RADICAL DEMOCRACY AND AUTONOMY: WHAT DO WE MEAN? A Conversation (by Global Tapestry of Alternatives)

[Ashish Kothari]

RADICAL DEMOCRACY AND AUTONOMY: WHAT DO WE MEAN?
A Conversation 

https://evo.re/rd-faq

In this document, we lay out our thoughts on the meaning, practice and
concepts of 'radical democracy and autonomy. This is, we feel,
especially relevant in today's context of widespread authoritarianism
and the collapse of liberal 'democracy', and the struggles of Indigenous
peoples, other local communities, and collectives of various kinds to
respond to multiple crises and explore a more just society for humans
and the rest of nature.

It is written in the form of a conversation between a curious person and
us, and covers wide ground including

* elements of history (with various forms of radical democracy
pre-dating the Greeks, who are widely but wrongfully attributed with
having invented democracy)

* meaning of various terms including radical democracy, autonomy,
self-determination, earthy governance and others

* examples of the ground-level practice of radical democracy and autonomy, and what methods are used

* complex relations between attempts at radical democracy and the state,
internal dynamics of heirarchy and inequality within communities and
collectives, the role of nature in decision-making, and others

We do not intend to be conclusive in this note, but rather to put out
our current thinking on this, for constructive critical inputs,
discussion, and further evolution. We would be happy to get your feedback (but pl. write to directly to those cc'd here, not to full lists)!

A Spanish version will follow soon. 

thanks, 

Ashish (on behalf of GTA Radical Democracy & Autonomy Thematic Group)

-- 
Ashish Kothari
Apt 5 Shree Datta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana
Pune 411004, India
https://ashishkothari.in