Oligarchy v. Grassroots

Editor: George Monbiot presents his theory on how oligarchs—the world’s richest and most powerful economic and political actors—have learned how to use media and democracy to persuade the poorest to vote for the interests of the richest. Monbiot also argues that the counter-power to oligarchy is grassroots political organization, town by town, i.e. municipalism. This is exactly what I have been arguing for almost ten years working on my Ph.D. in ecological sociology. I have submitted two doctoral dissertations on the subject; both were rejected, because the doctoral committee didn’t believe or understand why grassroots municipal politics is so critical and so powerful. With media savvy spokespersons like George Monbiot articulating the same arguments, perhaps my dissertation may finally be accepted.