Agenda for A New Economy 

David Korten ends his book,  Agenda for a New Economy, expressing his profound sadness when he looks at the gap between our human reality and our human possibility. But being an optimist and a man of faith,  Korten states that his “ greatest source of joy and hope is awareness of the vitality of the human spirit as demonstrated by the millions and millions of people who are working to realize their shared vision of a just and sustainable world that works for all.”

He adds “my greatest motivation is the knowledge that it is within our collective means to unleash the positive creative potential of the human consciousness and make that vision a reality.” He is buoyed up by the “privilege of living at the most exciting moment of creative opportunity of the whole of human experience.  Now is the hour.  We are the ones we have been waiting for.”

PRAYER FOR A NEW ECONOMIC ORDER

Created by Rosa Maria Montenegro as summary of David Korten’s Agenda for a New Economy, From Phantom Wealth to Real Wealth, NSP Program, Nov. 14, 2010

Reader 1.

Almighty and all-knowing Great Spirit, God of the universe and all living beings, we ask you to liberate us from cultural and institutional chains of our own making which bind us and hinder our Progress.  May we foster relationships with wonderfully creative, thoughtful and inspiring people as we bring about vital, communities populated by people who all enjoy a quality of life with no one living in extreme poverty or indulging in extreme wealth.

ALL:  May we be the ones we have been waiting for!

READER 2

We look forward to a bright future enriched by the affirmation of our basic human values resulting in creating a new economic order from the bottom up.  May our political leaders whom we respect for their wisdom, integrity and commitment to the public good, truly be part of this new order.  Imbued with new hope and strengthened by our commitment to this new order, may we witness family-owned homes and family-run local businesses.  May we witness justly remunerated jobs organized to give us ample time for family, friends and for full participation in community and political life.  May we see a new era of healthful physical activity, learning and spiritual growth which will be the measure of our success in sustainable productivity of human, social and living natural capital.  May our goal be to secure the well-being of our children for generations .

ALL: May we be the ones we have been waiting for!

READER 3

May we aspire to a time in which we live closer together as we abandon the grotesque suburban sprawl and go back to areas close to our jobs made imperative by the high prize of oil   May we see a new landscape supported by organic farming, grazing and timber production in the abandoned suburbs as governments opt to bring down suburban buildings and to salvage materials for reuse in newly created compact communities.  May we appreciate these wholesome living environments leaving no room for chemicals, waste dumps and regarding everything as salvageable.

ALL: May we be the ones we have been waiting for!

READER 4

May we pray and wish for an end to the dysfunction or our money system.  May we see the demise of Wall Street! Then, it will be great to see that publicly traded, for profit corporations will be long gone and corporations producing useful products will be employee owned

in local communities.  We long for the unlimited benefits of greater health and vitality of children, families and communities in an ecologically diverse and healthy landscape of forests, waterways and fertile soil for our food.

ALL: May we be the ones we have been waiting for!

READER 5:

How happy we will be to live in a world in which Wall Street will no longer manipulate and dominate our financial and economic lives!   How eagerly we await the end of passive investments, financial speculation, gambling and other unproductive activities resulting in waste, mindless exploitation and utter disregard for people and the earth.  How we long for an end to our dependence on motor vehicles and fossil fuels which have contributed  to so much injury to us

and the beauty of our world.  How wonderful it would be to witness a vibrant and vital intellectual life open to scientific inquiry addressing society’s needs and eliminating stifling monopolies and promoting and encouraging creative and positive innovation.

ALL:  May we be the ones we have been waiting for!

READER 6:

In this new order, may we see crime as non-existent because families are stable and strong,raising well-nourished children and  living in secure and loving homes bolstered by a good education.  May our civic and community life be enhanced by our full participation and involvement ensuring a better world for all our citizens?  We yearn for an end to prisons now seen as signs of social failure and destined to totally disappear.  May we witness rehabilitation reserved for those beyond redemption but giving all an opportunity to change..

ALL: May we be the ones we have been waiting for!

READER 7:

Finally, may we actively participate in overseeing a change in our money system so that we,  no longer will  permit huge bailouts to be poured on greedy Wall Street firms causing our economic collapse .  We look forward to a time in which economics will be a branch of ecology;  when  money will circulate benefiting areas where it is most needed as circumstances change; a  time in which people will no longer owe beyond their means;  when loans are paid back to local financial institutions organized as non-profit cooperatives;  when everyone as saver and borrower will participate in financial institutions in equal measure; when debts will be modest, for real purchases and to meet real needs.

ALL: May we be the ones we are waiting for!