Community & Governance

“Every country has the government they deserve” (J. de Maistre).  Sustainable futures are only possible with effective, relevant and responsive government: “of the people and by the people.”  As we identify ourselves within communities we need to develop forms of self-governance that respond to the long term needs, i.e. to maintain a balanced and equitable society.

Unfortunately, governments (both political and corporate) are still very much underpinned by the interests of the few, and are seldom representative of the many.  The effects of high levels of control and centralization of decision making was highlighted in the case study comparing Ocean Park and HK Disney theme parks.

Big government has power but lacks flexibility and sensitivity to local issues.  Top down bureaucratic approaches tend to be of the ‘one size fits nobody’ variety.   By contrast individuals feel impotent to change anything.   Sustainable futures cannot be achieved by wholesale, mass responses.  They require site specificity and particularity.

There is a potential solution, however, in the community itself, from the bottom up.   The actions of many individuals,  when added together, can have tremendous power to effect change at both local and territorial scales.