Review: „Terra Madre“ by Carlo Petrini

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Review: „Terra Madre“ by Carlo Petrini

The German translation of this noteworthy book was pending for some time. Published 2009 already in Italian, the Slowfood founder outlines here his political and economic philosophy of food. For Petrini the multinational agroindustrial groups cause our estrangement from the bases of our existence. However, he goes even further: Esteem for flora and fauna belongs also to his program as well as careful attention and esteem in dealing with traditions and their representatives: older generations who can give the younger a lot.

By the example of food Petrini explains the connections of Consumism with false developments in modern society. The further we get away from the production processes and thereby lose knowledge and responsibility, the more we are confronted with greed and power addiction by managers and politicians. As a countermodel Petrini sketches food communities in which local food producers and users of the products (the concept of "consumers" Petrini refuses understandably) arrange and provide for healthy and sustainable food. The consumers thereby become "co-producers", who influence the production of food and its spreading. This is a revolutionary idea which carries on the one hand archaic traits, on the other hand, a trendsetting model for a post industrial society.

Many small food alliances can develop a high potential in the mass and counteract against the standardization of our food. Less damage is put to nature by the preservation of old species and races (biodiversity) as well as practices in agriculture; monocultures, pesticides and synthetic fertilizers could belong to the past. The financial crisis in 2008 has shown that no one can rely on politicos and managers. Low budgets are available for the partly injurious development aid. If, however, criminal intrigues of banks threaten the world with bankruptcy, billions are provided by politicians. Petrini exemplyfies by this, his call for change in thinking: The money must be "re-earthened", that means be assigned to real values. The rescue of life appears hereby to be the highest value, when today about 1 billion humans must starve and and every year about 20,000 farmers in India commit suicide because they cannot raise the debts for seeds and fertilizer.

Therefore, Petrini also stands in for modest consumption: Everybody is entitled for a full life, also for good food within the scope of what nature provides us. Slowfood also is no elitist movement (with already more than 100,000 members in 153 countries) which only demands fancy food for the rich. On the contrary: As a base-democratic union of conscious consumers who see the future in deceleration of food processes, Slowfood has the guts for developing a new sovereignty against incompetent power structures. This is living sustainability and humanism.

It is a book which makes you think. In the end, it is a pleading for a new social order. Esteem for human beings and nature: This could sound as pure mockery in the ears of some decision makers. Therefore, this publication should be highly recommended to politicians and managers. But not as a bedtime reading, because this could lead to nightmares.

Ralph Bloemer, InterMopro.de