Great Turning

David C. Korten is president and founder of the People-Centered Development Forum, a global alliance dedicated to the creation of just, inclusive and sustainable societies through voluntary citizen action. He holds MBA and PhD degrees from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and is a former faculty member of the Harvard Graduate School of Business. He was previously a Ford Foundation project specialist in Manila and an Asia Regional Advisor on Development Management for the U.S. Agency for International Development. David is the author of 'The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community', 'When Corporations Rule the World' and 'The Post-Corporate World: Life After Capitalism' and a frequently invited speaker at conferences around the world. He is also a Board member of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) and a member of Social Venture Network and the Club of Rome.

“The Great Turning sets forth a compelling, devastating, and ultimately profoundly hopeful story that provides a framework for the new, unifying political conversation our nation so desperately needs. A must-read for every person of conscience.”—Van Jones, Executive Director, The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights “What a gift David Korten has given us with this prophetic book! In this well-written and thorough story of the crises of late Modernity, Korten gives us a beautifully reasoned, carefully researched look at why we absolutely have to turn away from imperial power and wealth and, instead, create an Earth Community. This is a must-read for activists, for lovers of contemporary American studies, and for Cultural Creatives.”—Paul H. Ray, coauthor of The Cultural Creatives “Employing history, psychology, economics, spirituality, and common sense, Korten not only critiques the dilemma we are in as a species, he also shows us doable and workable ways out of our morass. He has cre- ated a tour de force —a call to compassion as much as a blueprint for survival. This book is a kind of Bible to the 21st century, a revelation of where we might travel if we have the moral imagination and the courage to choose and act wisely.”—Matthew Fox, educator and theologian, author of Original Blessing and A New Reformation “If you read only one book on how to address the looming ecological and social crises facing humanity, make it this one! Korten fearlessly grapples with ‘the big picture’ and goes beyond merely diagnosing the problem (which he does with great precision), as he outlines a positive and realistic plan for actually creating a just and sustainable global society.”—David Cobb, 2004 Green Party United States Presidential Candidate “Korten has done it again—created a masterpiece of big thinking to help us find our way in this death-or-life historical moment. With fascinating analogies, intriguing stories, and eloquent analysis, Korten engages and emboldens us to believe that we can trust and cultivate the best in our- selves and, despite the lateness of the hour, choose life.”—Frances Moore Lappé, author of Hope’s Edge and Democracy

• Acknowledgments The Great Turning Prologue: In Search of the PossiblePART I: CHOOSING OUR FUTURE 1: The Choice2: The Possibility3: The Imperative 4: The OpportunityPART II: SORROWS OF EMPIRE 5: When God Was a Woman 6: Ancient Empire 7: Modern Empire 8: Athenian Experiment PART III: AMERICA, THE UNFINISHED PROJECT 9: Inauspicious Beginning 10: People Power Rebellion 11: Empire’s Victory 12: Struggle for Justice 13: Wake-Up Call 14: Prisons of the MindPART IV: THE GREAT TURNING 15: Beyond Strict Father versus Aging Clock 16: Creation’s Epic Journey17: Joys of Earth Community 18: Stories for a New EraPART V: BIRTHING EARTH COMMUNITY19: Leading from Below 20: Building a Political Majority21: Liberating Creative Potential 22: Change the Story, Change the FutureNotes Index About the Author