Libertarian Municipalism
Libertarian municipalism is Murray Bookchin's programme for replacing the nation-state with a confederation of directly democratic municipalities. Citizens' assemblies would govern local affairs and manage the economy, which would be municipalised rather than private or state-owned.
How close are you? Take the test →Position on the 12 axes
Power lies with municipal assemblies linked in a confederation.
Defined by face-to-face direct democracy in citizens' assemblies.
Rejects state power, though it accepts binding majority decisions by assemblies.
Confederation is meant to cross and replace national borders.
Opposes state militarism, while accepting community self-defence.
Supports inclusive citizenship based on participation rather than ethnicity.
Municipalises land and enterprises under community ownership.
Economic decisions are made democratically by assemblies, not by a state or markets.
Favours local and regional self-sufficiency over global markets.
Secular and rationalist in outlook.
Strongly opposed to social hierarchy, including gender and age hierarchies.
Bookchin welcomed 'liberatory' technology if scaled to human communities.