Hyperlocalism — a new story of progress

We need a coherent and powerful response to the multiple crises threatening people and planet

Take Back Control was one of the most successful political slogans of all time. It achieved something previously unthinkable. But why? And why, in particular, was it a shock that the idea of people controlling their own destiny should be so popular?

Community ties used to be strong. In every village, town and city there were clubs, societies, workplaces and neighbourhood networks that existed to provide support and fellowship. People felt connected to where they lived. They felt a sense of belonging. They felt valued and they felt they played an important role in society.

Then, something changed. The control people had exercised over their lives, that autonomy and sense of purpose, began to dissipate. Suddenly, instead of working together for a common goal, people were told to focus on individual success, at the expense of everyone else. Competition, rather than community, was the new mantra.

This narrative, for a time, motivated people to reach for new heights. But the competition itself was fought on an uneven playing field, and it soon became clear that the real winners in this contest were those who had been given unfair advantage. There was no fair fight. This was a competition rigged in favour of a small group of privileged elites. The only path to success was to cheat, steal, and trample over other people en route to the top.

As people fought against each other instead of alongside each other, as they held their ‘rivals’ back instead of lifting others up with them, they collectively lost that sense of belonging. Society became fragmented. The roots holding communities together were torn up. And when the fallacy of this hyper-competitive, individualised culture was exposed for what it was, when its fundamental inhuman nature became clear for all to see, there was nothing but a void left in its wake.

People wanted to regain control over their lives. They were ready for something new, something that spoke to their insecurities and provided that sense of belonging that they had lost over the years. Take Back Control did that. But, as would soon become evident, this slogan was based on lies. It was a political revolution engineered by the very same elites who had torn up our societal foundations in the first place.

The void remains. No-one has yet won back the control they seek. This sense of powerlessness is the same feeling that must be addressed by any new, progressive political movement. The narrative that we need to tackle multiple threats to our environment, our lives and our liberty, has to focus on the empowerment of people and their communities. As we scramble to survive the worst public health crisis of modern times, we must develop a vision that offers people a shared sense of purpose, control and direction.

But what will that look like? How do we ensure that the same nefarious forces that have destroyed our communities, our society and our planet do not find a way to set the agenda once again?

The new progressive narrative must centre around participatory democracy, devolved power, a prosperous civic society and redistributive economy. It must focus on trust — trusting people to make decisions about their own future — while at the same time giving everyone an equal opportunity to succeed and change their lives for the better. The state should exist to provide the economic and social security that people need to be able to pursue their goals in the manner that they choose, while respecting human rights and civil liberties. Good governance is collaborative, evidence-based, and responsive to changing circumstances.

If people are given real, genuine control over their own communities, if they feel empowered to make decisions rather than being issued instructions in a top-down and bureaucratic manner, they will be able to make progress in their own lives as well as contribute positively to society as a whole. They will regain not only a sense of belonging, but a sense that anything is possible. They will believe not just that change can happen, but that they can be the ones who make it happen.

The narrative that I propose — to enable a new age of progress — is one of Hyperlocalism. It is the story of triumph over a distant, uncaring, selfish and distrustful elite, that has destroyed our local communities by selling off our public assets, devaluing public services, and denying us the right to determine our own future. It is the story of restoring power to the people by organising new neighbourhood networks, building new social structures from the bottom-up, and demanding that our newly invigorated communities are given the autonomy to steer a path toward a brighter future.