SELF RELIANCE cluding "empty" nature, if SR includes, as it should, a spirit of compassion, partnership with nature (this does not follow from the economic principles alone). Of course, one may still deplete and pollute oneself, as people have always done - the argument being that if this is the case counter-acting forces may more easily corne into action than when depletion and pollution take place in remote and defenseless corners of the economic cycles. (9) Through SR important externalities are internalized or given to neghbors at the same level. This is, of course, one of the most important arguments in favor of SR: by relying on one's own forces a genuine development of oneself, individually and collectively takes place. Much less is lost by reinventing something invented elsewhere already than by casting oneself in the role of a learner and imitator. in more conventional terms: the research and development facilities may be clumsy - whatever that means - but they are one's own, as are the mistakes, and it is from own mistakes, not from those made by others, there is most to learn. Through the mechanism of exchange with others at the same level (say, primitive tractors for primitive transistors) externalities are given to others at the same level instead of being added to the high level of the Center countries. The principles of redirection and recomposition would under inspired leadership distribute the externalities more evenly inside today's vast global Periphery. (10) Through SR solidarity with others at the same level gets a so/id basis. ln the simplified version of the principle of concentric circles, the distinction made between local, national and collective (Third World) self-reliance, the focus is already on Periphery solidarity. For the time belng this is best articuiated at the inter-governmental level and through increased trade, and particularly through increased cooperation in innovative behavior of a type that respects local conditions a horizontal infrastructure will emerge as a basis for true autonomy. Through mutual aid the Periphery of today will be weaned off its dependency on the Center of today - through partial withdrawal from the Center and increased reliance on itself - in which case the terms "Center" and "Periphery" as applied to the global system will no longer be valid. But they may still be highly valid as applied to the domestic system of the countries in today's Center and Periphery. The principles of self-reliance are as valid for cooperation between districts/states/provinces/ departments inside countries as for cooperation between coun63
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