Our philosophy
A respectful and balanced approach to self-reliance, far removed from isolation or autarky.
Within the αωtonomia association, we share a commitment to a respectful and balanced form of self-reliance that remains fully connected to the wider national community. Far from advocating isolation or autarky, we believe that greater self-sufficiency can strengthen solidarity and collective resilience in times of crisis.
🌿 A positive force
For us, self-reliance means giving each person the ability to meet essential needs independently, while remaining connected to society and actively contributing to the community.
We see this independence not as an end in itself or a dogma, but as a way toreduce financial pressure on households and public infrastructure, thereby strengthening collective resilience and reducing dependence on external resources.
This helps us cope more effectively with economic and environmental challenges while reducing our vulnerability to international market fluctuations and geopolitical crises.
🌿 A practical and community-minded vision
Use sustainable practices to reduce water, electricity and heating bills, easing household expenses and improving quality of life.
Grow food, produce energy and make use of local resources to better withstand economic and climate-related crises. Winegrowers and fruit growers know this reality well.
The hailstorms of May and June 2022 damaged more than 100,000 roofs. Storms, heatwaves and heat domes are becoming increasingly common. Our homes must be able to withstand them.
A society made up of capable, more self-reliant individuals who can meet more of their own needs contributes to national economic stability and improves resilience in times of crisis.
🌿 Self-reliance and nature
In the earliest periods of human history, understanding the environment was a matter of survival. Our ancestral relationship with wildlife and plants, shaped by both caution and respect, developed over millennia.
That chain of transmission has weakened, leaving today's generations without essential knowledge about plants and trees, including how to distinguish edible species from toxic ones. Our association strongly encourages people to reclaim these skills.
🌿 Self-reliance and technology
Self-reliance is fully compatible with the thoughtful use of modern technology. On the contrary, technology can increase our resilience, provided it is used wisely.
Solar panels, wind systems and energy-storage technologies carry environmental costs, particularly because of mineral extraction. A supposedly ecological approach that prohibited all resource use would be unrealistic. Conversely, mass adoption without reducing consumption could create severe environmental damage.
As illustrated by the lute-string metaphor attributed to Siddhārtha Gautama, balance is essential: a string that is neither too tight nor too loose can produce a harmonious sound.
For us, self-reliance is a balanced combination of ancestral techniques and modern systems, while also recognizing the need to adapt our lifestyles and reduce consumption.
🌿 Ancestral skills
We place great importance on preserving and developing manual and mechanical skills as well as proven traditional practices. These ancestral skills, passed down from generation to generation, form an essential foundation for genuine self-reliance.
Mastering practical techniques that help meet basic needs without relying entirely on modern technology is an important form of freedom and resilience, covering fields ranging from ecological construction to subsistence food growing, as well as food preparation and preservation.
🌿 The wider national community
In a constantly changing geopolitical environment, where economic conflict and price volatility can threaten national interests, greater household self-reliance plays a strategic role.
Rising wheat and food prices, together with energy-price fluctuations linked to armed conflicts, show that greater self-reliance can make a major contribution to reducing our collective geopolitical vulnerability.
Far from promoting isolation, self-reliance can strengthen solidarity and the resilience of the wider national community by providing a stronger foundation in times of crisis.