Putting differences aside to improve local democracy with Peter Macfadyen

Local activism and community engagement can lead to significant changes in local politics, but such change doesn’t come easy. A paucity of community engagement, a serious lack of trust, the need for diversity – these and many other issues can become barriers to change.

But this week’s guest, Peter Macfadyen, has proven that with perseverance, open communication, and a clear vision for positive change, these challenges can be overcome to create a more effective, participatory and community-driven local government.

Three reasons to listen

• To gain insights into the power of local activism and community engagement in driving political change.
• To discover the significance of grassroots movements, citizen empowerment, and challenging traditional political structures.
• To learn about the transformative potential of creating a more democratic and effective local governance system.

Episode highlights

• [00:07:41] British attitudes to death
• [00:13:58] The story of Flatpack Democracy
• [00:27:12] Mistakes made early on in the transition
• [00:31:19] Establishing a lasting change
• [00:37:10] Finding hope amid political division
• [00:43:43] Bringing people together
• [00:48:57] Don't improve the system - build a new one
• [00:50:40] Takeaways from Dan and Pia

Links

• Flatpack Democracy: A DIY Guide to Creating Independent Politics – Peter’s book
• The Flatpack Democracy movement
• Action on Disability and Development
• The Humanity Project
• Leave us a voice note