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living democracy, feeding hope
the Institute of writers, speakers, & activists Frances Moore Lappé and Anna Lappé
LIVING DEMOCRACY
To save the democracy we thought we had, we must take democracy to where it’s never been—toward a “living democracy” where we each have a voice in fostering solutions to the challenges of our time, from life-stunting inequality to climate change.
Bon Appetit
This Book Started a Food Revolution in 1971—And It’s Never Felt More Relevant
Diet For a Small Planet argued that plant-centered eating is better for ourselves and our planet. Fifty years later, that idea is still shaping how we eat.
"Go back in time with us to 1971, the year that changed the way we eat forever. When Frances Moore Lappé called cattle “a protein factory in reverse” in her 1971 book Diet for a Small Planet, she wasn’t just arguing that meat was an inefficient way to feed humans, though it is. Nor did she set out to turn millions of Americans vegetarian and help the natural foods movement find its political voice, though she did. For the 26-year-old researcher, Diet was an act of radical hope..."
March 23, 2021
LIVING DEMOCRACY BLOGS
WHAT IS LIVING DEMOCRACY?
The Small Planet Institute’s vision is grounded in eyes-wide-open hope, the opposite of wishful thinking. We strive to further three social conditions: wide dispersion of power, transparency in public affairs, and a culture of mutual accountability--what we call Living Democracy--an evolving way of life, not only a form of government. These conditions have been proven over humanity’s long evolution to bring forth the best in our species and to keep the worst in check.
Living Democracy is not a finished state. It is a journey with clear direction, one based in evidence from diverse fields of inquiry as well our own experience and observations of history. Together, they confirm that humans come “soft-wired” for cooperation, empathy, and fairness needed to make possible a democratic way of life; while our species also suffers a profound anti-democratic weakness, our tendency to push blame on those we perceive as different.
Thus, at the Small Planet Institute we ask - what are the social conditions enabling the positive aspects of our nature to flourish while keeping the negative in check? We define three: the wide dispersion of power, transparency in public affairs, and a culture of mutual accountability rather than blaming. In large measure they bring forth our better selves because they enable us to meet three essential human needs: for personal power (to know “we count”), meaning, and connection with others.
When these needs are met across political, economic and social dimensions of life, we experience dignity, the very lifeblood of Living Democracy.
Living Democracy is thus the journey of fulfilling the social conditions essential to meeting our deepest needs.
FRANCES MOORE LAPPÉ'S
"THOUGHT SPARKS" VIDEO SERIES
Frances shares her often-surprising takes on themes of hope, democracy, and courage in her Thought Sparks Video Series. She opens her heart about what fortifies her in this scary time. And don't miss reading her companion blogs too!
JOIN THE HOPE MOVEMENT
"It's not the magnitude of a challenge that crushes the human spirit. It's feeling useless that does us in."
— from "Daring Democracy: Igniting Power, Meaning, and Connection for the America We Want" by Frances Moore Lappé and Adam Eichen
“This book, perhaps better than any other, shows Americans that the democracy they want is possible.”
—Lawrence Lessig, Harvard Law School professor and author of Republic, Lost, on Frances Moore Lappé & Adam Eichen's Daring Democracy
DARING DEMOCRACY AUTHORS
ADAM EICHEN
Small Planet Institute Democracy Fellow
FRANCES MOORE LAPPÉ
Small Planet Institute Co-Founder
Seasoned writer and activist Frances met recent college graduate Adam at a democracy conference in Mexico City in 2015. This culminated in the cross-generational pair teaming up to write Daring Democracy.
SPREADING THE DEMOCRACY MESSAGE
Frances enjoys speaking to students, faith groups, and more about the power of community, democracy, organizing, and hope. Invite Frances to speak at your organization!
PAST APPEARANCES INCLUDE...
Stanford University
Harvard University
UMass Amherst
Vassar College
New York University
University of Waterloo
Smith College
University of Hawaii
UC Santa Cruz
Brooklyn College
Oregon State University
Mt. Holyoke College
Ohio University
Connecticut College
Eckerd College
Miami Dade College
We have some very exciting news to share from the teams at Small Planet Institute and Democracy Initiative -- the Democracy Movement website has officially launched! This website has been long-awaited, so we are ecstatic to see it finally come to fruition.
Tens of millions of Americans across every state are actively pursuing initiatives to fix our broken democracy. Their combined energies, we call the Democracy Movement. It is truly a movement of movements drawing together Americans with diverse issue-passions—from social justice to climate change to labor rights. All understand that none of their specific goals can be met without real democracy removing the grip of big money in politics, protecting and furthering voting rights, and ensuring and equal voice for all via fair redistricting and more.
Trouble is, most of us have no idea this is happening—a blindness contributing to resignation and even despair.
So Democracy Initiative, with members representing 45 million Americans, and the Small Planet Institute partnered to meet a critical need: To create one energizing, on-line meeting-and-inspiration hub for the movement. Here, visitors can instantly grasp and be uplifted by the breadth and depth of the Movement, immediately feeling more powerful and less isolated as they find allies and meaningful action.
Please check it out at www.DemocracyMovement.US and share our link with anyone you think may find it interesting. To make it easy for you we created a Promotion Toolkit here. Your promotion means the world to us!
Thank you all for your support along the way -- it has allowed our vision to finally become a reality!
In Solidarity,
Frances
EVERY MOVEMENT NEEDS A SIGN...
Every movement needs a hand sign.
Here’s our idea for the Democracy Movement:
it’s the letter “d” in American sign language, and with a raised arm it seems to shout
“I count” and “1 person, 1 vote!”