Earth-Sharing Associates

Earth-Sharing Associates was formed to help create a cultural infrastructure and context for a society based on economic justice and ecological wisdom.

Everyone has an equal right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In order to exercise these rights, each person also has an equal right to the use of the Earth. The Earth is the Mother of us all, and offers her sustenance and bounty to all. We are creatures of the Earth, not her creators, and so no human being can claim exclusive ownership of the Earth at the expense of others. The duty of each person, and collectively of global society, is to protect and care for the Earth, and to share her equally with all.

Those who monopolize the Earth owe rent to the rest of human society as compensation to those who are deprived of their fair share. This rent should be redistributed and used to support common services that benefit all. Mother Earth and her bounty – what we call natural resources – are our common heritage, or Commons, entrusted by nature to human beings, to be used, but not abused, with regard to the well-being of all individuals and species. This is what we mean by “Earth-Sharing.”

Not a new idea, Earth-Sharing was at the heart of humanity’s ancient culture and spirituality. It was eclipsed over the millennia by the rise of patriarchal and imperial institutions. These evolved into our present-day church/state/military/monopoly complex – a global self-antagonizing system that has led to extremes of wealth and poverty, war and fanaticism, ecological breakdown and weapons of mass destruction that threaten all life on Earth. Fortunately, the old wisdom is not forgotten and can be applied to these new and challenging conditions.

Earth-Sharing was the goal of the “single-tax” vision and movement engendered by 19th century American reformer Henry George, author of Progress and Poverty. Like artists of 100 years ago, we take inspiration from George and others who challenged the status quo, such as Emma Goldman, whose radical journal Mother Earth spoke out against war and injustice, and espoused progressive artistic and cultural trends.

In the 1960s, another cultural resurgence – or “counter-culture” – also rejected war and valued human freedom, equality, and respect for Mother Earth. But this movement lacked the wisdom of George, Goldman, and others: Without an economy rooted in Earth-Sharing, an otherwise free society regresses into “freedom” to conform or to starve. And the finer things of life – including art and culture –are reduced to commodities, monopolized and controlled by wealthy and powerful elites. Our alternative, Earth-Sharing, would relieve economic hardship and free the human spirit to express itself in art and culture.

For Earth-Sharing to be accepted, implemented, and maintained in a democratic manner, we need a new cultural transformation, a new spiritual liberation. Religion, philosophy, literature, and the visual and performing arts are some of the channels by which culture, values, and spirituality – and finally even economic paradigms – are transformed, and the human spirit liberated.

We seek those interested in using the arts to help create a culture that advocates Earth-Sharing. We hope to put together literary salons, theatrical events, and performance pieces with music, dance, words and images – and we invite all kindred spirits to help realize this vision. We are at the beginning, so the possibilities are infinite. We welcome your support and participation.

Mark A. Sullivan & Osamu Uehara, “co-coordinators”

Contact: Earth-Sharing Associates c/o Circle of the Free Spirit
Box 230316 Ansonia Station, New York, NY 10023
Email: markaelredcfs@aol.com

First issued at the Council of Georgist Organizations
Conference, Philadelphia, August 3-7, 2005.

First p osted to this site in conjunction with Bernier Dance and Artists for Peace,
Norwalk, CT, April 12, 2008.

Latest Update: May 2, 2009