In a world in which
fear and insecurity are being twisted into hate, and inequalities,
xenophobia and authoritarianism are on the rise, a renewed
municipalist movement is standing up to defend human rights, radical
democracy and the common good.
In 2015 in Spain,
housing rights activist Ada Colau was elected mayor of Barcelona, and
movements from the squares won local elections across the country on
manifestos pledging to tackle corruption and radicalize democracy. In
the United States, cities are on the front line of resistance to
Trump, standing up for diversity, women's and LGBTI rights, and
working to tackle climate change. In Turkey and Syria, Kurdish
democratic confederalism is a beacon of participatory democracy,
feminism and human rights in a sea of violence and discrimination. In
Latin America, new municipalist movements are springing up and
working to fight poverty and inequality by building economic
alternatives from below.
It includes:
The theoretical
underpinnings of municipalism, including the politics of proximity
and the movement's role in feminizing politics and stopping the far
right.
Examples of real
radical policies being implemented in town and cities across the
world to guarantee the right to housing, remunicipalize basic
services and democratize decision-making.
Practical organizing
strategies and tools from municipalist platforms, from how to draw up
a participatory manifesto to how to crowdsource funding or hold a
neighbourhood assembly.
Profiles of 50
pioneering municipalist platforms from around the world.