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David Holmgren is one of the architects of the Permaculture movement. He wrote a treatise, Permaculture One, as part as his studies, with Bill Mollison in 1981. Over the past 38 years, those ideas have spanned the globe, been refined into various other books, videos and blogs by other practitioners and have been adapted to different climates and conditions. In 2014, PIP Magazine interviewed David to find out his view on how Permaculture could possibly bring about serious change in the world as we know it. His response can be seen on YouTube, at
This video clip got me thinking. How can something as peaceful and innocuous as gardening and self-sufficient living be considered an act of rebellion? The answer can be found when you think about what Permaculture is and what its practitioners actually DO.
Firstly, Permaculturists are self-sufficient. They provide in their own needs as far as water, food, shelter, clothing and power are concerned. They grow their own smokes and they brew and distill their own liquor. They teach their children at home, without the influences of television and other mass media.
More often than not, they do not have formal jobs, where taxes and other government levies can be deducted from their income automatically. They also do not subscribe to any government-supported health or pension plans. They use bartering to obtain goods and services that they can't produce themselves, reducing the need for cash. Therefore, they can get away with earning very small incomes, putting them under the so-called “poverty line”.
Leading active, healthy lifestyles mean that they don't get sick as much. When they do, they use home remedies that are often as effective as, if not better than, the industrial solutions.
They use human and animal powered modes of transportation, or fuel their vehicles with a home-made bio-diesel. They recycle and make compost.
Lastly (on this list, at least!), they follow leaders who have actually gone through the same experiences as they have, whom they respect and who are “walking their talk” practically.
From the authorities' point of view:
They deprive the State of income, as their incomes cannot be quantified and they do not earn enough cash to be taxable. They also do not use many goods and services that can be taxed, nor do they make use of government services that they can be charged for. They don't make use of toll roads, nor do they have to pay government levies on fuel, tobacco and alcohol. The government can't do anything about it, as this is all done within the law.
Because they homeschool their children, do not follow media trends or are influenced by government propaganda via television and radio, the State has very little control over their views and attitudes. What they do is also on such a small scale that government can't pass regulations to control their actions, although many local authorities have tried.
Permaculturists have demonstrated all over the planet that one doesn't have to be above the law to be rebellious. Instead, just go so far under the law as to be invisible, first do no harm and then do whatever you may.