It is similar to the lifeways of those practicing voluntary simplicity, including traditional Mennonite, Amish, and modern eco-village communities.
"Local-economy theory" introduces insights into new economic development that honours ecological realities and finds efficiencies in small-scale, shared knowledge at the community level.
Such actions seek to help people survive well; produce and distribute surplus; transact goods and services more fairly; and invest in ways to support a better future.
[6] There have been mixed results from a limited number of studies endeavouring to explore the potential for success from community-based decentralised programs.
[9] Common challenges are linked to the scarcity of material and non-material (such as skill and education) of poor community members.
The government-initiated program being run in China since 2001 is one of few examples of community-based economics at play, with limited to no participation from international donors.
[11] Farmers in the Amish community refrain from using modern technological equipment and still find ways to sell their products at market prices and make profits.
As such, the Amish still find themselves subject to the economic factors of supply and demand changes, rapid changes in legal and political environments, as well the impacts of globalisation.
[15] Various state governments in Australia devolve powers to regional organisations to decide how to invest public funds in environmental management.
This approach is one that the Australian state governments have justified based on the potential benefits of developing the capacities of landholders and other stakeholders.
[17] In many rural communities across the west of the United States, (community-based organisations (CBO)), grassroots non-profit entities focusing on revitalising their respective communities through linked natural resource stewardship and rural economic development activities, have emerged to provide direction and practical solutions to natural resource management dilemmas and social conflict.
Since the 1970s, Indigenous communities in Australia have played leading roles in building procuring community-based services in areas such as local governing; health; housing; as well as welfare.
[20] This project was collaborative in nature, where the University worked with a number of community-based Aboriginal land and sea management groups in northern Australia.
These economies have concerned themselves with the tasks of sustaining agriculture; managing natural resources; facilitating small and medium enterprises; as well as dealing with health problems in their communities such as HIV and AIDS.
Apart from seeking to implement subsistence farming, the NHCS deals with generational income issues by focusing on achieving stability at the household level.