Sketchnote for the Decoding Municipalism session in the Municipalism Learning Series. Shows an aerial view of a community with a city hall, community gardens and an outdoor gathering place. Reads: “Municipalism is about reinventing governance, confronting institutions and democratizing them. It is an experiment in transformation, local radical democracy, and self-governance, rooted in interdependence. Who are the Municipalists: SNCC People’s Assemblies; Barcelona en Comu; Los Angeles for All; Global Networks; and North American roots in Black and Indigenous self-governance. What municipalists do: Direct democracy, dual power, civic platforms, and movement work (includes supporting mutual aid, tenants unions, degrowth, permaculture, and solidarity economy projects). Dilemmas: What kind of political system does a post-capitalist future call for? What do we call ourselves? Are we revolutionary or reformist? How should our political system relate to the economy? Democracy: Is this idea inclusive or alientating? How do we ensure social justice within direct democracy?

Decoding Municipalism

Sketchnote for the Decoding Municipalism session in the Municipalism Learning Series. Shows an aerial view of a community with a city hall, community gardens and an outdoor gathering place. Reads: “Municipalism is about reinventing governance, confronting institutions and democratizing them. It is an experiment in transformation, local radical democracy, and self-governance, rooted in interdependence. Who are the Municipalists: SNCC People’s Assemblies; Barcelona en Comu; Los Angeles for All; Global Networks; and North American roots in Black and Indigenous self-governance. What municipalists do: Direct democracy, dual power, civic platforms, and movement work (includes supporting mutual aid, tenants unions, degrowth, permaculture, and solidarity economy projects). Dilemmas: What kind of political system does a post-capitalist future call for? What do we call ourselves? Are we revolutionary or reformist? How should our political system relate to the economy? Democracy: Is this idea inclusive or alientating? How do we ensure social justice within direct democracy?

In September, the Municipalism Learning Series launched their cohort fellowship program with a group of 27 organizers from across the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico. During the first meeting of the cohort, fellows were introduced to this vision of local radical democracy in a session on Decoding Municipalism, Visit the Municipalism Learning Series website to explore readings on the fundamentals of radical municipalist politics.

Municipalism.org