Countervailing Power
Building Bottom-Up Democracy Through Co-Governance
People’s movements are challenging oligarchic power and holding out a powerful vision of robust political and economic democracy to replace it, but our power so far remains marginal, and we are nowhere near ready to govern.
Community Organizing and Electoral Politics
Is Involvement in Elections a Source of Synergy—or Distraction?
How Los Angeles Tenants Beat the Landlords—For Now
The rise of a renters’ movement and its electoral victories last November have reshaped some fundamental city policies.
The Tenants Who Went to Washington
The Homes Guarantee Campaign got the attention of policymakers at the highest levels. Now these tenant organizers want to get the policy.
Small Businesses Rise to Fight Wall Street
Small businesses are organizing around increased swipe fees. Their efforts could further an anti-monopoly revolution.
Making Paid Sick Time a Reality
Organizing for paid leave, which is on the verge of passing in Minnesota, is part of a larger challenge to reverse an abusive workplace status quo.
“The Bosses of the Senate” by Joseph Keppler
From Countervailing to Prevailing Power
Progressives should plan our fights against anti-democratic oligarchies with the explicit aim of becoming the dominant political force.
Jandos Rothstein
Using Policy to Reorganize Power
Even the best structural reforms will not succeed without aggressive organizing.
President Carter signing the Community Reinvestment Act on Oct. 12, 1977. (Jimmy Carter Library/National Archives and Records Administration). Source: Federal Reserve
The Reinvestment Movement vs. the Bankers
David is very nimble, but Goliath is more powerful than ever.
Jandos Rothstein
Laws That Create Countervailing Power
A roundtable discussion with Benjamin Sachs, Kate Andrias, and Steve Kest