Libertarian municipalism
Encyclopedia
Libertarian municipalism is a term first used by libertarian socialist theorist Murray Bookchin
, and is used to describe a system in which libertarian
institutions of directly democratic assemblies would oppose and replace the state
with a confederation
of free municipalities. While originally conceived as being within the framework of political Anarchism
, Bookchin later broke with the anarchist movement and in his final essay "The Communalist project", identified libertarian municipalism as the main component of his own political ideology Communalism
.
Libertarian municipalism uses the libertarian socialist strategy of dual power
to create a situation in which the two powers — the municipal confederations and the nation-state
— cannot coexist. Communalists believe that it is the means to achieve a rational society, and that its structure would become the organization of society.
Murray Bookchin
Murray Bookchin was an American libertarian socialist author, orator, and philosopher. A pioneer in the ecology movement, Bookchin was the founder of the social ecology movement within anarchist, libertarian socialist and ecological thought. He was the author of two dozen books on politics,...
, and is used to describe a system in which libertarian
Libertarian socialism
Libertarian socialism is a group of political philosophies that promote a non-hierarchical, non-bureaucratic, stateless society without private property in the means of production...
institutions of directly democratic assemblies would oppose and replace the state
State (polity)
A state is an organized political community, living under a government. States may be sovereign and may enjoy a monopoly on the legal initiation of force and are not dependent on, or subject to any other power or state. Many states are federated states which participate in a federal union...
with a confederation
Confederation
A confederation in modern political terms is a permanent union of political units for common action in relation to other units. Usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution, confederations tend to be established for dealing with critical issues such as defense, foreign...
of free municipalities. While originally conceived as being within the framework of political Anarchism
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
, Bookchin later broke with the anarchist movement and in his final essay "The Communalist project", identified libertarian municipalism as the main component of his own political ideology Communalism
Communalism (Political Philosophy)
Communalism is a libertarian socialist political philosophy coined by author and activist Murray Bookchin as a political system to complement his environmental philosophy of social ecology....
.
Libertarian municipalism uses the libertarian socialist strategy of dual power
Dual power
Dual power is a concept that has taken on a broad meaning in the hands of anarchists and Libertarian socialists who use it to refer to the concept of gradual revolution through the creation of "alternative-institutions" and "counter-institutions" in place of and in opposition to state and corporate...
to create a situation in which the two powers — the municipal confederations and the nation-state
Nation-state
The nation state is a state that self-identifies as deriving its political legitimacy from serving as a sovereign entity for a nation as a sovereign territorial unit. The state is a political and geopolitical entity; the nation is a cultural and/or ethnic entity...
— cannot coexist. Communalists believe that it is the means to achieve a rational society, and that its structure would become the organization of society.
See also
- Cellular democracyCellular democracyAs developed by economist Fred E. Foldvary, cellular democracy is a type of democracy based on multi-level bottom-up structure based on either small neighborhood governmental districts or contractual communities.-Councils:...
- Inclusive DemocracyInclusive DemocracyInclusive Democracy is a political theory and political project that aims for direct democracy, economic democracy in a stateless, moneyless and marketless economy, self-management and ecological democracy...
- Participatory politicsParticipatory politicsParticipatory politics or parpolity is a theoretical political system proposed by Stephen R. Shalom, professor of political science at William Paterson University in New Jersey....
- Dual PowerDual powerDual power is a concept that has taken on a broad meaning in the hands of anarchists and Libertarian socialists who use it to refer to the concept of gradual revolution through the creation of "alternative-institutions" and "counter-institutions" in place of and in opposition to state and corporate...
External links and references
- Murray Bookchin's overview of Libertarian Municipalism
- Social Ecology London, English libertarian socialist study/action group
- Democratic Alternative, Scandinavian libertarian municipalist organization
- The politics of social ecology: libertarian municipalism, by Janet Biehl and Murray Bookchin, Black Rose Books Ltd., 1998, ISBN 551641003, 9781551641003
- Paul F. Downton, Ecopolis: architecture and cities for a changing climate: Volume 1 of Future City]], Springer, 2008, p. 157, ISBN 1402084951, 9781402084959