The Great Turning

From Empire to Earth Community

By: David C. Korten

Narrated by: Sandra Swafford

Length: 15 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

In his classic international best seller, When Corporations Rule the World, David Korten exposed the destructive and oppressive nature of the global corporate economy and helped spark a global resistance movement. Now, he shows that the problem runs deeper than corporate domination with far greater consequences.

Korten argues that global corporate consolidation of power is but one manifestation of what he calls "Empire", the organization of society by hierarchies of dominance that have held sway for the past 5,000 years. Empire has always resulted in misery for the many and fortune for the few. Now it threatens the very future of humanity.

The Great Turning traces the ancient roots of Empire and charts its long evolution from monarchies to the transnational institutions of the global economy. Empire is not inevitable, not the natural order of things, Korten argues. He draws on evidence from sources as varied as evolutionary theory, developmental psychology, and religious teachings to make the case that "Earth Community", a life-centered, egalitarian, sustainable way of ordering human society based on democratic principles of partnership, is indeed possible. He details a practical strategy for advancing a turning toward a future of as-yet-unrealized human potential.

©2006 People-Centered Development Forum (P)2006 Polity Audio LLC

Wakeup call

... at least that what this book was for me. While I can partially agree with other reviewers that Korten's attempt to (re-)tell the stories needed for the other view on the world which he calls Earth Community (as opposed to the prevailing view he calls Empire) feels a bit immature, it is very much appreciated and needed. While clearly inspired by spiritual movements, the author maintains a scientific and rational approach, another aspect of this book I admire greatly. This book was the most inspiring book I have read in many years, and I read a lot. There is already a lot going on in the world to work on something like a Great Turning (towards Earth Community) and this book deserves a serious place as an inspiration from one of our elders in this work.

great ideas, a bit plodding

the book: a useful metaphor that's a bit over-applied at times. it comes to feel a little less rich, which is sad because it detracts from it's power.
the reader is also a bit dry, but wonderfully clear and easy to understand. since the topic gets plodding, I wish the reader were a little more folksy and engaging.

ahead of its time?

Some writers are so far ahead of their time that they fail to get the recognition they deserve. I'm not sure that is the case here. I think Korten is perfectly synched with "time." It's everybody else who is so far behind the times that creates the mismatch. Korten is presenting "cooperation" as a life affirming essential in an age when dog eat dog is still the mantra. We have no trouble grasping the concept of cooperation when it's abstract, cartoonish and linked to a story long ago and far away (the classic childhood tale of two men with a pot of food and only long handled spoons), but in the here and now it all becomes Greek (the stock market goes up when employment goes down, schools that can't afford a good lit department invest heavily in a new football stadium, etc.) Sadly, I think things will have to get much worse before most readers truly open up to Korten's message. Let's just hope it isn't too late by then.

Some fascinating ideas

If I'd read user reviews prior to buying this audiobook, I wouldn't have bought it, and would have missed some very thought-provoking ideas, particularly in Korten's take on American history. He casts the whole founding of the United States in the light of his central thesis, that empire is inimical to humanity. He lays out some very good arguments against starry-eyed patriotism about Liberty and Justice For All when considering the foundations of the nation. Fascinating and perspective-altering.

I'd be remiss, however, if I didn't warn other audiobook listeners (of any political persuasion) that this is a very poorly narrated piece with mediocre production value at best. The reader, I'm sorry to say, sounds like a 2nd-grade teacher didactically o-ver-pro-nouncing every word--and with a slight lisp, no less, and as a result, this book was very difficult for me to listen to.

The voice

This is a really long book to listen to such an affected voice for the duration. Lots of great info and perspective. Loved many parts of it. Some of it was really repetitive, and that voice with it's soft "t"s drove me nuts.

A must read.

This is a must read manifesto for our time.
Be prepared for a roller coaster ride through despair and hope.

Narrator Ruins the Book

This great book needs to be recorded again with a different reader. It’s unfortunate that such an important book has been ruined by terrible narration.

Hit the nail on the head

Albeit a bit wordy and a tad longer than it needed to be, this audiobook sums up many of the earth changes already in progress.

Imperials will yell 'not true' but for those of us at the right level of consciousness this books gives great evidence and diction to the change we need to be in the world, or else.

Much recommended.

Extremely insightful and enlightening

Where does The Great Turning rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best in the genre of analysiing and bringing to the fore the historic, social, psychological and many other root causes for the mess we are in and provides very much spot on recommendations on how to fix the mess we are in.
This book is highly recommended to anyone trying to understand and see the light at the end of the tunnel of where we should head. But also should be compulsory reading for all economcis and law students (often part of the elite), an all in political and economic power (they will likely hate it).

What does Sandra Swafford bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I just live Audio books

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

From 5000 years of domination by empire to real communities and democracy

Food for thought

This is my first David Korten book and I was drawn to it by the “Empire” element. I love history and I have always been rather irritated by the mainstream opinion that my country had no “culture” prior to the Roman invasion. Many things that were previously accepted as fact have proven to be false when examined impartially. History has always been written by the ‘winners’ and that, for me, makes it suspect.

Mr Korten draws on the past and very skilfully makes comparisons to the present. One cannot say this book is enjoyable - its relation to present day problems is too close for enjoyment. It does, however, show the carousel humanity has been riding on and makes a good case for getting off it, when it is still possible.