world.
Most of the new world was governed on a smaller grassroots level, giving local citizens the direct power to make decisions. The older centralized systems of government and commerce had been dissolved. Local decision-making and regional-based economics kept the new systems in balance. All people had a say in governmental and economic issues.
Talis had studied the old political system of the former United States in his school. Gone were the days of special interest lobbyists and money controlling the system. This was no longer allowed, nor was it desired. The Elders were chosen by their community groups. Local citizens and smaller village councils made local policy and put forth recommendations to the larger regional councils. Laws were very few as they were usually not necessary. Principles put forth to guide society were instead the preferred means of policy making. Their open and diverse education system gave people the tools to decide what was best for each community. It wasn’t a flawless process; at times decision-making could be very slow. Yet it worked well for the most part, keeping government truly controlled by its citizens. Talis and his generation had known no other way.
Talis looked out his train window at all the beauty he passed by. Green space dominated the landscape as many areas had been returned to its natural state. Trees and open space were complimented by small sustainable communities. Life was abundant and people in this area lived well.
Not far from Joshua’s home, Talis’s village was located near the old town of Salem, the former capital of Oregon. Much like Portland, it had also been broken up into smaller ecovillages. The former state of Oregon was now part of the Cascadia Bioregion in the Western Collective. Although divided into smaller regions, it consisted of most of the Pacific Northwest of what had been part of the former United States. Bioregions were areas in which the land was naturally connected by watersheds, mountains and flora. This was a natural division that helped with efficiency of trade, agriculture, economics and government. Each bioregion was in many ways a separate entity, yet all cooperated fully with the other regions. Smaller regional government worked better for the world as policies and decisions were made at the local level by those that lived there. To deal with world issues, the various regional councils openly communicated and cooperated with each other as needed. To aid in the ongoing peace and to care for the important issues of the larger world, there were several universal principles agreed upon by all of the regional collectives of the United Continents.
When Talis had studied economics at the regional university, he had learned of the older 20 th century systems. Economies were now locally controlled, with cooperation between the various regions of the world. He often wondered how the economic world had ever functioned using the old models. In the current system there were no large corporations or centralized government entities that controlled the economy. Large financial institutions as well as national and multi-national corporations were dissolved soon after the revolution. They were all broken apart into smaller locally-controlled entities. The national and international stock markets were also dissolved. Profit made on speculative gain was no longer accepted. Investments could be made and a certain amount of fair ethical profit was allowed, but this was controlled on the regional levels. Grassroots local democracy was part of the new economic model.
Talis still remembered how his grandfather would marvel at all that had been accomplished since the revolution. Control of industries and business was given back to the local regions and the local citizens. The guiding principles of economic equality along with strong environmental philosophies worked hand-in-hand with making money. Profit was not valued as much as service to others and to the good
Most of the new world was governed on a smaller grassroots level, giving local citizens the direct power to make decisions. The older centralized systems of government and commerce had been dissolved. Local decision-making and regional-based economics kept the new systems in balance. All people had a say in governmental and economic issues.
Talis had studied the old political system of the former United States in his school. Gone were the days of special interest lobbyists and money controlling the system. This was no longer allowed, nor was it desired. The Elders were chosen by their community groups. Local citizens and smaller village councils made local policy and put forth recommendations to the larger regional councils. Laws were very few as they were usually not necessary. Principles put forth to guide society were instead the preferred means of policy making. Their open and diverse education system gave people the tools to decide what was best for each community. It wasn’t a flawless process; at times decision-making could be very slow. Yet it worked well for the most part, keeping government truly controlled by its citizens. Talis and his generation had known no other way.
Talis looked out his train window at all the beauty he passed by. Green space dominated the landscape as many areas had been returned to its natural state. Trees and open space were complimented by small sustainable communities. Life was abundant and people in this area lived well.
Not far from Joshua’s home, Talis’s village was located near the old town of Salem, the former capital of Oregon. Much like Portland, it had also been broken up into smaller ecovillages. The former state of Oregon was now part of the Cascadia Bioregion in the Western Collective. Although divided into smaller regions, it consisted of most of the Pacific Northwest of what had been part of the former United States. Bioregions were areas in which the land was naturally connected by watersheds, mountains and flora. This was a natural division that helped with efficiency of trade, agriculture, economics and government. Each bioregion was in many ways a separate entity, yet all cooperated fully with the other regions. Smaller regional government worked better for the world as policies and decisions were made at the local level by those that lived there. To deal with world issues, the various regional councils openly communicated and cooperated with each other as needed. To aid in the ongoing peace and to care for the important issues of the larger world, there were several universal principles agreed upon by all of the regional collectives of the United Continents.
When Talis had studied economics at the regional university, he had learned of the older 20 th century systems. Economies were now locally controlled, with cooperation between the various regions of the world. He often wondered how the economic world had ever functioned using the old models. In the current system there were no large corporations or centralized government entities that controlled the economy. Large financial institutions as well as national and multi-national corporations were dissolved soon after the revolution. They were all broken apart into smaller locally-controlled entities. The national and international stock markets were also dissolved. Profit made on speculative gain was no longer accepted. Investments could be made and a certain amount of fair ethical profit was allowed, but this was controlled on the regional levels. Grassroots local democracy was part of the new economic model.
Talis still remembered how his grandfather would marvel at all that had been accomplished since the revolution. Control of industries and business was given back to the local regions and the local citizens. The guiding principles of economic equality along with strong environmental philosophies worked hand-in-hand with making money. Profit was not valued as much as service to others and to the good
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