A principle advocating for the devolution of political and fiscal power to the most local level of government possible (cities, towns, counties). The argument, known as subsidiarity, is that decisions are more accountable, responsive, and innovative when made close to those affected. It can exist within both capitalist and socialist frameworks and is often a rallying cry against centralized state or corporate control.
Example: The Participatory Budgeting process in Porto Alegre, Brazil, where city residents directly decide how to allocate a portion of the municipal budget, is a celebrated innovation in Local Democracy. It shifts power from city hall technocrats to community assemblies in neighborhoods.
by Dumu The Void February 5, 2026
Get the Local Democracy mug.A reiteration of the Local Democracy principle, reinforcing the idea that the local unit isn't just one level among many, but the primary source of democratic legitimacy and power. Higher levels of governance are seen as service providers or coordinators for the local units, not rulers over them.
Example: The Swiss canton system, particularly in small cantons like Glarus and Appenzell Innerrhoden that still hold annual Landsgemeinde (open-air assemblies), exemplifies Local-Based Democracy. Cantons retain immense sovereignty, and the federal government’s power is constitutionally limited, preserving local primacy.
by Dumu The Void February 5, 2026
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