Libertarian Municipalism: Theory to Build Socialism from Below

Libertarian Municipalism: Theory to Build Socialism from Below

Libertarian municipalism is a political theory developed by Murray Bookchin that calls for the creation of direct democracies within municipalities, such as towns and cities (Biehl 173). Bookchin envisions these municipalities as the basis for a future ecological society, where citizens actively participate in managing social and economic affairs directly, rather than through representatives (Bookchin, EoF 337). He proposes that these municipalities should confederate to address issues affecting larger regions, forming a network of interconnected communities that prioritises cooperation and mutual aid (Biehl 179). This system, rooted in the principles of direct democracy, decentralisation, and libertarian communism, is meant to serve as a counter-power to the centralised nation-state and corporate capitalism . Bookchin believes libertarian municipalism could address the ecological crisis, drawing on our conversation about his critique of the domination inherent within current sy…