What people are saying about Simpol
Ken Wilber
American philosopher, author and founder of Integral Theory.
“The central idea of Simpol is very powerful; that is, the notion of how to link votes in one country with votes in another - how to link political action in one country with action in another. International competition is built-in to the nation-state system at its current level of development and so the issue is not environmental concerns, but how to get humans to agree on environmental concerns. This is really fascinating and very hopeful. In my opinion this is the crucial issue for the 21st century.”
Jose Ramos-Horta
President of East Timor. Nobel Peace Prize Laureat
"I am pleased to confirm to you my interest in endorsing the Simultaneous Policy campaign and to be as active in its support as I can."
Noam Chomsky
Professor (MIT), political activist, author
"It’s ambitious and provocative. Can it work? Certainly worth a serious try.”
Hazel Henderson
Economist, author: Beyond Globalization: Shaping a Sustainable Global Economy
"The Simultaneous Policy is a creative proposal to accelerate progress toward a sustainable global economy. Many movements and grassroots globalists working for these goals can coalesce around such innovative initiatives."
Moises Naim
Editor-in-Chief, Foreign Policy
"...compelling and provocative."
Ervin Laszlo
Author and Futurist
"In an age when our problems are global and national governance structures are weakened and inadequate, it is absolutely necessary to think about the shape of effective global governance. This cannot be simply national government "writ large", for that would also enlarge the problems and inefficiencies of national governance. It must be a holistic and evolutionary governance system, and as to the articulation of the essential features of such a system, John Bunzl makes an essential contribution. Highly recommended for anyone concerned with our collective future on this small and largely mismanaged planet."
Diana Schumacher
Former President, The Schumacher Society
"The adoption of a Simultaneous Policy would eliminate the worst aspects of destructive competition from the economic system whilst promoting a recognition of the interdependence of each and all.”
John Stewart
Author, Evolution's Arrow - The Direction of Evolution and the Future of Humanity
"The Simpol proposal is a practical means of moving toward global governance. It should be an effective means of achieving cooperation where any individual government that behaves cooperatively will be disadvantaged until other governments also do so."
Terry Patten
Integral teacher, trainer, consultant and writer. Co-author, with Ken Wilber, of "Integral Life Practice".
"Simpol is brilliant and important. It enables trans-national creativity to get a running start long before established institutions are ready to act or even get out of the way."
Nigel Martin
Founder, Forum for Democratic Global Governance
"What I admire about your book is the breadth of your knowledge, the inherent logic of your approach and your courage to be solution-oriented. I believe that the Simpol approach is doable and may, as you argue, be more realistic than any other approach at this point in time."
Angie Zelter
Co-founder, Trident Ploughshares Right Livelihood Award, 2001
“There is a mechanism available for politicians to regain the power to act in the interests of ordinary people and for democracy to blossom. The Simultaneous Policy: an Insider's Guide to Saving Humanity and the Planet by John Bunzl is a must for politicians, their constituents and all those concerned with creating a sustainable global economy.”
Dr. Farhang Sefidvash
Coordinator, the Research Centre for Global Governance, Brazil
"The concept of Simultaneous Policy is a wonderful way of implementing cooperation which is the new law of human survival in the globalized world.”
Prof. Christopher Leo
Dept. of Politics, University of Winnipeg, Canada
"Anti-globalization demonstrators have the attention of the world. If they wish to hold that attention, and start to make an impact on policy, they must now follow Simpol's lead and propose workable alternatives to the status quo.”
David Lorimer
Editor, "Network", the journal of the Scientific and Medical Network
"Simultaneous Policy (Simpol) is an imperative in a competitive world that now demands new forms of cooperation in order to address global issues that cannot be resolved by one nation alone. ... John Bunzl analyses some key aspects of governance and sets Simpol in the context of transformative evolutionary change in our economic and political systems. ... A timely contribution to continuing debates about structures and processes of global governance, showing exactly why our current institutions are not fit for purpose."
Elisabet Sahtouris
Author, Earthdance - Living Systems in Evolution
"From my vantage point as an evolution biologist, John Bunzl's Simultaneous Policy is an idea whose time has come and an imperative if we are to evolve humanity from its juvenile competitive stage to its cooperative species maturity. A wonderful 'no risk' strategy for finding agreement on important issues in building global community!"
James J. Hughes Ph.D.
Executive Director,Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies. Associate Editor, Journal of Evolution and Technology.
"Simpol does get at the nub of the problem, the prisoners dilemma that stymies individual nations from enacting policies."
Sir Richard Body
Former Conservative Member of Parliament, UK
"The really big issues today now cross national frontiers and individual governments cannot cope with them in isolation. This is where Simultaneous Policy comes in. … [It] is the only way a host of problems can now be solved. Simultaneous Policy is the alternative.”
The late Anthony Wedgewood Benn
Former Labour Member of Parliament, UK
"Simultaneous Policy is very stimulating... by substituting internationalism for globalisation, cooperation for competition, humanity for markets, and wisdom for materialism, you have unlocked a powerhouse for good."
Prof. Charles Derber
Dept. of Sociology, Boston College, Boston
"There are ideas here that could change the world.”
Helena Norberg-Hodge
Director of the International Society for Ecology & Culture
"Your idea for a simultaneous policy is excellent .... Let's hope that people start to listen to this important message.”
Ed Mayo
Chief Executive, National Consumer Council, UK
“[The Simultaneous Policy is] an elegant idea of how change could occur. It reflects the core ideas of how to create consensus around change.”
Emilio José Chaves
Researcher in Economics and Sustainable Development
“The Simultaneous Policy is a simple, peaceful, low-risk and clear invitation for humankind to jump – in two steps – from a present spiral headed toward auto-destruction, into another one oriented toward life, cooperation and spiritual growth. To share is to live.”
The late Barbara Marx Hubbard
Founder of "Evolve" and The Foundation for Conscious Evolution
“Simultaneous Policy is the first social initiative I have found which actually offers a political mechanism to further the evolutionary imperative for greater cooperation at the large scale level.”
Jakob von Uexkull
Founder and Chairman - Right Livelihood Award Foundation
“…the basic concept is excellent. … Let me know what develops!”
David K. Levine
John H. Biggs Distinguished Professor of Economics, Washington University, St. Louis, USA.
"Democratic institutions are the best that we have - but have many deficiencies. One is that the focus on local problems can lead to "beggar thy neighbor" policies. We may hope that transnational political organization can help overcome this - and Simpol is a creative ground-up effort to make this happen."
Nancy Pennington
Animal advocate, Seattle, USA
"This is brilliant! I haven't been so excited since 5th grade when I learned that the UN was starting.”
Jackie Navarro
ATTAC Québec, Canada
“…the best ideas are the simplest. With a system like this, there’s no way for governments to wriggle out. All excuses evaporate. It’s a system which unmasks all those seeking to hide behind theoretical impossibilites. I can’t wait to see what follows. Well done Simpol!”
Syd Baumel
Editor of The Aquarian, Founder, Eatkind.net, Creative Contributor, ISPO
“Simpol is a cunning Trojan horse designed to sneak humane social values into a global political order dominated by money and might.”
Kerri Smith
Activist and adult educator, Australia
“To this point in my life, I've found nothing more worthwhile of becoming involved with than Simpol. Sometimes all the hard work at the grass roots level for various organisations can feel futile in the broader, oppressive political landscape, and Simpol speaks directly to changing the broader political landscape .... [It] has caught my attention and passion like no other movement before.”
Mark Davey
Businessman and Social Entrepreneur, Yorkshire, UK
“In the twenty years that I have been afforded a vote, I am unashamed to say I have never used it. My theory was that not to vote was the best way of securing my protest to all or any political parties and as the years have gone on my decision at 18 to adopt this tactic has been fuelled by what is happening in the world.
As soon as I had digested your information I signed up to Simultaneous Policy without hesitation and now feel almost compelled to get involved...congratulations!”