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Viewing all Books from The Public Good

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Resource filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Oct 30, 2008

Self-Reliant Cities

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/selfreliant-cities/

Originally published in 1982, we’re making this book available as a free download since many of its discussions are as relevant today as they were 25 years ago. The first half discusses the century-long struggle by cities to gain autonomy and authority from state governments and create their own planning and service delivery capacities. The second part describes the first urban-based localization movements and the successes and challenges. As a standalone document, we’ve also included the new foreword and the book’s last chapter, The Ecological City given the current revived debate about the subject. Continue reading

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Resource filed under Energy, The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Apr 17, 1982

Self-Reliant Cities – Energy and the Transformation of Urban America

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/selfreliant-cities-energy-and-transformation-urban-america/

The first half of this book discusses the century-long struggle by cities to gain autonomy and authority from state governments and create their own planning and service delivery capacities. The second part describes the first urban-based localization movements. Given the relevance of the book to current localist efforts, we’ve written a new foreword that traces the local energy initiatives after the 75 percent plunge in oil prices after 1982 and the coming to power of a new administration hostile to renewable energy. Continue reading

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Resource filed under Energy, The Public Good | Written by David Morris | 1 Comment | Updated on Apr 1, 1982

The New City-States

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/new-citystates/

"From the hills of Seattle to the flatlands of Davis, from the industrial city of Hartford to the universty town of Madison, cities are beginning to redefine their role in our society," begins this important essay.  For Morris the new role should should include inducing the widest distribution of productive capacity.  New technologies make possible a more self-conscious and organic city. Local self-reliance becomes a strategy that embraces economic, environmental, and political goals. Morris argues that we have had far too much government and far too little governance.  Government is bureaucratic. Governance is democratic.  Communities can design their future. The new city-state emerge.  Continue reading