Reason, creativity and freedom: The communalist model
The attitudes of racism and xenophobia, which have fueled the virulent rise of fascism today in places like the United States, must be combated by a radical humanism that celebrates ethnic, cultural and spiritual diversity. With communalism we might remake the world upon humanity’s potential…
Democratize the union: Let the rank-and-file decide!
Labor unions are losing political force in the US. Unless organized labor finds solutions to problems pervasive within its own organizations and structures, union membership numbers will continue to shrink. In order to revitalize labor unions, the lack of internal democracy is to be reversed….
Why the municipal movement must be internationalist
The new municipalism incarnated by experiences like Barcelona en Comú has become a model of political transformation. A new hypothesis seeks to put the international context in the centre of municipal debates and municipalism in the centre of global debates. The conclusion reached is that…
Solidarity cities
With nationalist parties resurgent throughout Europe, more and more European nationals are vesting their political hopes in national governments. But for those new migrants without increasingly-coveted EU citizenship, the institutions most likely to come to their aid are not nation states, but local and city…
America needs a network of rebel cities to stand up to Trump
America’s cities and local leaders have emerged as the institutional frontline of resistance against the Trump administration.However, cities can be more than just a last line of defense against the worst excesses of an authoritarian central government: they have huge, positive potential as spaces from…
Thinking about Europe en Comú
The document framed the relationship between the municipalist revolution and the reconstruction of Europe from below. It was created in preparation for the Barcelona en Comú plenary assembly of 1 June, 2016. Photo: Anna Shvets
The Spanish democracy revolutions
In Spain, where indignation is rife, four post-capitalist strategies are at work: Catalan independence, autonomous spaces, networked democracy, and radical municipalism.These strategies—distinct but with the potential to fuse together—could reshape the political landscape beyond recognition.
Flatpack democracy: the new English political revolt
While Scotland has blazed a new trail, much of England seems to have stuck to politics as usual. In fact, under the media radar, a growing number of self-styled independents are trying to kick out the big parties and take over the parts of government…
Rebel cities: the citizen platforms in power
The paper examines the successes, limitations and possibilities of citizen platforms after their first months in power in cities across Spain. Photo: Pixabay