The focus of this book is on bringing revolutionary social change. Little attention is given to analyzing and critiquing the forces that have created the need for revolution; the usefulness of providing critical analysis of the causes of social problems is diminishing; the need is for a clear vision of a way forward.

The perspectives offered in this book are based on the comprehensive social philosophy known as the Progressive Utilization Theory (PROUT), and in particular on its theory of history and its methodology for social change.

While PROUT recognizes the role played by material forces in social dynamics, it is not a materialist social philosophy. It is based in what can be called protospirituality, or fundamental spirituality — a spiritual outlook unaffiliated with any sectarian religion or spiritual movements but defined by perennial and universal spiritual values. It is a spirituality that acknowledges a wholeness and sacredness of being and that foregrounds love, compassion, service and reverence.

There is great need to replace the approach to socioeconomic development that prevails in the world today. Without this, humanity will face disasters of increasing severity and eventual civilizational collapse. The pace of destabilizing imbalances in the world is quickening. Change is desperately needed.

Reforms, while helpful, will be insufficient to stem the tide; fundamental change is required. A new socioeconomic system, based on new values and new practices, is needed. The current approach of centralizing economic power, basing economic activity on profit, plundering resources unsustainably, and privileging individual gain must be replaced with an economic system that balances profits with care for earth and people, that relocalizes the focus of economic control, that uses resources sustainably, and that harmonizes individual gain with collective well-being.

That the prevailing economic system is failing much of humanity and disrupting planetary life is known to many, as are the broad requirements for a new system to replace it. What is lacking is a new social vision, grounded in an expansive understanding of human potentialities, and a pathway to give it birth.

Many observers have analyzed the failures and casualties of economic globalism and neoliberalism. The bad fruits of this world system are increasingly apparent. It’s time to bring forward ambitious efforts to establish and vitalize localized development based on new values and guided by a new social vision.

The work of creating working local economies that ensure sustainability, equity, and the basic necessities of life for all needs to be approached in an integrated, holistic framework. Such an approach would give attention, simultaneously and in coordination, to the following essential arenas of transformation:

First, articulating a guiding socioeconomic theory — the values, principles, and operating systems — of decentralized, integrated, equitable and sustainable development.

Second, developing public policy guidelines and institutional frameworks that support implementation of the new social vision.

Third, demonstrating and refining practical models of sustainable, integrated local development.

Fourth, offering education — trainings, publications, videos, social media content, etc. — to early adopters of the new social vision and of its practice of development.

Fifth, organizing social and electoral movements, as needed, to press grassroots demands for economic democracy so that local communities can be empowered to build out the new system of development.

Each of these arenas of work are facet of a whole in which their respective contributions will have best effect if given coordinated expression by a movement for change that is capable of embracing them as an integrated strategy, operating on multiple fronts.

This will be challenging. Social theorists, policy wonks, model builders, educators and political activists generally inhabit independent realms, are motivated by different passions, and lack the vision to link their work with efforts in the other arenas. Linking and integrating these realms is for a visionary few whose minds can embrace a synthetic outlook. The nature of social change that is needed requires as much coordination and collaboration as possible. Amidst the diverse expressions of people’s impulse for transformation, there should be unity of purpose.

Of these five arenas of transformative work, the arena least amenable to coordination with the others is that of social movements. Grass-roots political action tends to ride the upwellings of sentiments that stir action by progressive forces. It is typically characterized by an immediacy and spontaneity that give it an independent dynamic. Whether political action is characterized by impulsiveness or by strategic discipline, its expression is essential. Progress in establishing a new social vision will be stifled if it is not backed by the forceful political demands of the masses.

People are naturally reticent to undertake revolutionary change. However much care may be taken in guiding an orderly transition to a new system, disruption is inevitable. Compounding this, most of those who have privileged position will resist deep change; they will not voluntarily let go of their wealth and power. So, the need for a change of system must be compelling. People must realize (as many now do) that there is no choice, that it is a matter of survival, and that, in the end, the new system will bring a far better quality of life to all.

What is it that compels us to action? It is that humanity faces several major crises, each of which has capacity to bring dead endings to society as we’ve known it. Each alone could bring collapse; together their danger to humanity is magnified.

Resource depletion. As world population continues to grow, resource use grows even faster. Essential resources are now being depleted at an unsustainable rate. Resources are being used at such a rate that about 1.7 earths are now be required to sustain humanity at our present level of resource use. Humanity has overshot the earth’s carrying capacity.

Climate change. Due in the main to human created greenhouse gases, Earth's climate is rapidly changing. Average annual temperatures have risen steadily, as has the frequency of extreme weather events. There is a real possibility that the global climate system is already reaching tipping-points, which would bring a sudden shift in the stable climate humanity has enjoyed for the past twelve millennia.

Environmental destruction. Species are going extinct at a rate not seen since the fall of the dinosaurs. Earth is experiencing its sixth mass extinction event. As the destruction of the earth proceeds — consuming soils, aquifers, surface waters, coral reefs, forests, flood plain buffers, ecosystem biodiversity — the economic potentials of humanity are diminishing with it.

Economic Collapse. There are two fundamental causes of economic depressions: (1) over-concentration of wealth among the rich, which eventually reduces the purchasing capacity of common people to the point that consumer demand is depressed, and (2) stagnancy in the movement of money in the productive economy, as investors withhold credit, or as investments are concentrated in non-productive speculation. Both conditions exist in the current global economy. While the number of billionaires grows, the real wages of the middle and lower classes remains stagnant. And excessive investments flow into speculative financial markets, where they are of little productive use (and, as well, create the potential for financial instability).

These crises are not independent of each other but are the acute symptoms of a larger metacrisis, and all caused by a greed-driven economic system. As such, they are interrelated, with capacity to interact in complex and mutually reinforcing ways. As the mutually exacerbating effects of the symptoms of the global metacrisis intensify, and as their effects come together in unanticipated perfect storm situations, disaster and hardship will become more commonplace. Even where there is not severe hardship, societies will face dwindling developmental potential. The sinking ship must be abandoned, and fundamental change embraced.

Change — fundamental change — will not be easy. But its necessity is upon us. We can either fail to act, at great cost to humanity’s wellbeing, or accept the challenges and embrace the promising new possibilities that are arising.

Establishing a new modality of social development — one that is decentralized, sustainable, inclusive, and post-materialist — will require an uncommon degree of engagement, unity and leadership. And it will require a viable new social vision that can unleash the suppressed potential of the human race.

New models of sustainable living have their value, as do policy proposals that offer solution-oriented approaches. Mass social movements are also essential. But without a suitable guiding vision, based on values that unify humanity, they will prove insufficient to carry the day.