In his earlier book, The Ascent of Humanity, Eisenstein traces all of the converging crises of our age to a common source - Separation, the ideology of the discrete and separate self - which he sees as an illusion. In this latest work he picks up on the theme of separation by beginning with a description of the economics of separation in which money has become not only a universal aim but a universal means as well, whereby we mortgage our dreams to money. He does not advocate the abolition of money, but restoring it to its proper place. Happily, his analysis undercuts the Chicago School of Economics ideology that is constantly beaten into our brains by the mainstream media. He carefully and logically deconstructs the arguments put forward by the spokespeople for that present system.
The second part of the book is on the economics of reunion which he sums up in seven shifts that are needed, forming his interconnected program for a peaceful transition to a stable, sustainable economy in harmony with Nature. He holds that the material world will come to be regarded as sacred, thus erasing the dichotomy between the material and the spiritual. The shifts are: 1) negative-interest currency, 2) elimination of economic rents, and compensation for depletion of the commons, 3) internalization of social and environmental costs, 4) economic and monetary localization, 5) the social dividend, 6) economic degrowth, 7) gift culture and P2P (peer-to-peer) economics. For each of the seven he notes what the motivation is for this shift, how to make the transition and the policy for it, and what the economic life will look like.
I want to say more about number 1 - negative-interest currency, which involves imposing penalties on money that is not in motion. He ties negative-interest money directly into the current debt crisis, and clearly charts a path by which we can gradually (hence non-violently) draw down the concentration of wealth and get money in motion where it matters most: in the hands of those who are not uber-wealthy. It reverses the dynamic we have today, where it is profitable to deplete the commons.
Not being inclined toward economic theory, I was most intrigued with Part III of this book, Living the New Economy, which I found both practical and inspiring. Eisenstein sees the foundation of a sacred economy as gift consciousness. He notes that we have become even more afraid of receiving than of giving and that to willingly receive a gift is itself a form of generosity. We tend to use money to mean that we can pay and then we don't pay attention to our fellow human beings. So the first step toward relearning gift culture is to learn to give the gift of fully receiving the gift of another. That is one of the most important gifts we can give.
The old economics has a concentration of wealth, excludes those who can't pay, is anonymous and depersonalized, shatters community and connection, and is oriented toward accumulation of money and property. Sacred economy, on the other hand, is egalitarian, inclusive, personal, bond-creating, sustainable, and nonaccumulative. The positive word Eisenstein brings is that the old economics can't last. We can prepare for the new by living from it now, today!
Another step toward the new economy then, is nonaccumulation, or as we used to call it, "voluntary simplicity." It is a kind of economic de-cluttering; it keeps the heart light and free. There is no moralism here. Keep and use what you need; just don't aggregate large amounts of capital. Remember that the seeming security of accumulation is an illusion. If you have inherited excess wealth, the challenge is to give it in a way that is beautiful - like restoring and protecting the natural, social, cultural and spiritual commons. Eisenstein has a strong aversion to charging interest. He says if you want to invest in a village, give a woman a cow. Or if her dignity demands it, lend her money at zero interest. Invest in a wholesome future; do not try to make money off of the situation.
What he says about right livelihood reminds me of his book on food (The Yoga of Eating). He says "don't live by principles," but to "trust what feels good and right." He says to do that even if you want to work for a hedge fund, because he trusts that as your awareness grows, such work may not feel good and right and that trusting that feeling will mean it will guide you when it comes time to quit that job for something courageous. "Trust that you want to do beautiful things with our life." He insists that you not guilt yourself into working for some NGO, because it is important to develop the capacity to give your energies toward something you love. Eisenstein himself has moved toward doing what he loves and the gift economy by writing his passionate books and making them available free online, inviting a gift from readers who want to express their gratitude. He does not charge a fee for speeches or retreats, although he requests that expenses be covered and encourages attendees or sponsors to give what feels balanced and appropriate to them and reflects their gratitude.
Sacred Economics as described by Charles Eisenstein is realistic. It does not go along with the common pretense that we are isolated individuals who have no need of others. It recognizes that we live in community, are born and die naked, and need one another and the natural world to live. Such an economics moves toward acknowledging our deeper unmet needs for connectedness, play, and creative action toward creating a beautiful world. May we begin.
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Top reviews from other countries
Peter Monien
An eye opening book about a potential other economic system based on a gift economy
Reviewed in Germany on October 27, 2019Robin Lovelace
Degrowth is the solution: here's why
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 7, 2013