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| smal:small [2025/12/05 18:47] – [Consumption] Simon Grant | smal:small [2026/04/20 19:43] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1 |
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| # Small is beautful | This topic is part of [[gt:philosophy|Philosophy & politics]]. |
| | ====== Small is beautful ====== |
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| ## What is 'small is beautiful'? | ===== What is 'small is beautiful'? ===== |
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| "Small is beautiful" is a philosophy that favours small shops and restaurants rather than enormous supermarkets and chains; small farms and smallholdings rather than huge monoculture agribusiness; local businesses and mutual credit networks rather than multinational corporations and banks, and so on. | "Small is beautiful" is a philosophy that favours small shops and restaurants rather than enormous supermarkets and chains; small farms and smallholdings rather than huge monoculture agribusiness; local businesses and mutual credit networks rather than multinational corporations and banks, and so on. |
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| The reasoning is that the scale of large businesses [subverts democracy](thde:the_democracy_problem), damages [nature](thna:the_nature_problem), provides unfulfilling work and blandness instead of uniqueness. ‘Small is Beautiful’ was the title of a 1973 book by [[wp>E. F. Schumacher]], who went on to found the Intermediate Technology Development Group (now [Practical Action](http://practicalaction.org/)), helping to set up small enterprises in poor countries. | The reasoning is that the scale of large businesses [subverts democracy](/demo/democracy), damages [[ntre:nature]], provides unfulfilling work and blandness instead of uniqueness. ‘Small is Beautiful’ was the title of a 1973 book by [[wp>E. F. Schumacher]], who went on to found the Intermediate Technology Development Group (now [Practical Action](http://practicalaction.org/)), helping to set up small enterprises in poor countries. |
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| The introduction of plantations and factories, producing for multinational corporations, into those countries destroys small farms and businesses and forces people into grindingly boring, unskilled and exhausting work for very little money, with profits exported out of the country. The scale means that they are capital-intensive rather than labour-intensive, which means that small businesses can’t compete when it comes to the capital investment required, and that millions of small farmers are forced off their land and into urban slums and unemployment. | The introduction of plantations and factories, producing for multinational corporations, into those countries destroys small farms and businesses and forces people into grindingly boring, unskilled and exhausting work for very little money, with profits exported out of the country. The scale means that they are capital-intensive rather than labour-intensive, which means that small businesses can’t compete when it comes to the capital investment required, and that millions of small farmers are forced off their land and into urban slums and unemployment. |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Giant corporate branches suck wealth out of our communities to pay shareholders. Small businesses keep wealth within the community. | _Giant corporate branches suck wealth out of our communities to pay shareholders. Small businesses keep wealth within the community._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
| </WRAP> | </WRAP> |
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| ### Distributism | ==== Distributism ==== |
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| ‘Distributism’ was an early 20th-century movement urging that wealth and power be spread thinly through society, not concentrated in corporations or the state. In capitalism, the ‘means of production’ (land, tools, factories, offices, machinery etc.) are mainly owned by large businesses, and under socialism, the means of production are mainly (or completely) owned by the state. In a distributist society, everyone owns the means of production, either individually, or in partnership / co-operatively with other people. | ‘Distributism’ was an early 20th-century movement urging that wealth and power be spread thinly through society, not concentrated in corporations or the state. In capitalism, the ‘means of production’ (land, tools, factories, offices, machinery etc.) are mainly owned by large businesses, and under socialism, the means of production are mainly (or completely) owned by the state. In a distributist society, everyone owns the means of production, either individually, or in partnership / co-operatively with other people. |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| GK Chesterton (left) and George Bernard Shaw had a famous debate in 1928 – socialism (Shaw) vs distributism (Chesteron). It’s [very entertaining](http://www.gkc.org.uk/gkc/books/debate.txt). Here’s the most important distributist point, from Chesterton: "… a man who owns his own tools or works in his own workshop, to that extent owns and controls the means of production. But if you establish right in the middle of the State one enormous machine, if you turn the handle of that machine, and somebody, who must be an official, and therefore a ruler, distributes to everybody equally the food or whatever else is produced by that machine, no single one of any of these people receiving more than any other single person, but all equal fragments: that fulfils a definite ideal of equality, yet no single one of those citizens has any control over the means of production." | _GK Chesterton (left) and George Bernard Shaw had a famous debate in 1928 – socialism (Shaw) vs distributism (Chesteron). It’s [very entertaining](http://www.gkc.org.uk/gkc/books/debate.txt). Here’s the most important distributist point, from Chesterton: "… a man who owns his own tools or works in his own workshop, to that extent owns and controls the means of production. But if you establish right in the middle of the State one enormous machine, if you turn the handle of that machine, and somebody, who must be an official, and therefore a ruler, distributes to everybody equally the food or whatever else is produced by that machine, no single one of any of these people receiving more than any other single person, but all equal fragments: that fulfils a definite ideal of equality, yet no single one of those citizens has any control over the means of production."_ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
| </WRAP> | </WRAP> |
| ### Neither left nor right | ==== Neither left nor right ==== |
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| The ‘smallist’ message to the left is that collective ownership of the means of production works well on the small, local scale, where people know each other (co-ops, commons etc.), but not at the large scale because trust is lost, it becomes overly bureaucratic, alliances are made with big business, and it can end up concentrating power in very few hands. | The ‘smallist’ message to the left is that collective ownership of the means of production works well on the small, local scale, where people know each other (co-ops, commons etc.), but not at the large scale because trust is lost, it becomes overly bureaucratic, alliances are made with big business, and it can end up concentrating power in very few hands. |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| If corporate advertising was honest. | _If corporate advertising was honest._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
| </WRAP> | </WRAP> |
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| ### The role of the state | ==== The role of the state ==== |
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| ‘Giantism’ can’t happen [without state intervention](https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/kevin-carson-corporations-state-capitalism-and-international-trade). As a company grows, internal bureaucracy and communication channels become further removed from the market, and they become inefficient and slow to react compared to small companies. Plus their distribution networks get bigger, with higher transport costs. The state helps large institutions to externalise their internal inefficiencies and costs, so that [the taxpayer ends up paying](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/posts/how-the-state-favours-big-business-and-causes-inflation-with-quantitative-sleazing) for the things that are labelled ‘economies of scale’. | ‘Giantism’ can’t happen [without state intervention](https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/kevin-carson-corporations-state-capitalism-and-international-trade). As a company grows, internal bureaucracy and communication channels become further removed from the market, and they become inefficient and slow to react compared to small companies. Plus their distribution networks get bigger, with higher transport costs. The state helps large institutions to externalise their internal inefficiencies and costs, so that [the taxpayer ends up paying](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/posts/how-the-state-favours-big-business-and-causes-inflation-with-quantitative-sleazing) for the things that are labelled ‘economies of scale’. |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Small-scale, free-range chicken farming vs industrial-scale (and cruel) battery farming. | _Small-scale, free-range chicken farming vs industrial-scale (and cruel) battery farming._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| The same tendency towards giant organisations happens in nationalised industries in more socialist-leaning countries, and even in the co-operative sector. The Co-op Bank would not have stumbled and been swallowed by a hedge fund if it had remained a federation of small co-op banks in every town, rather than merging into one giant institution. ‘Giantism’ produces the same problems whether corporate, state or co-operative. | The same tendency towards giant organisations happens in nationalised industries in more socialist-leaning countries, and even in the co-operative sector. The Co-op Bank would not have stumbled and been swallowed by a hedge fund if it had remained a federation of small co-op banks in every town, rather than merging into one giant institution. ‘Giantism’ produces the same problems whether corporate, state or co-operative. |
| ### Credit clearing and mutual credit | ==== Credit clearing and mutual credit ==== |
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| [[crcl:Credit clearing]] and [[mucr:mutual credit]] are ways for trusted networks of small businesses to reduce their need for giant banks, or even money. They provide ways for local businesses to support each other, and to survive in times of economic crisis. | [[crcl:Credit clearing]] and [[mucr:mutual credit]] are ways for trusted networks of small businesses to reduce their need for giant banks, or even money. They provide ways for local businesses to support each other, and to survive in times of economic crisis. |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Sweatshop working conditions are endured by millions of workers around the world, to generate profits for the shareholders of giant corporations. Sweatshops have their apologists, although of course none of them would actually work in one - they just want cheap products or higher returns. The excuse is that sweatshops are stepping stones to 'development' - but the entire world can't develop like the West, because of ecological constraints that the apologists don't acknowledge or understand. Also, corporates find ways to automate, removing the perceived 'stepping stones', unless it's cheaper to pay humans barely enough to survive. | _Sweatshop working conditions are endured by millions of workers around the world, to generate profits for the shareholders of giant corporations. Sweatshops have their apologists, although of course none of them would actually work in one - they just want cheap products or higher returns. The excuse is that sweatshops are stepping stones to 'development' - but the entire world can't develop like the West, because of ecological constraints that the apologists don't acknowledge or understand. Also, corporates find ways to automate, removing the perceived 'stepping stones', unless it's cheaper to pay humans barely enough to survive._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| ## What are the benefits of ‘small is beautiful’? | ===== What are the benefits of ‘small is beautiful’? ===== |
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| - We get better-quality products, food, housing etc. | - We get better-quality products, food, housing etc. |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Smallholdings [produce more food per acre](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/3-big-myths-about-modern-agriculture1/) than large monoculture farms. They also provide more interesting and satisfying work than picking fruit and veg for large landowners. Some organisations are working to help more people to start smallholdings – for example, the [Ecological Land Co-op](https://ecologicalland.coop/). | _Smallholdings [produce more food per acre](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/3-big-myths-about-modern-agriculture1/) than large monoculture farms. They also provide more interesting and satisfying work than picking fruit and veg for large landowners. Some organisations are working to help more people to start smallholdings – for example, the [Ecological Land Co-op](https://ecologicalland.coop/)._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
| </WRAP> | </WRAP> |
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| - Helps solve the [democracy problem](/thde/the_democracy_problem). | - Helps solve the [democracy problem](/demo/democracy). |
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| - Stronger, safer [communities](/comy/community), more interesting High Streets, unique localities. | - Stronger, safer [communities](/comy/community), more interesting High Streets, unique localities. |
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| ## What can I do? | ===== What can I do? ===== |
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| First, read Schumacher's seminal 1973 work, _Small is Beautiful_ ([free online](https://web.archive.org/web/20141014171926/http://www.ditext.com/schumacher/small/small.html) or [free pdf](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/Schumacher-1973-Small-is-Beautiful.pdf)). There are many more sources of information online (search Schumacher or Small is Beautful); and you can support the principle with both your consumption and your production / work. | First, read Schumacher's seminal 1973 work, _Small is Beautiful_ ([free online](https://web.archive.org/web/20141014171926/http://www.ditext.com/schumacher/small/small.html) or [free pdf](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/Schumacher-1973-Small-is-Beautiful.pdf)). There are many more sources of information online (search Schumacher or Small is Beautful); and you can support the principle with both your consumption and your production / work. |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Millions of small farmers in India lost their land after the ‘[Green Revolution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Revolution_in_India#Criticisms_of_the_Green_Revolution)’ introduced new, hybrid crop varieties that required levels of irrigation, pesticides and chemical fertilisers that the small farmers couldn’t afford. They were undercut and eventually bought out by large farmers, who got larger still after importing corporate machinery and laying off workers. All this has had a huge negative effect on biodiversity and climate, and forced millions into slums, like this one in Mumbai. | _Millions of small farmers in India lost their land after the ‘[Green Revolution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Revolution_in_India#Criticisms_of_the_Green_Revolution)’ introduced new, hybrid crop varieties that required levels of irrigation, pesticides and chemical fertilisers that the small farmers couldn’t afford. They were undercut and eventually bought out by large farmers, who got larger still after importing corporate machinery and laying off workers. All this has had a huge negative effect on biodiversity and climate, and forced millions into slums, like this one in Mumbai._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
| </WRAP> | </WRAP> |
| ### Consumption | ==== Consumption ==== |
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| If small businesses are to prosper there has to be a body of people prepared to support them by buying what they’re offering, rather than giving money to the corporate sector. So: | If small businesses are to prosper there has to be a body of people prepared to support them by buying what they’re offering, rather than giving money to the corporate sector. So: |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Large superstores destroy jobs, and completely change the kind of work done – from autonomy and creativity to drudgery and doing exactly what you’re told, like in this Amazon warehouse. | _Large superstores destroy jobs, and completely change the kind of work done – from autonomy and creativity to drudgery and doing exactly what you’re told, like in this Amazon warehouse._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
| </WRAP> | </WRAP> |
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| ### Production | ==== Production ==== |
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| Some production lends itself to the household scale (growing veg, keeping bees or chickens), and some to the community scale. For example, it makes much more sense for a community to support a bakery, potter, blacksmith etc, rather than individual households doing those things for themselves. For local consumption, there has to be a range of local, small businesses to consume from. So: | Some production lends itself to the household scale (growing veg, keeping bees or chickens), and some to the community scale. For example, it makes much more sense for a community to support a bakery, potter, blacksmith etc, rather than individual households doing those things for themselves. For local consumption, there has to be a range of local, small businesses to consume from. So: |
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| - [Re-skill](https://knowledge.growingthecommons.org/doku.php/ints/start) | - [Re-skill](ints:start) |
| - [Start a small business](https://www.gov.uk/browse/business/setting-up) | - [Start a small business](https://www.gov.uk/browse/business/setting-up) |
| - [Downshift](/down/downshifting) (to cope with any reduction in income) | - [Downshift](/down/downshifting) (to cope with any reduction in income) |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Ordering a weekly [fruit & veg box](/vegb/veg_box_schemes) is an excellent way of getting healthy, local food and supporting small farms. | _Ordering a weekly [fruit & veg box](/vegb/veg_box_schemes) is an excellent way of getting healthy, local food and supporting small farms._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| ## Further resources | ===== Forum ===== |
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| | This topic belongs to the section [[gt:philosophy|Philosophy & politics]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/philosophy). |
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| | ===== Further resources ===== |
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| ## Specialist(s) | - [Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/Small-is-Beautiful.pdf) - Schumachers's 1973 book |
| | - [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Competition_law) - anti-monopoly law |
| | - [The Next System](https://thenextsystem.org/learning-from-emilia-romagna) - learning from Emilia Romagna, a region of Italy with an economy based on small businesses and 8000 co-operatives |
| | - [Front Porch Republic](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/) - promoting human scale and the distribution of power |
| | - [Practical Action](https://practicalaction.org/) - formerly the Intermediate Technology Development Group, founded by E.F. Schumacher to promote small businesses in developing countries |
| | - [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._F._Schumacher) - E. F. Schumacher, author of Small is Beautiful |
| | - [Schumacher Center for a New Economics](https://centerforneweconomics.org/) |
| | - [Schumacher Institute](https://schumacherinstitute.org.uk/) - think tank based on Schumacher's ideas |
| | - [Distributism](https://wiki.p2pfoundation.net/Distributism) - on the P2P Foundation wiki |
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| | ===== Related topics ===== |
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| | - [[intc:Intentional communities]] |
| | - [[ptrn:Pattern language]] |
| | - [[lish:shopping|Low-impact shopping]] |
| | - [[mucr:Mutual credit]] |
| | - [[demo:democracy|The democracy problem]] |
| | - [[tran:transition|Transition initiatives]] |
| | - [[self:Self-employment]] |
| | - [[crun:Credit unions]] |
| | - [[csas:Community-supported agriculture]] |
| | - [Collaborative finance](cofi:collaborative_finance) |
| | - [[coec:Commons economy]] |
| | - [[comy:Community]] |
| | - [[down:Downshifting]] |
| | - [[phil:Philosophy]] |
| | - [[fair:Fairtrade]] |
| | - [[lcur:Local currencies]] |
| | - [[smho:Smallholding]] |
| | - [[farm:Farmers markets]] |
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| | ===== Specialist curators of this topic ===== |
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