# COMMUNITY LOCAL DEMOCRACY
Political systems across the world are being captured by corporate interests, seriously eroding the democratic process. Decentralizing political power through deliberative, direct and participatory democracy is a crucial step towards addressing our most urgent crises. Here are some of the many emerging strategies for strengthening **local direct democracy**.
# Local democracy Actions
* [x] Organize a Citizens' Assembly. (Expand Action)
* [x] Implement Participatory Budgeting where you live.
(Expand Action)
* [x] Launch a Flatpack Democracy campaign.
(Expand Action)
* [x] Use Future Design thinking.
(Expand Action)
# Voices from the field
* What is a Citizens' Assembly? 
, a video by the Extinction Rebellion [Citizens' Assembly Working Group, and Citizens' Assembly: Democracy that Works , by Extinction Rebellion NYC, show how citizen's assemblies actually embody the principle of government of, by and for the people, which is in turn necessary to tackle our most pressing social and environmental challenges.
YOUTUBE BdLHZqhyCT8 What is a Citizens’ Assembly?
YOUTUBE tyELoF2xIsI Citizens' Assembly: Democracy That Works
* In the video Flatpack democracy: the new English political revolt , John Harris of The Guardian explores the movement for revitalizing local control that started in Frome (UK).
* Welcome to Frome: Political revolution, alienation and happiness , a 3-part series by the Upstream Podcast, asks "What happens when a group of frustrated and ambitious residents take over their town council and begin running things in a radically different way? What kinds of new economics and politics begin to emerge?"
# Policy Even in so-called democracies, politicians and governments tend to be reluctant to relinquish power and endow ordinary citizens and residents with the ability to have a direct say in matters that affect their lives - that is, to practice democracy! Sometimes a sympathetic elected official can help promote experiments in direct democracy. Other times, it may be necessary for a social movement to contest and win seats and take over the local government. Citizen's assemblies can also organize and formulate people's policy platforms autonomously, and pressure existing governments to adopt them. Whatever the strategy, it is clear that while the theories and practice of direct, participatory, local democracy explored here may not be welcome within staid halls of power, they are necessary if we hope to transcend the status quo.
# Resources
* See how and why participatory democracy is important and effective for addressing environmental issues in Our Money, Our Planet: Engaging Citizens in the Climate Emergency through Participatory Democracy , from Shared Future and PB Partners (UK).
* Participedia enables you to explore hundreds of examples of direct democracy methods and case studies from around the world – from deliberative polling to community forestry to participatory planning.
* The Resources page from People Powered contains hundreds of tools, guides, case studies and more in numerous languages to support people in “making the policy decisions that affect their lives.”
* The book Can Democracy Safeguard the Future? by Graham Smith argues that "forms of participatory and deliberative politics offer the most effective democratic response to the current political myopia, as well as a powerful means of protecting the interests of generations to come.”
* In his book We Decide! Theories and Cases in Participatory Democracy , Michael Menser argues that democratic theory and practice need to shift from focusing on elections and representation to sharing power and property in government and the economy.