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Libertarian municipalism is a political theory that advocates for establishing direct democratic systems within municipalities, such as towns and cities. It envisions these local communities as the foundation for an ecological society, where citizens actively manage social and economic affairs directly rather than relying on representatives. This approach encourages municipalities to join in confederations to collectively address larger regional issues, creating a network of interconnected communities focused on cooperation and mutual aid. Rooted in principles of direct democracy, decentralization, and libertarian communalism, this system is intended to serve as an alternative to centralized nation-states and corporate capitalism.
Bookchin argues that libertarian municipalism offers a pathway to address the ecological crisis by confronting the systems of domination embedded within current governance and resource distribution models. He contrasts this approach with past attempts to create a stateless society, critiquing traditional anarchism for its focus on non-political arenas like factories or cooperatives. In Bookchin's view, the municipality represents the ideal setting for building a true public sphere, revitalizing active citizenship, and strengthening community bonds. Ultimately, his concept of social ecology evolves into a coherent political theory emphasizing direct democracy, municipal organization, and a networked confederal system.[1]
During the French Revolution, sociétés révolutionnaire controlled municipal governments and established alliances between neighboring cities, forming a federation of hundreds of "municipalist republics" in south France known as communalism.[2]
- ^ Carter, Mason. "Libertarian Municipalism: Theory to Build Socialism from Below". Class with Mason.
- ^ Cobb, Richard Charles (1970). The Police and the People: French Popular Protest, 1789-1820. Clarendon Press. pp. 179–180. ISBN 978-0-19-821479-3.