A wave of local democracy is sweeping across Europe, positioning humankind’s basic goodness and common sense as the antidote to collapse. My own trust in humanity, recently underlined by a unanimous jury acquittal, is now vindicated daily on the streets of Hull, where democracy is coming to life through people’s assemblies.
Assemblies are public meetings where local people get together to discuss and decide on a specific issue, without political interference or hidden agendas. A simple tool with immeasurable potential, these assemblies can help us fundamentally rethink how we make decisions in our society, and create strong, active communities in the process. To survive ecological breakdown and the collapse of our failing economy, we need both, urgently.
Cooperation Hull is holding Neighbourhood Assemblies across the city, and in each one we are learning what happens when a room full of strangers upend social norms to break bread, hold hands (an ice-breaker) and voice their honest opinions on the most important questions of our time.
