Grassroots democracy
Encyclopedia
Grassroots democracy is a tendency towards designing political
processes where as much decision-making authority as practical is shifted to the organization's lowest geographic level of organization: principle of subsidiarity
.
To cite a specific hypothetical example, a national grassroots organization would place as much decision-making power as possible in the hands of a local chapter instead of the head office. The principle is that for democratic
power to be best exercised it must be vested in a local community instead of isolated, atomized individuals, essentially making it the opposite of national supremacy. As such, grassroots
organizations exist in contrast to so-called participatory systems
, which tend to allow individuals equal access to decision-making irrespective of their standing in a local community, or which particular community they reside in. As well, grassroots systems also differ from representative
systems that allow local communities or national memberships to elect representatives who then go on to make decisions.
The difference between the three systems comes down to where they rest on two different axes: the rootedness in a community (i.e. grassroots versus national or international); and the ability of all individuals to participate in the decision-making process (i.e. participatory versus representative.)
(literally meaning All India Grass-root Congress) was established in India in 1998 under Mamata Bandopadhyay
. The party is centre-left
in ideology and vehemently opposed to neo-liberal communism
prevalent in West bengal
, a state in India
. It was almost a fringe player in national politics till 2007, but assumed rapid significance after 2009 Indian General Elections when they emerged as the second largest partner in the ruling United Progressive Alliance
with 20 MP-s of 543 in the Lok Sabha
. In the West Bengal state assembly election, 2011
, TMC won a majority of 184 seats (out of 294). Mamata Banerjee
became Chief Minister.
The outfit is now focusing on a green
agenda along-with regular political events.
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
processes where as much decision-making authority as practical is shifted to the organization's lowest geographic level of organization: principle of subsidiarity
Subsidiarity
Subsidiarity is an organizing principle that matters ought to be handled by the smallest, lowest or least centralized competent authority. The Oxford English Dictionary defines subsidiarity as the idea that a central authority should have a subsidiary function, performing only those tasks which...
.
To cite a specific hypothetical example, a national grassroots organization would place as much decision-making power as possible in the hands of a local chapter instead of the head office. The principle is that for democratic
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
power to be best exercised it must be vested in a local community instead of isolated, atomized individuals, essentially making it the opposite of national supremacy. As such, grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
organizations exist in contrast to so-called participatory systems
Participatory democracy
Participatory Democracy, also known as Deliberative Democracy, Direct Democracy and Real Democracy , is a process where political decisions are made directly by regular people...
, which tend to allow individuals equal access to decision-making irrespective of their standing in a local community, or which particular community they reside in. As well, grassroots systems also differ from representative
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
systems that allow local communities or national memberships to elect representatives who then go on to make decisions.
The difference between the three systems comes down to where they rest on two different axes: the rootedness in a community (i.e. grassroots versus national or international); and the ability of all individuals to participate in the decision-making process (i.e. participatory versus representative.)
Parties on Grassroots Ideology
The All India Trinamool CongressAll India Trinamool Congress
The All India Trinamool Congress is a state political party in West Bengal. Founded in 1 January 1998, the party is led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Trinamool Congress is currently the second largest member of the ruling United Progressive Alliance coalition...
(literally meaning All India Grass-root Congress) was established in India in 1998 under Mamata Bandopadhyay
Mamata Banerjee
Mamata Banerjee is the 11th and current chief minister of the Indian state of West Bengal. She is the first woman to hold the office. Banerjee founded All India Trinamool Congress in 1997 and became chairperson, after separating from the Indian National Congress...
. The party is centre-left
Centre-left
Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum...
in ideology and vehemently opposed to neo-liberal communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
prevalent in West bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
, a state in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It was almost a fringe player in national politics till 2007, but assumed rapid significance after 2009 Indian General Elections when they emerged as the second largest partner in the ruling United Progressive Alliance
United Progressive Alliance
The United Progressive Alliance is a ruling coalition of center-left political parties heading the government of India. The coalition is led by the Indian National Congress , which is currently the single largest political party in the Lok Sabha...
with 20 MP-s of 543 in the Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
. In the West Bengal state assembly election, 2011
West Bengal state assembly election, 2011
The West Bengal state assembly election, 2011 was held in six phases between 18 April and 10 May 2011 for all the 294 seats of the Vidhan Sabha in the state of West Bengal in India. The Trinamool Congress won an absolute majority of seats. Swami Ramdev backed Mamta and actively campaigned with his...
, TMC won a majority of 184 seats (out of 294). Mamata Banerjee
Mamata Banerjee
Mamata Banerjee is the 11th and current chief minister of the Indian state of West Bengal. She is the first woman to hold the office. Banerjee founded All India Trinamool Congress in 1997 and became chairperson, after separating from the Indian National Congress...
became Chief Minister.
The outfit is now focusing on a green
Green
Green is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
agenda along-with regular political events.
See also
- BarangayBarangayA barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
- Cell churchCell churchA cell church is a Christian church structure centering on the regular gathering of cell groups. Small group ministries are often called cell groups, but may also be called home groups, home friendship groups, home care groups, house fellowships, or life groups.A church with cell groups is not...
- DecentralisationDécentralisationDécentralisation is a french word for both a policy concept in French politics from 1968-1990, and a term employed to describe the results of observations of the evolution of spatial economic and institutional organization of France....
- DecommercializationDecommercializationDecommercialization is a grass-roots movement, especially in the United States, which aims to counter what is perceived as over-commercialization of society ....
- EcoCommunalism
- Green party
- International Simultaneous Policy OrganizationInternational Simultaneous Policy OrganizationThe International Simultaneous Policy Organisation is a voluntary organization that promotes the Simultaneous Policy campaign. It was founded by British businessman, John Bunzl, towards the end of 1998.- Description :...
- List of politics-related topics
- Open source governanceOpen source governanceOpen-source governance is a political philosophy which advocates the application of the philosophies of the open-source and open-content movements to democratic principles in order to enable any interested citizen to add to the creation of policy, as with a wiki document. Legislation is...
- SubsidiaritySubsidiaritySubsidiarity is an organizing principle that matters ought to be handled by the smallest, lowest or least centralized competent authority. The Oxford English Dictionary defines subsidiarity as the idea that a central authority should have a subsidiary function, performing only those tasks which...
External links
- Big Picture TV Vandana Shiva on Earth Democracy
- Big Picture TV Frances Moore Lappe on Living Democracy
- Green Change shares news, art and culture about grassroots democracy