The Sufficient Community: Putting People First

In The Sufficient Community, Chris Wright shows how an unholy alliance comprising the money economy, the institutionalisation of social behaviour and the impact of the scientific mind map have combined to produce a society that denies individuality. To continue along this track is clearly folly: we must recognise the threat that we face, and review what is important in life. In our different ways we all seek to realise our own individual potential, and our best hope of achieving this goal is through a network of mutually supportive relationships that allow growth and development for both ourselves and others - a simple definition of a community. This emphasis on relationships leads to the ideal of the Sufficient Community built on an exchange of skills between individuals, allowing everyone to meet their basic needs and valuing each and every member of the community through the contribution they make. The author also shows how new communities based on local trading systems are leading the way to the creation of a more just and sustainable society.