TAE-CHANG KIM is President of the Institute for Integrated Study of Future Generations in Kyoto, Japan. Prior to that, he was Dean of the Graduate School of Public Administration of Chungbuk National University in Chungbuk, Korea. His previous works include Creating a New History for Future Generations (l994), also co-authored with Jim Dator.
JAMES A. DATOR is Director of the Hawaii Research Center for Futures Studies at the University of Hawaii and a past President of the World Futures Studies Federation.

Introduction: Future Generations--They Are Our Conscience by Tae-Chang Kim and Jim Dator
Who Are Future Generations? What Are Public Philosophies for Future Generations?
The Virtual Republic by Walt Anderson
Future Generations and Governmental Processes by Fred W. Riggs
Future Generations: Challenge and Response by Takeshi Sasaki
Protecting the Options of Future Generations by Martha J. Garrett
Developing a Culture of Consequences by Jordi Serra
Towards Responsibility for Future Generations: Five Possible Strategies for Transformation by Kjell Dahle
Orienting Citizens and Governments towards Future Generations: Actual Experiences
Future-Oriented Political Philosophy in China: History, Possibilities, and Perspective by Xinning Song
Future Generations and Government Aimed at the Future by Alexander Tomov
Balancing Now and the Future: A Political Perspective by Barry O. Jones
Governmental Foresight and Future Generations by Clem Bezold
Enlightened Democracy and the Responsibility to Future Generations by Christa Daryl Slaton and Theodore L. Becker
Creating Future-Oriented Public Philosophies: Theoretical Concerns
Leadership, Evil, and Future Generations: Towards a Global Conversation of Cultures by Sohail Inayatullah
Governing in the Interests of Future Generations by Iam Lowe
A Socially Sustainable Economy for Future Generations by Lars Ingelstam
Future Generations: "Citizens" or "Consumers?" by Rich Somerville
Creating Future-Oriented Public Philosophies and Processes: Inspiring New Designs
Investing for Future Generations by George Kent
Intimate Politics: Face-to-Face with Future Generations by Wendy Schultz
Hawaii--Victim of Global Forces, Seeds for Sustainability: Can Future-Oriented Political Processes Be Created? by Ira Rohter
Decision Day by Bruce E. Tonn
Global Democracy by 2020 by Devin Nordberg
Conclusion: Bricolaging a Public Philosophy for the Well-Being of Future Generations--First Steps from Tetsuro Watsuji by Tae-Chang Kim
Index

When making decisions, governments can and should strive consciously to balance the demands of the present with the needs of future generations. Various advocates for greater governmental foresight have created new processes or institutions within existing systems of democratic government. These include long-range planning departments, futures commissions, requirements for future-impact statements on proposed legislation, environmental protection agencies, and offices of technology assessment. But, as the contributors to this volume demonstrate, much more remains to be done.
Some of the provocative questions posed by this book include: What is a public philosophy oriented to the needs of future generations necessary, and why is it necessary? What are the major examples of actual experiments in future-oriented governance? What were their successes and failures, and the reasons for each? And finally, what are the obstacles to future-oriented governance, and how might they be overcome? The authors of the essays in this volume suggest answers based on their extensive experience in working with governments, trying to help them incorporate techniques of foresight into their institutions and practices.