local democracy
Neighborhood political participation
Local democracy is political self-governance at the community level—towns, cities, counties, or districts making decisions about their own affairs.
It encompasses elected councils, town hall meetings, local referendums, and citizen participation in neighborhood issues: Local democracy means showing up to school board meetings, not just voting for president.
The term often carries implicit contrast with centralized or national authority.
- borough councilElected local authority
- transparencyState of being see-through
- representationDepiction or likeness
- subsidiarityLocal authority when able
- public hearingsOfficial meetings open to all
public comment · community input · city government · grassroots activism · grassroots organizing · deliberation · open meetings · advisory committees · zoning board · community boards · responsiveness · accountability · devolution · neighborhood associations · county government · voter apathy · precinct captain · municipal council
- local governmentcity manager, aldermen, city hall, councillors, councillor
- UK governancedevolution, central government, Westminster, Whitehall, council tax
- municipal governmentmayor, city council, municipal council, town council, city manager
- town governmenttown meeting, selectmen, town clerk, town council, town manager
local democracynational government
Country's central ruling body
federal government · central government · regional government
local democracycentralized control
Authority concentrated in one body
centralized government · centralism · central planning · central authority · command economy