When we think of evolution, we often think of the natural world, of creatures adapting to changing conditions over time.
But what if I told you that evolution can also be cultivated in human-made structures called ecostructures?
By embracing ecostructures as a foundation for problem-solving, we can create sustainable, adaptable systems that can make iterative progress over time.
In this week’s issue, I explain the nitty-gritty of why ecostructures work well for complex problems and share two real-world examples from Bangladesh and Brazil that you can emulate.
Systems for evolution and adaptation
Ecostructures are intentionally-created policy environments that allow for evolution and adaptation, much like the natural world.
They are not rigid or static, but instead have the ability to change and grow in response to new challenges or circumstances.
They can be seen as the human equivalent of ecological niches, providing a space for individuals and communities to thrive while also supporting the greater whole.
Unlike policy solutions that are prescriptive about reaching a specific outcome, ecostructures encourage experimentation, innovation, and competition, while also maintaining stability and continuity.
Finally, ecostructures try to limit top-down rules in favor of allowing bottom-up solutions.
They acknowledge the secret that solutions aren’t – and can’t be – predetermined. Rather, solutions emerge as provisional responses to specific conditions and ever-changing individual goals.
Let’s briefly look at three ecostructures that we take for granted:
Ecostructure #1: The law
Let’s take the law as an example of an ecostructure.
The law is not a static set of rules, but a living, evolving system that adapts to changing circumstances.
As Wendell Holmes, Jr. famously stated,
“The life of the law has not been logic: it has been experience.”
It allows for the creation of new laws and the reinterpretation of existing ones, based on new information or changing social norms.
This allows for a system that is responsive to the needs of society, while still maintaining a basic structure that provides stability and continuity.
Ecostructure #2: The economy
Capitalism is another example of an ecostructure.
While some may argue that it is a flawed system, it is undeniably adaptable and has been able to evolve over time.
As Eric Beinhocker has written,
“The economy is an evolving ecosystem, not a Newtonian machine.”
From its origins in the Industrial Revolution to the modern global economy, capitalism has adapted to changing circumstances and has allowed for the creation of innovative solutions to complex problems.
Ecostructure #3: Democracy
Democracy is perhaps the most important ecostructure of all.
It allows for the free exchange of ideas and provides a framework for collective decision-making.
While it may not be perfect, it provides a space for individuals and communities to come together and make decisions that affect their lives.
Ilka Chase managed to capture the twin benefit and challenge of democracy with this reflection:
“Democracy is not an easy form of government, because it is never final; it is a living, changing organism, with a continuous shifting and adjusting of balance between individual freedom and general order.”
Ecostructure approach in the real-world
Let’s look at two examples of how ecostructures can be a template for solving complex social problems in an evolutionary way.
Example #1: Grameen Bank
The Grameen Bank was founded in 1983 by economist Muhammad Yunus, with the goal of providing small loans to impoverished Bangladeshis, particularly women, to start their own businesses and lift themselves out of poverty.
Rather than seeking a one-time solution to poverty, the bank created a system that can respond to changing circumstances and provide ongoing support for individuals and communities in need.
This approach recognizes the complexity of poverty as a social problem and the need for a multifaceted, adaptive solution.
Here’s how they do it:
The bank provides a range of financial services, including loans, savings accounts, and insurance, as well as training and support for business development.
As borrowers repay their loans, they become eligible for larger loans, providing a pathway out of poverty that is sustainable and adaptable.
At the same time, the bank encourages community involvement and social responsibility, with borrowers forming groups to support each other and ensure repayment.
Iterative lending and community involvement create a structure of reinforcing accountability and collaboration, strengthening the overall lending system over time.
This approach has allowed the Grameen Bank to make significant progress in reducing poverty in Bangladesh, with over 9 million borrowers and a 98% repayment rate.
Example #2: Belo Horizonte
Another real-world example of designing an ecostructure to iteratively improve a social problem is the approach taken by the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte to address hunger and food insecurity.
In the 1990s, Belo Horizonte was facing high levels of poverty and hunger, with an estimated 30% of its population living below the poverty line.
Rather than relying on traditional approaches such as food aid or charity, the city government decided to create a multi-faceted process to address the more fundamental causes of hunger and promote food security in the long-term.
The ecostructure created by the city government included a range of policies and programs designed to promote food access, education, and production.
For example, the city established a food policy council made up of representatives from civil society, government, and the private sector, which developed policies to promote sustainable agriculture and equitable access to food.
The city also created a network of community kitchens, where individuals and families could access healthy, affordable meals, as well as learn about nutrition and food preparation.
Finally, the city invested in urban agriculture programs, providing land and resources for individuals and communities to grow their own food.
Over time, the approach has evolved and adapted to changing circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which posed new challenges to food security. The city government created new programs, such as a voucher program to support local farmers, and expanded existing programs to reach more people in need.
These iterative approaches have led to significant progress in reducing hunger and promoting food security in Belo Horizonte.
The city has seen a 60% reduction in the number of people living in extreme poverty and has become a model for other cities around the world looking to address similar social problems.
Ecostructures encourage evolutionary processes
The ecostructures created by Belo Horizonte and Grameen Bank demonstrate the power of institutional environments that encourage iterative approaches to problem-solving, rather than one-time or unchanging policy solutions.
As David Colander and Roland Kupers write in “Complexity and the Art of Public Policy,”
“Complex problems need iterative solutions. They require a persistent focus on improving the problem-solving system itself, not just the current solution.”
The many examples I gave you today are a lot to digest all at once.
But perhaps this question is enough to start applying the ecostructure insight:
Are you cheerleading a specific solution, or working to improve the problem-solving system itself?
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See you next week.
Whenever you’re ready, there are two ways I can help you:
→ I’m a strategic advisor for the toughest societal problems like poverty, crime and homelessness. People come to me when they want to stop spinning their wheels and get transformative, systems-level change.
→ I’m a coach for emerging and executive leaders in the social and public sectors who want to make progress on their biggest goals and challenges.
Let’s find out how I can help you become transformational.
