The Earth Belongs To Everyone

The Earth Belongs to Everyone by Alanna Hartzok, co-director of Earth Rights Institute, sets forth the vision and policy foundation for no less than a new form of democracy -- "earth rights democracy." Following an introduction containing glimpses of the author's fascinating journey through life, this compilation of her articles and essays describes how to establish political-economic systems based on the human right to the planet as a birthright. Her main point is that earth rights democracy is an essential ethical basis necessary to secure other economic human rights and to create a world of peace and plenty for all. She places this core perspective into an integrated local-to-global framework that balances the need for global cooperation with the necessity for building demilitarized, decentralized, and sustainable local-based economies.

In The Earth Belongs to Everyone you will learn how the earth rights ethic can be realized through fundamental yet practical reforms in public finance policy based on integrating two primary trains of thought: the policy of "land rent for the people" as advocated by Thomas Paine, Henry George and other classical and current economic thinkers, and recent movements for "green" polluter-pay type taxes. Successful working examples of the earth rights approach to public finance are found throughout the book.

The Earth Belongs to Everyone presents a large and hopeful worldview with profound possibilities for transformational action for peace, economic justice, and environmental restoration.

Themes include: Democracy, Earth Rights and the Next Economy; Sharing Our Common Heritage; Land for People, Not for Profit; Financing Local to Global Public Goods; Women, Earth and Economic Power; Restructuring Economic Relationships; Economics of War and Peace.

What they are saying about The Earth Belongs to Everyone:
"More and more people are convinced that the only way to a just, prosperous and ecologically sustainable future is to share the value of Earth's resources more fairly. One of the many merits of Alanna Hartzok's collection of writings is to ground that conviction in practical proposals. She inspires us to do something about it."
- James Robertson, author, The New Economics of Sustainable Development, co-founder, The Other Economic Summit and the New Economics Foundation, consultant, European Commission, London
"Alanna Hartzok has deeply researched tax issues with equity and ecological-sustainability firmly in mind. This book is a storehouse of wisdom and insights on these and many broader issues relating economics to the larger planetary ecology."
- Hazel Henderson, author, Beyond Globalization and Building a Win-Win World, member, President's Commission on Sustainable Development, founder, Ethical Markets TV
"There are many of your articles which I dearly want to publish at www.stwr.net. The Share the World's Resources audience is vast and certainly your message through your articles will be most welcome by our readers and members around the world."
- Mohammed Mesbahi, Chair and Founder, Share the World's Resources, London
"Alanna Hartzok's grasp of land issues is truly impressive. A real intellectual feast. I have learned so much from her work and writings."
- Col. Thomas Dempsey, Director of African Studies, US Army War College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania