Democratic Planning Research Articles

Planning’s ecologies: Democratic planning in the age of planetary crises

The idea of planning has reappeared as an object of interest for critical research on post-capitalist organizational futures. This article offers a critical review of the emerging scholarship on planning, with reference to historical and contemporary precursors to democratic planning. Building on this review, the article develops a critical political ecology of planning that situates planning thought and practice within the matrix of the oikos. This encompasses not only the sphere of production and commodity exchange, but also the household of reproductive labor and the planetary household of the natural world. In this way, it is argued that democratic planning is indispensable for generating the forms of collective intelligibility and power needed to heal the metabolic relations of society and nature. By reimagining and reframing planning, the article aims to expand “the archive” of social imaginaries, as part of broader efforts to envision and develop more desirable organizational futures.

Worker Empowerment and Alternative Models of Socialism: A Comparative Investigation

Recently, David Laibman presented a comparative framework to analyze how different models of socialism might empower workers. In the Marxist tradition, popular control over the material conditions of life requires the ability to determine the rate of investment, plan the production of use values, and create an egalitarian system of distribution. In addition, both Marxist and market socialist advocates argue that workers should have the ability to manage the operations of the enterprises in which they work. These goals are not unproblematically compatible since workers within the enterprise must always operate under constraints. The Bolshevik experience with worker's control of enterprises clearly demonstrates this tension. Despite this proviso, the three models of socialism we consider which place popular planning at the center of the socialist project could, in principle, meet all four criteria of worker empowerment. On the other hand, the market socialist alternative permits planning but not the detailed form of democratic planning traditionally advocated by Marxists. In addition, a market socialist model will have difficulty creating an egalitarian distribution system. Despite these drawbacks, the paper concludes by arguing that the market socialist model provides the best framework for empowering workers during a period of transition to a more robust planning regime.

Erratum to “An international interface: Democratic planning in a global context”

Erratum to “An international interface: Democratic planning in a global context”

The slowness of language, the speed of capital: conflicting temporalities of the “green transition” in the Swedish north

Abstract Following substantial investments in battery production and fossil-free steel, a few select places in northern Sweden are currently undergoing rapid economic and cultural changes. The aim of this article is to explore the role language education plays for three different groups of (im)mobile subjects – refugees, labor migrants, and cosmopolitan elites – in the ongoing social transformations. By using the time-consuming and ideologically charged social practice of teaching and learning languages as a lens, it is argued that although framed as a sustainability project, the pace of the transformation is set by the accelerating logic of capitalism, posing a challenge to the democratic planning of inclusive local communities, as well as to societal subsystems characterized by much slower temporal regimes. Hence, although Sweden is committed to a “just transition” as part of the Paris Agreement, some are obviously benefiting much more than others from this transition. This paper further highlights the potentially high costs for the local communities that “win” the bids for the new green industries. Apart from considerable economic costs in the present, another result might also be increased social stratification and weakening social cohesion in the long term.

Towards the progressive network-system: a normative theory of organisation to achieve disruption in times of crisis

This article introduces the progressive network-system as a normative and descriptive theory of counter-hegemonic organisation. It is descriptive insofar as the inspiration comes from a new wave of anti-austerity leaders, movements and parties that have been less dogmatically committed to ‘horizontal’ or ‘vertical’ models of organising, and more open to flexibly combining tactics and strategies from either tradition. In summary, the ‘network’ connects supporters and activists into clusters of dissent; the ‘system’ structures them into organisational ecologies; and the ‘progressive’ ideology establishes cohesion and direction by cementing a sense of unity across the network-system. It is normative because we theorise progressive network-systems as dynamic forms of organisation dedicated to the disruption of extractive exploitation, patriarchal sexism, institutionalised racism and autocratic politics under neoliberal capitalism. We formulate six normative propositions that should inspire any progressive network-system: ideology as a cement; ‘minimal-maximalism’ as an ideological mode to enable pluralism within unity; a flexible distribution of nodes across the network; a common platform; strategic democratic planning; and empowered activism with open/distributed leadership.

INFLUENCE OF POLITICAL AND LEGISLATIVE INNOVATIONS OF THE XX-XXI CENTURIES ON RELIGIOUS VIEWS OF SOCIETY: EXPERIENCE OF CROSS-NATIONAL RESEARCH

In this publication the author, using a systemic-structural approach, methods of analysis and synthesis, methods of political-comparative analysis (cross-national and cross-temporal analysis), as well as logical, doctrinal and analytical interpretation of legal norms, makes an attempt to identify and disclose political and legislative innovations of the XX-XXI centuries and establishing the impact of such innovations on religious ideas of society. The political and legal features of atheistic and godless states are revealed, secular states of a democratic plan are characterized, an appeal is made to the historical experience and modern functioning of theocracies and religious states, the principles of freedom of conscience and freedom of religion in Russian and international law are outlined, and problematic aspects of the relationship between religion and extremism are highlighted. It is established that atheistic and godless states in their fight against religion use the same techniques, methods and ways, but the difference is that atheistic states provide themselves with legitimation as public entities that prohibit religion at the constitutional level, while the godless states carry out identical activities without a legal basis. It turns out that secular states of the liberal-democratic plan are the embodiment of the principle of non-interference of religious institutions in public policy, known back in the Middle Ages, and at the same time create a legal and factual basis for secularized societies, which in many ways are far from unshakable religious postulates. It is determined that the domestic legal system fully recognizes those interpretations of freedom of conscience and freedom of religion that are present in international law. It also reveals three lines of anti-extremist activity in the religious sphere in Russia: presumptive, preventive and prohibitive.

Organization Structure of Planning Department in Himachal Pradesh and Hamirpur District

Planning in India has its history since pre independence days. Since 1950-51, India has been engaged in the world’s largest and most comprehensive experiment in democratic planning. Planning on such a gigantic scale is obviously more than an economic process. It is a total national effort and commitment which includes political leaders at all levels, the administration and the people of the country, as well as those specifically entrusted with the task of economic planning and development. In Himachal Pradesh, the planning machinery was set up in 1972 under the centrally sponsored scheme of strengthening of state planning machinery. In the State Planning machinery in Himachal Pradesh is the existence of State Planning Board and State Planning Department. State Planning Board is an advisory or policy making body and State Planning Department is executive body at the state level planning. In this research paper discuss planning organization structure of Himachal Pradesh with special reference to the District Hamirpur.

An international interface: Democratic planning in a global context

There has been a renewal of discussions about alternative economic systems in recent years. Democratic planning has received a lot of attention, especially in view of the way it could help address social and ecological challenges. However, little has been written about how a democratically planned economy could relate to other economies through trade or financial flows. This lack of interest is surprising, considering that any country aspiring to plan its economy democratically would have to take into consideration its integration in global value chains and that few would likely aim for complete autarky once fully democratized. In this article, we address this issue by delineating five principles that an institution responsible for international economic relations should follow in a democratically planned economy and giving an example of how it could function in practice.

Planungskonflikte und Gerechtigkeit: Konzeptionelle Überlegungen am Beispiel des Ausbaus der Windenergie im Nordosten Deutschlands

The energy transition and the expansion of renewable energies are central challenges to planning. In view of tightened climate protection targets and the associated rise in installation capacity, planning conflicts are likely to intensify further in the coming years. At the same time, democratic institutions are under increasing pressure. The expansion of wind energy must proceed swiftly while democratic participation must be ensured. Based on planning conflicts over wind turbines in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania and Brandenburg, this paper addresses the extent to which research on planning conflicts can benefit from a justice perspective, both in theoretical-conceptual and empirical terms. Drawing on concepts from research on spatial justice, energy justice, and planning justice, the paper uses a three-dimensional conception of justice to identify access points for dealing constructively with conflicts. First, conflicts have to be recognized as such and their productive potential has to be acknowledged. Second, strategies have to be established that allow conflicts to be dealt with constructively. In doing so, several dimensions of justice must be taken into account: distributive justice and the question of what is to be distributed according to which criteria, recognition justice and the reflexion on difference and needs beyond hegemonic majority opinion, and finally procedural justice, which is intended to ensure that recognition and fair distribution can be implemented. In this way, a proactive attitude towards planning conflicts can make a central contribution to sustainable and democratic planning.

Juristische Perspektiven auf die Idee der agonistischen Planung

Historically, the emergence of planning law and the juridification of planning in Germany did not follow any planning theory, but a logic inherent to the constitutional state. Only in small number of cases did the legislature or the judiciary adopt elements of planning theories, most of which were developed much later. Law defines itself by its strict claim to be obeyed. Therefore, the requirements of planning law may conflict with the recommendations of normative planning theories and then claim precedence over these. Nevertheless, with regard to the viability of some proposals of agonistic planning theories, legal borderlines arise. This paper deals with these borderlines. However, the goal of agonistic theories of planning coincides with the basic function of planning law to pacify conflicting interests and to reach acceptable solutions. Opponents of state planning projects thus are entitled to participate in planning procedures and to file far-reaching lawsuits. However, the legal order also sets limits to legitimate resistance to democratic planning and cannot refrain from distinguishing between legitimate and illegitimate forms of rejection.

Pseudocode and Algorithms for Computer Simulations of Democratically Planned Economies

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The claim that “there is no third way” besides the economic models of capitalism and communism has faced a challenge from a new and growing body of research into a “third way” economic paradigm known as democratic planning. In this paper, we explore one of these democratic planning models–Robin Hahnel and Michael Albert’s model of a participatory economy, focusing in particular on its allocation mechanism–a non-market, non-command-planning procedure known as “participatory planning.” This procedure has recently been implemented in computer programs to explore its feasibility, the encouraging results of which have been published elsewhere and which we summarize here. But I present here for the first time the detailed algorithms and related pseudocode powering all of these computer programs for others to consider, examine, and build as their own programs. I also describe future directions for this avenue of research.</span></p>

Social values and social infrastructures: a multi-perspective approach to place

The village of Duved in northern Sweden faces rapid transformation related to the tourism industry, including new housing and recreational facilities in the mountains. Existing places with inherent social values that play a key role in supporting local identity are threatened as they are not sufficiently recognised or protected by the planning process. This study focuses on how significant places with social values, and the system of such places that form a social infrastructure, may be identified and recognised through a multi-perspective approach including a creative mapping process. Information from different stakeholders about places with social values is documented and analysed. The approach includes three different perspectives on places affording social values: planning documents, the officials’ perspective and the citizens’ perspective. The mapping method makes intangible knowledge visible and reveals the multifunctionality of places, and the map constitutes the medium for such a process. It can contribute to developing democratic planning processes that support the empowerment of the population and help professionals to integrate knowledge about social value into plans, thus preserving fragile but essential qualities through future development. Practice relevance Centring on the ongoing rapid transformation of Duved village in northern Sweden, this study focuses on how significant places with social values may be identified, recognised and preserved. Places affording social value, important for sustaining local communities and wellbeing, are often insufficiently acknowledged in times of forceful urban development. These oversights can have devastating consequences for the existing social qualities. The creative mapping approach captures three perspectives to identify significant places affording social values. In this way, maps translate intangible knowledge into analytic methods of planning. The result may support the integration of fragile but essential qualities into plans and policies and is a way forward to acknowledge and preserve key places in future urban development.

The Vulgar (in) Marxism: Vacillating between Exchange and Production

This essay’s exploration of the adjective “vulgar” and its function in the Marxian field begins with a debate between Abba Lerner (1903–82) and Maurice Dobb (1900–76), which foregrounded the vulgar in Marxism as a problem of economic method. The signifier thus functions as a portal to associated questions: the status of the adjective “vulgar” in Marx and Engels’s discourse; value theory’s role in the constitution of division and difference in the economics discipline; analytical Marxism’s place as a response to the crisis of Marxism in the twentieth century; the politics of market socialism or the role of markets (if any) in socialism; the necessity of mediation under any form of division of labor and the implications for Marx’s notion of associated production; and the possibility and promise of an affirmative take on the vulgar in the context of a postcapitalist pragmatics of participatory and democratic planning.

Democratic Planning and its Pitfalls: E. H. Carr, Harold B. Butler, and the Interwar Crisis

The article investigates competing arguments in favour of democratic planning by comparing and contrasting the writings of E. H. Carr (1892–1982) and Harold B. Butler (1883–1951). As British civil servants and distinguished commentators on public affairs, Carr and Butler were deeply struck by the magnitude of the Great Depression and its political repercussions around the world. Despite having a similar background and being critical of laissez-faire economics, Carr and Butler came to express two conflicting visions of the implications of planning for democracy, informed by their respective fascination with the Soviet experience and the New Deal. Ultimately, they took opposite stances on Britain's post-1945 nationalizations, a development that highlights the extreme suppleness of the democratic planning discourse blossoming during the interwar years.

Building Sustainable Cities Along the Dimensions of Democracy

This research seeks to make evident the intimate connection between sustainable development and democratic concretization, characterized here not only by the electoral process, but also by a permanent dialogical relation between the State and civil society. The emphasis of the reflection is set on the local aspect with the purpose of studying forms of effective democratization of the urban space, and the possible means of achieving it. The starting point for this work is the hypothesis that the city is a space and territory in dispute, which reflects in contrasting expressions such as being the place of violations and denial of a dignified life, and yet, an environment of expansion of dignities and liberties. Therefore, what will be analyzed are the possible strategies to be elaborated, considering democratic planning and transforming institutional proposals, in order to enable the creation of a formal channel which effectively instrumentalizes dialogue with city population, considering all participants of the scenario, from the individual, to the private sector, up until, finally, the public power, which manages the public space. The following research is qualitative and deductive, adopting the procedures of bibliographic and documental research.

Democratic Planning for Degrowth

Degrowth promises to liberate society from the imperative of capital accumulation. "So how," Matthas Schmelzer and Elena Hofferberth wonder, "might planning beyond growth look?" It is not, they write, only a proposal for a postcapitalist society, but for a radical transformation of our institutions and social relations to create a more sustainable and just world.

Places need better planning not less

ABSTRACT The authors writing in this special issue pierce the dark clouds of populist cynicism that fuel rightwing discontent. Do not retreat from the practice of hopeful professional analysis. Embrace and strengthen utopian plans. Include relevant details to attract and inspire popular interest and uptake. Show the inescapable impacts of climate change and the dramatic physical changes that need be done. Nurture a plurality of democratic planning experiments bridging institutional and cultural barriers. Learn to find common cause and commonsense planning together without expecting convergence or unanimity. Foster resilient spatial planning communities using multi-disciplinary expertise honed with practical experience to anticipate and prepare for future uncertainty. Make plans that persuade more than compel. Acknowledge the complexity of cities and the interplay among governments responsible for their fate. Use rational expertise sparingly preparing plans with others.

“Whose city is it?”: Save Montreal and the Fight for Democratic City Planning

The group Save Montreal was founded in immediate reaction to the demolition of the William Van Horne mansion in September 1973. This article argues that while the group’s formation is frequently cited as the birth of Montreal’s heritage preservation movement, this label fails to fully encapsulate the group’s motivations. Central to Save Montreal’s activism were demands for community housing and public participation in the city’s planning process. These appeals stemmed from the fact that Mayor Jean Drapeau’s administration pursued a vision for the city based on modernist planning principles, namely automobility and the construction of megastructures. Such measures entailed the mass demolition of residences and businesses. In response, Save Montreal’s membership pressured government actors and the private sector to abandon these policies in favour of the creation of housing co-operatives, community-oriented zonings and public consultations. These efforts reveal that, beyond architectural and historical considerations, democratic planning and housing were central to Montreal’s urban conservation movement.

Comparing types and patterns: A context-oriented approach to densification in Switzerland and the Netherlands

While governments worldwide develop policies to promote urban densification, critics point to possible negative effects of densification on social sustainability. The occurrence and distribution of these negative social effects are strongly influenced by land policies. This makes it crucial to monitor the role of land policies and understand what processes shape urban development in the context of densification. To do so, detailed, large-scale international comparisons of densification patterns, including building and social changes, are needed. We address this issue by introducing a method to measure and compare urban development in two countries with contrasting planning systems: the Netherlands, where public actors play a strong and active role, and Switzerland, where strong private property titles and a highly democratic planning system are prevailing. Our GIS-based method analyses densification processes within their surrounding morphological and socio-demographic context. A k-proto cluster analysis on highly detailed spatial and statistical data based on housing units, covering 2011–2019, results in five densification types. The distribution of these types reveals different patterns in the two city regions of Utrecht (NL) and Bern (CH). Most strikingly, contiguous redevelopments frequently occurred in Utrecht but hardly in Bern, pointing at possible advantages for Dutch municipalities to intervene in property rights. While having developed an empirical basis in this study, future research that refines the analysis of the legal, planning and ownership conditions underlying the identified densification patterns can contribute significantly to policy evaluation.

Comparing different models of socialist democratic planning: a response to Adaman and Devine

In the previous issue of Studies in Political Economy (103, no. 2), Fikret Adaman and Pat Devine critically compare their postcapitalist model “negotiated coordination” with the model known as “a participatory economy,” which Michael Albert and I have espoused. In this paper, I respond to some of their criticisms and present some criticisms of their model and approach as well.