Frances Moore Lappé

Frances Moore Lappé is the author of nineteen books, beginning with the acclaimed "Diet for a Small Planet." Most recently she is the co-author, with Adam Eichen, of the new book, "Daring Democracy: Igniting Power, Meaning, and Connection for the America We Want." Among her numerous previous books are "EcoMind: Changing the Way We Think to Create the World We Want" (Nation Books) and "Democracy's Edge: Choosing to Save Our Country by Bringing Democracy to Life." She is co-founder of the Cambridge, Mass.-based Small Planet Institute. Follow her on Twitter: @fmlappe
Articles by this author
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Views Thursday, January 21, 2021 Democracy as Dignity Celebrating the inauguration of a new president and an end to years of attacks on democracy is a perfect moment to probe together: What do we mean by democracy in the first place? Here’s where I start. Beyond our physical essentials, to thrive every human needs to experience three states of being:... Read more |
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Views Thursday, April 23, 2020 Climate Justice Arising—Hidden Hope in Dark Times On the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, Covid19 shouts out a profound lesson: America can tackle this pandemic as well as meet our vastly bigger climate threat only as we move together toward solutions. Seem right? Obviously so. But solidarity for effective action demands we first take to heart that... Read more |
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Views Wednesday, November 20, 2019 10 Tips on Disarming Despair “Despair is humanity’s worst enemy.” Now, that’s a declaration I make often, which might imply that I’ve conquered it. But, having spent recent weeks with eyes locked on climate-catastrophe reports, this morning despair started closing in on me. Whoa, I thought to myself… “Your twitter ID is “’hope... Read more |
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Views Saturday, October 19, 2019 We're Not "Polarized" Everywhere. In Maine, Democracy and Green Energy Win Big How often I hear that in “polarized” America rural voters will reject a green agenda out of hand. For them, green means liberal, tree-hugging snobs, unconcerned about the struggles of real working people. But last week that frame busted for me when I had a chance to speak with Chloe Maxmin, a 27... Read more |
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Views Thursday, October 03, 2019 Most of Us Are Not Doing So Well: Numbers Crunching Working People Though a recent poll suggests the majority of Americans disapprove of President Trump ’s “overall performance,” they support his “handling of the economy” more than other issues surveyed. "The prosperity cycle we have entered into is continuing, it is strong,” White House National Economic Council... Read more |
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Views Thursday, August 08, 2019 Climate Courage—Cities and States Matter, Too More than one in five Americans —that’s over 70 million of us—now live in a place committed to 100 percent carbon-neutral electricity—including 131 towns and cities, seven states and Puerto Rico. With a Republican-controlled Senate and White House making federal action on climate change look less... Read more |
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Views Tuesday, July 23, 2019 Blood on Our Hands: How We Help Drive Immigration North Each month tens of thousands of migrants cross our southern border. They’re “seeking a better life”…right? Isn’t that why families leave loved ones to trek vast distances facing untold dangers? Certainly, it’s the story that fits our cherished image of our nation as a land of opportunity like none... Read more |
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Views Friday, June 28, 2019 Who Can Afford a Green New Deal? We Can! Despite ridicule by Republican leaders, calls for a Green New Deal resonate with 80 percent of Americans. Building on the vision laid out by Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Ed Markey, now Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren have weighed in with their versions. Americans love the idea of taking on the... Read more |
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Views Wednesday, May 08, 2019 The Shocking Tale of Two Generations It’s easy to feel fatalistic, accepting as “just the way things are” an America in which the top one-tenth of 1 percent controls as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent, while roughly a fifth of American children live in poverty, and half of American infants are so poor they depend on public aid to... Read more |
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Views Friday, April 26, 2019 "I'm a Capitalist," Says Warren…But Why? My headline poses a question I struggle with. “Capitalism” refers to an economy driven by owners of private capital, typically with the aim of bringing the highest possible return to themselves, and I am sure that is not what Senator Elizabeth Warren stands for. Warren has made clear that what she... Read more |