Community Assets - Like Self Reliance and Mutual Aid?

What if you could look down on your town, as might a player at a game of Monopoly, and follow the movement of all the money? What if the money on your part of the game board were gradually, but relentlessly draining into the hands of another player? Would you say, "That is life." Or would you say, "Such is luck." Or would you begin to wonder how you might win? C.A. Fitts, a conservative thinker, is driven to the conclusion, interestingly enough, that our local communities will only thrive to their fullest potential when we act in concert with others in our face to face networks to keep our attention, money, time, talent and civic loyalties among those we personally know and trust. She sees herself, I believe, in the tradition of Adam Smith, but she is equally part of the tradition of mutual aid and civic association that Toqueville noted on his trip through 19th century America. That tradition includes sewing bees, barn raising, casseroles for a bereaved neighbor, church socials, Chattauquas, Rotary, and Kiwanis. Self-reliance, yes, and mutual aid too. Of course, not all community is place-based. Some might be mission-based, cause-driven, or held together by online conversation among civic friends who may never meet, but whose "casserole" to a neighbor is mediated by a paypal account.

Comments

[Bill Huddleston, CFC Expert]

To see an example of one organization using the Internet and maps to help people in a specific region, take a look at the tutormentorconnection.org and the work that Dan Bassill (founder) and others are doing in Chicago.

Regards,
Bill Huddleston, CFC Expert
www.cfcfundraising.com
Blog:www.cfctreasures.wordpress.com
[email protected]

[Phil]

Yes, thanks, I know Dan well.