U.S. North Americans are mostly withdrawn from politics and seek their economic and social goals – for many just subsistence – through individual striving, like get a credential or suck up to the boss. Unfortunately most of humanity’s economic and social problems are the result of structures that create inequalities and humiliations, and can only be changed by social movements. Bill Resnick talks to Jim Labbe and Tyler Wilkins about “Participatory Budgeting” (PB) that provides appropriations to small towns or city neighborhoods to collectively plan to meet community needs. Participatory budgeting can encourage people formerly withdrawn from politics into thinking about what their community needs, thus facilitates discussion and community organizing around felt common needs. Or PB can be controlled by the city, and operate as a device to coopt grass roots leadership who become dependent on city funds. For more see Participatory Budgeting Oregon.
- KBOO