...that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth. -- Abraham Lincoln From _The New Field Guide to the U.S. Economy_, by Nancy Folbre and The Center for Popular Economics; The New Press, N.Y., 1995, ISBN 1-56584-153-0: Share of total value of family-owned assets in 1989 The richest 1% of families held: 45% of all nonresidential real estate 62% of all business assets 49% of all publicly held stock 78% of all bonds The richest 10% of families held: 80% of all nonresidential real estate 91% of all business assets 85% of all stocks 94% of all bonds Is this the best way for human society to function? Are war, genocide, bigotry, exploitation, and the destruction of our planet really necessary? Is this the natural way for humans to be? Are we born wanting to act this way? Or are we living under the influence of cultural traditions that *teach* us to hurt each other, and to waste our energy in conflict instead of using it for cooperation and creativity? Here are some very informative Web pages. Descriptions of five excellent books appear afterward.
_The Chalice and the Blade_, by Riane Eisler, 1988, ISBN 0-06-250-289-1, HarperSanFrancisco, $16. An overview of the archaeological work of Marija Gimbutas and others. It explains the macro-history of human culture, and proves that domination, patriarchy, and war are culturally programmed, rather than biologically innate. _Sacred Pleasure: Sex, Myth, and the Politics of the Body_, by Riane Eisler, 1996, ISBN 0-06-250283-2, HarperSanFrancisco In the spirit of _The Chalice and the Blade_, Eisler passionately envisions a future when women and men face each other as equal partners, and sex and spirituality are once again entwined. _Reich for Beginners_, by David Zane Mairowitz, Writers and Readers Publishing Cooperative (New York, London) and Unwin Paperbacks (London), 1986, ISBN 0-04-921032-7 or (U.S.) 0-86316-031-X, $6.95. Order from W&RPC at 212-982-3158. Wilhelm Reich discovered that most people are afflicted with a contagious psychological/physiological illness, which causes (in various circumstances) anxiety, bigotry, hatred, depression, sexism, exploitation, militarism, genocide, etc. These phenomena are *not* natural to human beings. This book is currently out of print until 1999; however, the publisher may move it up on the reprinting schedule if they get requests for it, which should be made to Deborah Dyson at 212-982-3158. Other books by and about Wilhelm Reich can be found by searching www.amazon.com . _Killing Hope: U.S. Military and CIA Interventions Since World War II_, by William Blum, ISBN 1-56751-052-3, $19.95, 458 pp., Common Courage Press (Monroe, Maine), ph. 207-525-0900. Organized as dozens of concise chapters, each on the destruction of democracy in a particular nation by the U.S., through military and covert means. A superb and very readable resource, with copious references. _It's a Conspiracy!_, 1992, ISBN 1-879682-10-9, $9.95. EarthWorks Press, P.O.Box 1117, Ashland OR, 97520. ph. 541-488-4642. This book covers, among many other topics, the financial and industrial aid and cooperation rendered to the Nazis by Hearst, ITT, GM, Ford, Standard Oil, Curtiss-Wright, and Chase-Manhattan Bank; also the Reinhard Gehlen story. It provides a quick intro- duction to dozens of covert Nazi/Fascist/Republican operations carried out over the last 70 years, with a concise and readable style and a good bibliography. Please address comments to Mark S Bilk -- msb@netcom.com