Tariffs and Trade Wars (not relevant for local economies)
All we hear these days from politicians are words on tariffs – taxes imposed by governments on imported goods, to protect domestic industry from foreign competition and to generate more government revenue.
But just like all the hoo-ha about sausage imports when England left the EU (if people eat sausages, they should be eating free-range ones from local farms), this is kind of the same.
Sir Keir Starmer is flying off around the world trying to get trade deals with China, Trump is throwing tariffs at anyone who doesn’t agree with him, and meanwhile people in all countries suffer, as food and other prices go up, as things become even more affordable.
That’s because these countries are not based on local economies. If we grew our own food (instead of importing 70% of apples sold in England), built our own eco-homes and even drove cars made here, tariffs would not affect us.
Governments talk of climate change (while our environment secretary flies six times around the world, to tell other people to reduce emissions (flying is one of the main causes), yet trade deals just means more emissions, from flying in goods from abroad, when we could create jobs to make our own.
Recently, the Prime Minister visited China, and boasted that he had agreed that people in the UK can now visit China visa-free. What a lot of nonsense:
- Most people don’t want to visit China, due to concerns on animal welfare and human rights.
- He should be back here, sorting out domestic issues like pubs going to the wall.
- He was there to create trade deals, to export/import goods, which will mean more emissions.
- Most people can’t afford to visit China (a ticket costs around £1000) when many people can’t afford basic grocery bills.
I chose to listen to the Labour Conference speech. To manage the jitters, I decided I would do it on my hands and knees in a field, weeding plants, the occasional discovery of a toad or ladybird to help make the experience manageable.
Localisation – rebuilding power and democracy in the hands of communities and away from the centre, that is the solution to the symptoms of globalisation. A turn away from the politicians, to a trust in the honesty, kindness and power of real people. Neil Kingsnorth
Local Investing (Backing Your Neighbourhood)
Imagine if every pound you spent in your community made your local area stronger. That’s what community wealth building is all about. It means giving people a fairer shot by keeping money close to home, not in the pockets of big national chains. This approach helps support jobs, local businesses, and everyday people where you live.
Local investing is a key part of this movement. Writer Amy Cortese helped bring the idea to life through her work on locavesting. She showed that when neighbours back small businesses or co-operatives in their own towns, everyone benefits.
Think of the café down the road funded by local supporters or a community solar project built by friends pooling resources. These real stories prove that ordinary people can help shape the places they care about.
If you want to see stronger shops, greener parks, and fuller town centres around you, community wealth building and local investing can make a real difference. That’s a local economy.
At the moment, the entire global economy seems to be built on the model of digging things up from one hole in the ground on one side of the earth, transporting them around the world, using them for a few days, and sticking them in a hole in the ground on the other side of the world. George Monbiot
Economist John Kenneth Galbraith says ‘trickledown economics’ (cutting taxes for rich people to give jobs to the ‘little people’) just means the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. He says ”If you feed enough oats to the horse, some will pass through to feed the sparrows’.
