“Black Women’s Blueprint” Helps Low-Income Women Get By—Through Bartering
Farah Tanis learned that, of the women in poverty she worked with, 9 out of 10 had experienced violence—so she started a bartering network to help them survive.
Economy
That Book About Inequality That’s Sold Out of Bookstores? Here’s What It Means for 2016
The popularity of a new book by French economist Thomas Piketty should be a wake-up call for politicians. If inequality sells in the stores, it will sell at the polls as well.
Our Economy Wants You to Be In Debt—5 Things You Can Do to Take Charge
We pored through a debt-resistance manual created by former Occupiers to bring you these practical tips.
Infographic: Why Social Security’s Not Going Broke
Making Social Security solvent in the long run isn't that hard. But who should bear the cost?
Europe Leads U.S. in Effort to Tax Financial “Speed Demons”
The European Commission expects a tiny tax on financial transactions to raise an estimated $42 billion per year while discouraging purely speculative short-term trading.
Portland Is First U.S. City to Divest Funds from Walmart
The initiative also prohibits the city from purchasing Walmart bonds in the future.
The Coal Workers You Didn’t Know Existed—And Why They May Be At Risk
Thousands of workers may be at risk of chronic disease from the chemicals used to process coal—including MCHM, which recently contaminated the drinking water of nearly 300,000 West Virginia residents.
Fans Move to Buy LA Clippers After Owner Is Banned From NBA
The fans hope to buy the team and make it into a nonprofit organization like the Green Bay Packers.
Dear Paul Krugman: Is GDP Growth Making Us Richer or Poorer? (Please Clarify.)
Is Paul Krugman just advocating temporary growth up to some level of optimality, or a truly ever-growing economy?
In Rural Kansas, an Experiment Makes Hitchhiking Safe Again
The people behind the project borrowed some tricks from ride-sharing apps like Lyft, but tweaked the details so the rides are free.
Think You Know What a Farmer Looks Like? Think Again
Preliminary results from the 2012 Census of Agriculture show the increasing role of women in U.S. agriculture—especially on organic and small-scale farms.
Don’t Leave BitCoin to the Libertarians! (Or, Why Your Movement Needs Open Source Money)
Movements for economic justice and equality are rarely flush with cash. But "cryptocurrencies" like Bitcoin might stand to change the rules in their favor.
A New Source of Jobs for India’s Rural Women? (Hint: It’s in Your Shampoo)
The business in chemicals extracted from seaweed—predicted to be worth $7 billion by 2018—is emerging as a source of employment for rural women.
After Death of Radical Mayor, Mississippi’s Capital Wrestles With His Economic Vision
Mayor Chokwe Lumumba implemented only the first steps of his plan to address Jackson's extreme income inequality, which most seriously affected black residents. Now the city faces a choice between vastly different approaches to economic development.
Want to Fight the Corporate Takeover? Start with a Pint at the Pub
The British government is reversing damage done to local economies by the Great Recession by protecting local pubs.
Mondragón and the System Problem
Among the lessons of a major cooperative business' bankruptcy: The success of big co-ops might depend on things like radically reforming transportation and other parts of the larger economy.
A Parliament of Mayors: Can We End Inequality By Giving Cities ÎÞÂëÊÓƵ Power?
In our increasingly interdependent world, mayors may be more motivated to collaborate and possibly more capable than our national governments of effectively working across borders.
Remembering Chokwe Lumumba
Can you be a revolutionary and a mayor? Chokwe Lumumba—who spent eight months as mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, before he died—did his best to be both.
Tiny Houses for the Homeless: An Affordable Solution Catches On
A growing number of towns and cities have found a practical solution to homelessness through the construction of tiny-house villages—and housing officials are taking notice.
A Passion for Peppers: The Movement to Save New Mexico’s Treasured Chiles
New Mexico's traditional landrace chile varieties have adapted to hot days, cold nights, and long dry spells. But can they survive modern agribusiness?
To Truly Address Inequality, Let’s Build a People-Centered Economy
The high-tech hubs and natural gas drilling the president called for in his state of the union speech aren't the answer to our economic woes. Instead, we need to follow the leadership already coming from communities, workers, and small-business owners.
How a Fruit and Vegetable Auction in Rural Ohio Helps Appalachian Farmers Thrive
Produce auctions are getting fresh vegetables into food deserts, building community, and helping rural farmers earn a living.
10 Clever Ideas From Around the World to Root Out Inequality (Like Fining Extreme CEO Pay)
From Switzerland to New York, it seems like people are talking more than ever about inequality—and its antidotes. Here are some of the most promising and provocative ideas from last year that could shift our course in 2014.
After 20-Year Fight, Bronx Community Wins Big on Development Project Committed to Living Wages and Local Economy
The people of New York’s poorest borough fought to ensure that redevelopment of its castle-like landmark will benefit those who live there. Will it be a gamechanger?
An Economy That Benefits Ordinary People? What We Learned From the 1%
When thinking 40 years into the future, people step out of the current political situation, and our sense of what's possible becomes much more expansive. We are not only able to think bigger—we crave it.
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