The Art of Rapid Transition

Sourced from the new economics foundation, 7 June 2010

'We are living in what can only be described as interesting times: a debt-fuelled economic crisis, the looming peak and decline of global oil production, and the potential loss of a climate system able conducive to stable, flourishing societies.

The Art of Rapid Transition [PDF, 1.08MB] was a series of five extraordinary events hosted by nef at the Hay Literary Festival in 2009. They were inspired by the admission by the former Federal Reserve, Alan Greenspan that: “I discovered a flaw in the model that I perceived as the critical functioning structure that defines how the world works”.

There are a range of positive examples, both past and present, which provide a rich source of inspiration for the Great Transition to a new economy. From Cuba, where the response to the sudden loss of cheap oil and subsequent economic collapse was so successful that it was dubbed the ‘anti-model’ in Washington DC, to the spectacular growth of the Transition Town movement, and the lessons that can be learnt from resource-use during war-time, The Art of Rapid Transition presents a range of positive ideas about how to survive (and thrive) in times of crises, and be better equipped to deal with emerging challenges.'