David Korten argues that corporate consolidation of power is merely a contemporary manifestation of what he calls Empire: the organization of society by hierarchies of domination. Increasingly destructive on every level, the way of Empire is leading to environmental and social collapse. We now face a mounting perfect storm of climate change, peak oil, and the financial instability inherent in an unbalanced global trading system. In “The Great Turning”, Korten makes the case that we must change course and choose a new future as a conscious collective act.
We cannot avoid the unraveling. We can, however, turn a potentially terminal crisis into an epic opportunity to bring forth a new era of Earth Community grounded in the life-affirming values of ecological integrity, economic justice, community, and democracy. “The Great Turning” is an essential resource for those who understand this need and are prepared to engage what Thomas Berry calls the Great Work.
