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Society
One role that those who aspire to government think they have a mandate to do is design society in line with their own way of thinking. This is the road to totalitarianism, and totalitarianism has a very bad track record historically.
What these people think is that everyone would just follow the rules they lay down everything will be perfect and thus murdering millions of people is a small price to pay for this utopia.
One would have thought that after centuries of this mode of government the human race would have learnt.
This section describes how Smallism allows individuals, families, communities, cities, county and country to use the power of the crowd, or the power of evolution or the power of statistics depending on your preference to allow evolution, to allow bad ideas to die and good ideas to thrive.
Being that smallism starts at the individual and works up to a national level the totalitarians that are bound to rise are limited in their scope and can never achieve the power they crave.
In 2009, the residents of the small village of Findhorn in Scotland took over their local electricity distribution network after the previous operator, Scottish and Southern Energy, decided to sell it. The distribution network had been an essential service for the village, providing electricity to homes, businesses, and community facilities.
The residents formed a community group called the Findhorn Wind Park Trust, which secured funding from grants and donations to purchase the distribution network. The community group now manages the distribution network, including maintenance and upgrades.
Since the takeover, the Findhorn electricity distribution network has become a model for community-owned energy systems, providing a reliable and sustainable source of electricity to the village and surrounding areas. The community group has also been able to use profits from the distribution network to fund renewable energy projects and community initiatives.
The success of the Findhorn Wind Park Trust in taking over their local electricity distribution network has demonstrated the ability of communities to provide essential utility services, such as electricity, without the involvement of local government or private corporations. It has also provided a model for other communities in Scotland and beyond that are looking to transition to more sustainable and community-owned energy systems.
In 2012, the residents of the small village of Mells in Somerset, England, took over their local post office after the Royal Mail announced plans to close it due to budget cuts. The post office had been a vital community resource for over a century, providing a range of postal and banking services.
The residents formed a community group called the Mells Post Office Association, which secured funding from grants and donations to purchase the post office from the Royal Mail. The community group now manages the post office, including staffing, operations, and finance.
Since the takeover, the Mells Post Office has continued to provide essential postal and banking services to the village and surrounding areas. The community group has also been able to expand the services offered by the post office, including the provision of a community shop and café, which has become a popular meeting place for local residents.
The success of the Mells Post Office Association in taking over their local post office has demonstrated the ability of communities to provide essential services, such as postal and banking services, without the involvement of local government. It has also provided a model for other communities across the United Kingdom that are facing similar issues with the closure of post offices and other public services.
In 2015, the residents of the small town of Cumnock in Scotland took over their local swimming pool after the local council announced plans to close it due to budget cuts. The swimming pool had been a popular community resource for over 40 years, and its closure was met with strong opposition from local residents.
The residents formed a community group called the Cumnock Action Group, which secured funding from grants and donations to purchase the swimming pool from the local council. The community group now manages the swimming pool, including staffing, programming, and maintenance.
Since the takeover, the Cumnock swimming pool has become a thriving community hub, offering a wide range of swimming and fitness programs for residents of all ages. The community group has also been able to keep membership fees affordable, while ensuring the long-term sustainability of the swimming pool.
The success of the Cumnock Action Group in taking over their local swimming pool has demonstrated the ability of communities to provide essential services, such as recreational facilities, without the involvement of local government. It has also provided a model for other communities in Scotland and beyond that are facing similar issues with public service cuts.
In 2018, the residents of the small town of Northwood, New Hampshire, took over their local water system after years of problems with the privately-owned utility. The utility had been owned by a series of out-of-state companies, which had neglected maintenance and infrastructure improvements, resulting in frequent outages, low water pressure, and water quality issues.
The residents formed a community group called Northwood H2O, which secured funding from grants and donations to purchase the water system from the private utility company. The community group now manages the water system, including maintenance, repairs, and customer service.
Since the takeover, Northwood H2O has made significant improvements to the water system, including the installation of new infrastructure and the implementation of a regular maintenance schedule. The community group has also been able to keep water rates affordable for residents, while ensuring the long-term sustainability of the water system.
The success of Northwood H2O in taking over their local water system has demonstrated the ability of communities to provide essential services, such as water, without the involvement of local government or private companies. It has also provided a model for other communities across the United States that are facing similar issues with privatized water systems.
The residents of Bristol, England, took over their local library in 2016 after the Bristol City Council announced plans to close several libraries due to budget cuts. The residents formed a community group called the Friends of Redland Library and secured funding from grants and donations to keep the library open.
The Friends of Redland Library group was able to negotiate a lease with the Bristol City Council to take over the management of the library building and its contents. The community group now manages the library's services, including staffing, book acquisitions, and community programming.
The success of the Friends of Redland Library group in taking over their local library has demonstrated the ability of communities to provide essential services without the involvement of local government. It has also inspired other communities in the United Kingdom to take similar action in response to library closures and other public service cuts.