10 Characteristics of Organic Politics
The Kettering Foundation is an independent, nonpartisan research organization that explores how key political practices can be strengthened through innovations that emphasize active roles for citizens. Kettering’s research is conducted from the perspective of citizens and focuses on what people collectively can do to address problems affecting their lives, their community, and their nation.
David Mathews, Kettering President and CEO, has written about the concept of “organic politics,” which he contrasts with the more familiar institutional politics of elections and representative government. Mathews’ concern is that the contemporary emphasis on connecting citizens to institutions and strengthening institutional legitimacy tends to overlook the need for citizens to connect with one another, and therefore miss the contributions that come out of the “ecosystem of democracy.”
Mathews identifies 10 characteristics of organic politics:
- Citizens are defined by their relationships with other citizens rather than government.
- Organic relationships are pragmatic or work related, not those of family or institutional politics.
- The names people give to problems reflect their hopes and fears as human beings, not the quantifiable labels ascribed by experts.
- The knowledge needed to decide what to do about these problems is formed by the interactions of people, not rigorous and disciplined science.
- Decisions are deliberative and involve careful weighing of possible actions against what people consider most valuable, as determined in a specific context.
- The resources needed to implement decisions come from people’s innate resources, such as commitment and political will.
- People’s actions are loosely coordinated by a shared sense of direction, not by a single plan or central agency.
- The commitment of resources to action is enforced by the promises people make to one another, not by legal contracts.
- Power comes from the ability of citizens to make things through collective efforts and the relationships forged in these efforts.
- Change comes about through collective learning and the innovation it generates, rather than through revisions to law and policy.
It is not a case of either/or regarding institutional politics and organic politics. Understanding both, and ensuring both work well, are essential for the vitality of the Eau Claire community and the health of our local democracy.