Page 6 RAIN August/September 1981 -----·--------- FOREIGN ------- Self-Reliance: A Strategy for Development, edited by Johann Galtung, Peter O'Brien and Roy Preiswerk, 1980, 422 • pp., inquire for price from: Bogle-L'Ouverture Publications Ltd. 141 Coldershaw Road, Ealing · London W13 9DU UNITED KINGDOM With my faithful Websters by my side, I struggled through this worthwhile though· densely written book. Born out of an international think tank of professors, students, civil servants and technical assistants Self-Reliance, reflects the ponderous though sometimes illuminating tone often found in academic writing. While I often wished the authors knew more about the Appropriate Technology/Self-Reliance movement internationally, their writing does offer a historical perspective which is often lacking in A.T. literature. Commentaries on self-reliance by such people as Ho Chi Minh, Rousseau, Gandhi and Mao Tse-tung are contrasted with one another. A chapter which especially drew my attention consists of a series of "case studies," one of which centers on the rise of the Paraguayan self-reliant "utopia" of 1811-1870 (see article elsewhere this issue). Recognizing bpth the potential and the problems of a self7reliant development strategy, the authors offer a well-reasoned, conceptual view of their subject. If you have the persistence to plow through the academic verbiage, you'll certainly find much of merit. -LS "Appropriate Technology Sourcebook, Volume II, By Ken Darrow, Kent Keller and Rick Pam, 1981, $6.50 (plus $1.38 postage in the U.S.), 816 pp., from: Appropriate Technology Project Volunteers in Asia Box4543 Stanford, CA 94305 In keeping with the style of Volume I, which RAIN editors praised as an outstanding complement toRainbook (see RAIN III:5, 14), the Appropriate Technology Sourcebook, Volume II provides access to over 500 additional publications relating to village and community technology. Gearing the publication toward "community organizers, educators, policymakers, and scientists," the authors stress the connection betwen community organizing and appropriate technologies, describing them as ACCESS FromAppropriate Technology Sourcebook mutually supportive. The theoretical section of this book is small but potent. Although I disagreed with a few particular points, this is • a well thought out and illuminating resource guide. Acknowledging the political and eco- . nomic iµ,.pact of appropriate and intermediate technologies, the authors note that un- .equal patterns of land ownership can lead to technological choices "which may not benefit the majority of the population." Village elites can consolidate their position with the· help of technologies that were intended to alleviate poverty. The bulk of the Sourcebook is devoted to access on topics as diverse as bookkeeping, nonformal science education, water filtra-'- tion, and operation of small scale enterprises. Most .of the material is drawn from U.S. - based research and A. T. groups. A fair . amount is from the developing countries themselves. While brief reference is made-to the special needs of women in developing countries, the book could have been ixn- . proved by devoting a chapter to this topic. The Sourcebook is a valuable tool for dis- • se~inating information within and among developing nations. Essential reading for those considering a stay overseas. -LS Land Reform: Is it the Answer? A Venezuelan Peasant Speaks, Research Report '2, by Frances Moore Lappe and,Hannes Lo,renzan, $1.50, from: • Institute for Food and Development Policy 2588 Mission Street San Francisco, CA 94110 While Oxfam's publication (se~ review above) provides an overview of land reform issues in developing countries, this IFDP publication is more narrowly focused. Through an interview with a Venezuelan peasant farmer and political activist, Carlos Rojas, the authors portray the day-to-day realities of Venezuela's attempt at reform. Poor nutrition (52/ of the children between one and six years of age and 43/ of those from seven to 14 years are malnourished), lack of financing (credit goes directly to p~ivate distributors of farming imports, not to farmers), and inadequate housing (deforestation has destroyed the materials used to build traditional housing) are all examples of the "improvements" land reform has wrought. In more than one case, government intervention worked counter to the goal of reducing povetty: "We found that where government investment in credits, inputs, and expertise was highest, the nutritional level was lowest ! " Carlos also describes the corruption of a . potentially powerful land reform organization~The federation. Ca:mpesirio de Vene- ·zuela-a mass-based, peasant organization fomied in the early sixties to protect peoples interests. Instead, the Federation has become a bureaucratic arm of the government. Recognizing the problems they are facing, Carlos' community has begun an experimental subsistence program. Slowly they are educating themselves about such agricultural practices as intercropping; uses of manure, companion planting, and animal raising with the goal of working free of the government credit system. Time will tell whether the community will be able to establish the selfreliant base they are working toward. The optimistic tone of Carlos' interview is tempered by the experiences of other communities and individuals in Venezuela. An historical overview (by Hannes Lorenzen) in
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