First Church in Jamaica Plain, Unitarian Universalist Sanctuary (6 Eliot Street)

In 2006 an energized electorate seemed poised to reassert ownership of the democratic process. Since the elections, however, polls show that citizens confidence in government has resumed its downward trend. Far from waning, disillusion and disengagement continue to spread.

Why is this happening, and how can we stop it? Frances Moore Lappe, author of sixteen books, including the 1971 three-million-copy bestseller, Diet for a Small Planet, has some suggestions.

Distilling decades of experience, Lappe begins from the simple notion that we create our world according to our ideas. From this understanding, she suggests that there is a central fault with America’s prevailing model of democracy: while democracy seeks to spread power broadly, the wealth-driven market concentrates power. This contradiction lies at the heart of what the author calls “thin democracy.”

Lappe reveals an emerging trend that stands in marked contrast to “thin democracy.” She explores developments from clean election initiatives to fair trade economies, from evolving standards of corporate accountability to emerging forms of citizen involvement. These are not isolated victories, Lappe submits, but signs of a burgeoning new worldview that empowers individuals and emphasizes community. She calls this new alternative “living democracy” and challenges us all to find entry points for involvement with this historical breakthrough.

Frances Moore Lappe will speak on Thursday, November 1 at 7pm at the Jamaica Plain Forum. The event will be at First Church in Jamaica Plain, Unitarian Universalist at 6 Eliot Street at the Monument.

France Moore Lappe’s books, including the new “Getting A Grip: Clarity, Creativity and Courage in a World Gone Mad,” will be available for purchase.

Our Speaker
Frances Moore Lappe is the author of sixteen books, beginning with the 1971 three-million-copy bestseller, Diet for a Small Planet, which awakened a whole generation to the human-made causes of hunger and the significance of our everyday choices. Her newest book, “Getting a Grip: Clarity, Creativity, & Courage in a World Gone Mad”, was released this month.

Her other recent works include the 2006 “Democracy’s Edge: Choosing to Save our Country by Bringing Democracy to Life” (Wiley/Jossey-Bass) and, in 2004, “You Have the Power: Choosing Courage in a Culture of Fear” (Tarcher/Penguin), co-authored with Jeffrey Perkins.

In 2002, Lappe and her daughter Anna Lappe published the 30th anniversary sequel to Diet, entitled “Hope’s Edge: The Next Diet for a Small Planet” (Tarcher/Penquin). In it, the two Lappes explore answers to our planet’s most urgent questions of sustainability and democracy.

Lappe and her daughter are co-founders of the Cambridge-based Small Planet Institute and the Small Planet Fund, which channels resources to democratic social movements worldwide. In addition, Lappe is co-founder of two other national organizations; Food and Development Policy (Food First) and the Center for Living Democracy.