Nationalism and the Permaculture Nation

In this wide-ranging and deeply human conversation, host Geoff Lawton & Ben, Eric and Sam explore nationalism, immigration, borders and belonging through a permaculture lens. Drawing on Bill Mollison’s definition of a nation as a shared ethic — not a geographic boundary — the discussion reframes global challenges around scarcity, migration, labor and wealth. This is not a political debate. It’s a systems conversation about ethics, ecology and what it really means to belong.

Watch the video episode here.

Key Takeaways:

00:00 – 01:21 - The episode sets the stage by questioning modern nationalism and its confusion with patriotism.

01:38 – 02:15 - A nation is redefined through permaculture as a shared ethic and worldview, not borders or race.

02:15 – 03:07 - Ethnic nationalism is unpacked as a historical and dangerous distortion of identity.

03:09 – 06:29 - Economic stress, immigration, and labor exploitation are explored as systemic issues rather than moral failures.

06:30 – 08:21 - Modern borders and immigration are revealed as recent constructs that ignore historic movement and trade.

08:46 – 10:29 - Blame is shifted away from immigrants and toward concentrated wealth, power, and policy decisions.

10:29 – 12:41 - Survival instinct, territory, and human behavior are examined through both ecological and social lenses.

13:19 – 15:27 - Passport privilege highlights global inequality and the uneven experience of “freedom of movement.”

16:05 – 17:55 - Scarcity mindset vs. abundance mindset becomes a central theme, tying directly into permaculture ethics.

18:38 – 20:50 - Resource-rich nations suffering poverty reveal how systems, not nature, create deprivation.

21:26 – 22:41 - Geoff introduces the idea of a “permaculture nation” — a global identity rooted in care and action.

22:41 – 27:37 - Immigration reframed as an opportunity for land repair, skill-building, and eventual regeneration at home.

27:37 – 30:19 - Personal responsibility, consumer choices, and voting with time and labor are emphasized.

31:27 – 33:08 - Wealth is redefined as food, water, air, community, and resilience — not money.

33:08 – 35:13 - Local action and community engagement are positioned as real power outside financial systems.

35:13 – End - The episode closes by questioning unchecked systems while affirming permaculture as a practical, hopeful path forward.