daily

subsistence, who were now facing higher transportation costs for these foods.

In general, OXFAM found: the global economic crisis has had little impact in Vanuatu compared to the

massive impacts it has had in more industrialized countries.xv As the Oxfam report notes, one of the principa

reasons for this is The very low level of integration of the great majority of our population into the cash

economy,xvi Ralph Reganvanu explains as he cites the OXFAM report.


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What is interesting about the Vanuatu case study, and the way of life, is the similarity to much of

Anishinaabeg traditional economics and culture, mirrored, perhaps, by other Indigenous communities. The

indicators of happiness, which place Bhutan and Vanuatu at the top of the charts, may indeed have some

compelling resonance with Native America. These economics, adapted from traditional values and kustom

are translated into the economic plans of present nation states. Indeed, the findings of the New EconomicFoundations study on Vanuatu also documented that this localized, self reliant, and tourism-based economy

resulted in very high and rich natural capital, unspoiled coastlines, and unique rainforests.xvii

As MP Reganvanu indicates in his analysis, this natural capital has been achieved through thousands of

years of excellent resource management traditions and practices by our ancestors, traditions that are still

practiced today.xviii Another essential component of the happiness of Vanuatu is family relationships and cla

relationships maintained by this traditional way of life. This is to say, that the elder of a village may have the

most knowledge of gardening or harvesting and is thus cherished, as opposed to warehoused away in a

nursing home. This happy economy of Vanuatu, according to OXFAM, provides many social benefits is that

establishing, maintaining, and mending relationships between groups.xix Consequently, there is a sense of a

shared identity, community and belongingness among the large extended family groups that make up th

basic building blocks of Vanuatu society. This gives a high level of social security for all family members.

ReadingsSession 9: Economic Paradigms of Sustainibility

Module Topics Readings

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From the text:

Sacred Sites. Honorearth. n.d. 12-1-12.

McLeod, Christopher. Sacred Land Film Project. Earth Island Institute. Web. N.d.

AssignmentsTOPICSModule 9: Economic Paradigms of Sustainibility

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DAY 1:

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DAY 2:
http://www.honorearth.org/sacred-siteshttp://www.honorearth.org/sacred-siteshttp://www.honorearth.org/sacred-sites


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DAY 3:10

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Bibliography

Australia-Oceania. Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook. November, 2012. 15November, 2012. < November, 2012. 15 November, 2012>

Costanza, R., ed. 1991.Ecological Economics: The Science and Management ofSustainability. New York: Columbia Univ. Press.

Feeny, S. (2010) The impact of the global economic crisis on the Pacific region, Oxfam

Australia, Melbourne.

Marks, N., Abdallah, S., Simms, A., Thompson, S. et al. (2006).The Happy Planet Index

1.0. New Economics Foundation.

Regenvanu, Ralph. Personal Interview. 11 March, 2011.

Sacred Sites. Honorearth. n.d. 12-1-12.

South Asia: Bhutan. Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook. November, 2012. 15

November, 2012.

Wiggins, Mike. Personal interview. 1-7-2012.

iWiggins, Mike. Personal interview. 1-7-2012.iiCostanza, R., ed. 1991.Ecological Economics: The Science and Management of Sustainability. New

York: Columbia Univ. Press.iii

Costanza, R., ed. 1991.Ecological Economics: The Science and Management of Sustainability. NewYork: Columbia Univ. Press.
http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/uploads/dl44k145g5scuy453044gqbu11072006194758.pdfhttp://www.neweconomics.org/gen/uploads/dl44k145g5scuy453044gqbu11072006194758.pdfhttp://www.neweconomics.org/gen/uploads/dl44k145g5scuy453044gqbu11072006194758.pdfhttp://www.neweconomics.org/gen/uploads/dl44k145g5scuy453044gqbu11072006194758.pdfhttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bt.htmlhttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bt.htmlhttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bt.htmlhttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bt.htmlhttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bt.htmlhttp://www.neweconomics.org/gen/uploads/dl44k145g5scuy453044gqbu11072006194758.pdfhttp://www.neweconomics.org/gen/uploads/dl44k145g5scuy453044gqbu11072006194758.pdf


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iv

Costanza, R., ed. 1991.Ecological Economics: The Science and Management of Sustainability. NewYork: Columbia Univ. Press.vCostanza, R., ed. 1991.Ecological Economics: The Science and Management of Sustainability. NewYork: Columbia Univ. Press.vi

Costanza, R., ed. 1991.Ecological Economics: The Science and Management of Sustainability. NewYork: Columbia Univ. Press.vii

Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss. Harvard School of Public Health. N.d. 15 November, 2012.viiiCostanza, R., ed. 1991.Ecological Economics: The Science and Management of Sustainability. NewYork: Columbia Univ. Press.ix

Sacred Sites. Honorearth. n.d. 12-1-12. xSouth Asia: Bhutan. Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook. November, 2012. 15 November, 2012.< https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bt.html>xiAustralia-Oceania. Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook. November, 2012. 15 November, 2012.< November, 2012. 15 November, 2012>xii

South Asia: Bhutan. Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook. November, 2012. 15 November,2012. < https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bt.html>xiiiRegenvanu, Ralph. Personal Interview. 11 March, 2011.xivFeeny, S. (2010) The impact of the global economic crisis on the Pacific region, Oxfam Australia,Melbourne.xv

Feeny, S. (2010) The impact of the global economic crisis on the Pacific region, Oxfam Australia,Melbourne.xviRegenvanu, Ralph. Personal Interview. 11 March, 2011.xviiMarks, N., Abdallah, S., Simms, A., Thompson, S. et al. (2006).The Happy Planet Index 1.0. NewEconomics Foundation.xviii

Regenvanu, Ralph. Personal Interview. 11 March, 2011.xix

Feeny, S. (2010) The impact of the global economic crisis on the Pacific region, Oxfam Australia,Melbourne.
http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/uploads/dl44k145g5scuy453044gqbu11072006194758.pdfhttp://www.neweconomics.org/gen/uploads/dl44k145g5scuy453044gqbu11072006194758.pdfhttp://www.neweconomics.org/gen/uploads/dl44k145g5scuy453044gqbu11072006194758.pdfhttp://www.neweconomics.org/gen/uploads/dl44k145g5scuy453044gqbu11072006194758.pdf

Anish Agriculture Module 9

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