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Journal of the Fourth World RESURGENCE

March-April Volume 5 Number 1 275 Kings Road, Kingston, Surrey, England

CONTENTS Who are the Patriots?

Geoffrey Ashe

The Rape of Mother Earth

John Seymour

Building from Below

Lorna Salzman

The Cathars

Ian Meadows

Education for Leisure and

Wholesome Work E.F. Schumacher

POETRY

Nick Toczek, Adrian Mitchell, Bernard Kops, Nikos Kazantzakis, Lola Haskins, Erich Fried, Lyn Lifshin, Bertolt Brecht, Thomas Land, Benson Whittle, Tina Morris, Herbert Girardet, Dannie Abse 11 To be in the flow interview with Heinrich Boll 19 Salvation of the Word

Benson Whittle

Meditation

Satish Kumar

Power to the Parish

Stephen Horne

How conservative are

the Conservatives? Hugh Sharman

Oral History

Timothy Wilson

The Way Out from Synthetic

Living Roger Franklin

Do More with Less

Hugh Sharman

Things

Llyout: Dave B11sley, Strllffl MiddlfKlitch. Pat LM. Terry Wheeler, Ray Buckland, Geoff Hicks

Editor: Satish Kumar

Editorial Group: Brian Bridge, Tony Coll»n, Glloffrev CooPflr, Clive Harrison, Stephen '*1me, Strive Lambert, Thomas Land, Jun11 lllirdlell, Jimoh Omo-Fadaka, Terry Shannan, Aline Vogel

-..OC:iate Editors: EnHlst Bader, Danilo Daiei, llay Gosling, L11opold Kohr, Jay.,,rakash tttaravan, John Papworth, Dr. E.F. Shumachar P'ublisher: Hugh Sharman Distributor: Seearjo Ltd., Leict11tr1r

Annual Subscription £1.80 SS.DO

I l

FEE BAC No more Papageno Dear Editor, I do hope you will be able to avoid too much of the Papageno stuff in future which really does not belong to the Resurgence of today's do-it-yourself line Glyndebourne is really a very snob.place frequented only by surtax payers I would have thought Resurgence London Notebook could contain reports of some of the exciting, liberated, do-it-yourself, artistic ventures in London; street theatre, art and drama workshops etc.

In your editorial, Vol.4, No.5, with which in general I am in agreement, I think you make a mistake in bracketing China with countries where "the citizen is unable to see whose hands are on the levers of power and where he is quite unable to take his turn at the driving seat".

I have the impression that, especially since the Cultural Revolution, we all have a great deal to learn from China about devolution of responsibility and grass roots participation, local self-reliance, an education system free from the defects noted by Gunnar Myrdal in your quote on p.26, and many other advantages of no longer being ruled by the profit system as we are here.

There are tendencies in our present society which may lead to some sort of breakdown, but there seems to me very little understanding of how to build up something workable as well as human in its place. _ All good wishes, Peggy Hemming, Flat 4, 62 Southwood Lane, London N.6.

Drumbeater Dear Editor, Articles of A. Khene and A Farmer [Vol.4, No.6] are dead right. Beneath the surface of what appears to be national disaster in the guise of the 'coal crisis', 'the power crisis', 'the energy crisis', 'the coal war', etc.- Mr. Edward Heath and his Tory colleagues seem to have accomplished what no other government or party in Europe or indeed, in any other nation in the world has - a total bloodless (almost) and complete revolution, far more radical in its implications and possibilities than in any of the so-called Communist countries, and one that can-if properly assessedgive cause for joy to all. For within a few weeks this little nation (albeit with some help from the Arab states) has managed to bring in a large number of the most avantgarde reforms, only faintly hoped for in some misty future by a few visionary, social and economic reformers: The 3-day week, the reduction of traffic in citystreets, the return to the peace and quiet of un-lit nights, cut-backs in needless consumer spending, an impressive slowdown in the vast mechanical rush towards over-development with the consequent and probable salvage of a vast amount of vital natural resources. Mr. Heath and his government have also managed to cripple the car-industry, an event which must have come sooner or later to all industries producing needless, wasteful and dest~ctive products, defeated Concorde and other expensive fueldemanding projects, brought freight back to the rails (where it belongs), imposed a sensible 50 mile maximum speed limit on roads and even perhaps distracted attention from the war in Northern Ireland. No. I offer my apologies. Mr. Heath is a big man after all - far bigger than I ever imagined or could have hoped for.

But in all seriousness, this is the moment for all concerned, far seeing economists, sociologists and ecologists, and all true reformists of this sick society bent on fullscale 'development and progress at any cost' to beat the drum of de-centralisation, inter-mediate technology, and communitarian ideas and to show the wisdom of 'Small is Beautiful'. Sincerely, A.M. Moss, 19 Parliament Hill Mansions, Lissenden Gardens, London NWS. 2.l.74

Save America Dear Resurgence, I've particularly found the issue, Vol.4, No.4, rewarding. We here in Vermont, a very poor and tiny state, but all too close, no thanks to our interstate system of highways, to Megapolis, are in the midst of a fight to try to save the state from becoming the playground of the eastern United States. The pressures of the fast-buck guys and the greed of m_a~y_ land-owners, are making it a difficult battle. Too many poverty-stricken farmers and other land-owners have discovered that they can sell for sums of money far beyond their wildest dreams of avarice. And most of them are doing it.

. l'qt a member of a group of people, who have organised a successful buying co-op which now covers a great portion of the northern part of the state. We are attempting to get local farmers and individual land-owners to raise vegetables and fruit for local sale through the co-op, encouraging the production and sale of crafts, becoming politically conscious and trying to do something about the skyrocketing price of land. In short, we are involved in a lot of things you are in Great Britain. Sincerely, Howard Bloom, East Calais, P.O. North Montpelier, Vermont, U.S.A.

Paul Goodman To the Editors: Any information, especially letters and personal memories or stories, for a biography. All copies will be returned. Raymond Rosenthal, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 19 Union Square West, New York City, New York 10003.

Who's Who? Dear Resurgence, It would make the articles a lot more interesting and sensible if we could .be told who the authors are, what they normally do and where they come froin. Peace .• . Patrick Rivers, St. Briavels, Lydney, Gloucs. 4.l.74. [Readers, what do you _ think, Ed.]

Oil Crisis 'Dis thing dey dig up caad oil, Males men quarrel for aa dey're wirt. Makkin mair money as dey can use, An' filling wir isles wi' dirt.'

-Jimmy Stewart