Christine Desan, Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, joins us in a special episode of Dirt & Democracy. She examines to the evolution of the monetary and financial system from the barter system to modern central banking and it's impact on people and the land. She details the impact of the development of the financial system over time on both people and the landscape government delegated money creation to private investors, institutionalized the profit motive as the engine of the political economy, and privileged credit allocation by banks, which distribute the money supply as they expand it, and invites us to creatively design the systems of the future.

View Video here: https://youtu.be/kckm4keXiTU

Special Episode Alert: This week on Dirt & Democracy, we focus on rural regeneration efforts in present-day China. Professor SIT Tsui addressed the challenges and opportunities involved in these efforts and emphasized their importance in addressing current global crises such as pandemics and climate change. The presentation is divided into two parts. The first part provides a brief overview of the history of the Rural Reconstruction Movement in modern China. The second part will covers the government and grassroots organizations' current rural regeneration work. This presentation includes discussions on political-economic initiatives, organizational structures, and cultural and educational projects aimed at mobilizing people from both urban and rural areas, particularly the younger generation. The presentation includes examples, as well as accompanying photos and videos.

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r1CmC6h4B0

Biography

SIT (Surname) Tsui (name)

SIT Tsui is an Associate Professor at the Institute for Rural Revitalization Strategy, Southwest University, Chongqing, China. She is also a Founding Member of Global University for Sustainability. She has been involved in the Rural Reconstruction Movement in China for over two decades and mainly works on research, publication, and international networking.

Special Episode: This is an audio recording of a recent Dirt & Democracy meeting. This week on Dirt & Democracy, we are joined by long-time Coordinating Director of the North American Marine Alliance (NAMA) and Executive Director of National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC) board member and treasurer Niaz Dorry. Niaz is leading an innovative shared leadership model with NFFC and NAMA. Learn more about Niaz Dorry here. Niaz will speak about the grassroots food sovereignty movement across North America and how to get involved and engage in conversation about making the work and movement more effective.

Since 1986, the National Family Farm Coalition has mobilized family farmers and ranchers to achieve fair prices, vibrant communities, and healthy foods free of corporate domination. The Coalition has 24 member groups in the US. Through NFFC, those groups, including Rural Vermont, are members of La Via Campesina North America. La Via Campesina is an international organization of hundreds of millions of peasants, landless workers, indigenous people, pastoralists, fishers, migrant farmworkers, small and medium-sized farmers, rural women, and peasant youth worldwide.

Dirt & Democracy is a summer series focusing on building a democratic, agrarian social movement. Every other Sunday evening, join us online or at in-person watch parties throughout Vermont to learn from agrarian movement leaders from across the globe.

Watch previous Dirt & Democracy episodes here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUlkKxmG_UmafscIBv0yr9Ea2eD_Jp1EI

Sign up for Dirt & Democracy here: www.whiterivernrcd.org/dirt-and-democracy