People’s Assemblies
Amparo Rodrigo (Spain)
Did you know that bees make decisions
collectively and democratically?
Every year bees have to choose a new home.
They start a process of democratic debate that
includes:
collective fact-finding
debate
consensus building
Let’s work the bee’s way!
People’s assemblies
• Horizontal decisiontaking space.
• Reaching consensus.
• Leaders avoided.
15-M Assemblies
• Districts
– Architechtonically and socially preserved.
– Neighbourhood associations.
• Villages
• Universities
– Freedom of thought and expression
– Cultural and society values preservation.
Who is who?
Rotating responsibilities
• Moderator:
– Keep discussion around the raised issue.
– Avoid interruptions, people talking too much, too frequently or
repeating themselves.
– Manage, with no dominating attitude, Assembly time for
proposals, finishing speaking turns or bringing the Assembly to
an end at the previously-agreed time.
• Secretary:
– Take the minutes with the agreed final decisions.
• Speaking turns organiser
• Spokespersons:
– Link with other assemblies (at city or regional level), for common
agreements.
– 2-5 representatives in upper-level assemblies → no individual
opinions in.
Dynamics
• Assembly times. Agreed
starting and finishing
times. 2-3 hours are fair.
• Gestures or signs to
show agreement and
disagreement without
interrupting.
• Disagreeing voices find
it more difficult to express
themselves among a
majority. Ask those who
disagree.
Consensus
• Decision-taking process. The whole group reaches an
agreement.
• Strengthens community-belonging and trust feeling.
• Not compatible with authority. Power concentration is to
be avoided.
Voting
Consensus
Several alternatives proposed.
Only one chosen. Winning or
losing.
Differences are worked in order to
reach an acceptable position for
all parts.
Individual feelings and needs not
taken into account.
Individual contributions taken into
account.
Consensus-reaching process
• A solution proposal is given.
• Those who do not agree with the proposal, bring in
alternatives and arguments for further discussion.
• Discussion is held and differences cleared up.
• When the proposal has been understood, participants
are asked for any further objections.
• If no objections, consensus is asked for.
• If no objections, after a moment of silence, decision has
been taken.
• Decision is repeated, so everyone knows what has been
decided.
• If no agreement is reached, each assembly should
decide how to proceed in order to avoid blocking.
Let’s make it work!
• Be on-time.
• Listen without interrupting.
• Listen with patience and respect. Listen to others in
order to be listened to. Therefore, you will grow and you
will also have clearer opinions. Not everyone is able to
speak with self-determination. This does not mean,
however, that their decisions have less value.
• Reflect before speaking.
• Do not speak if you don’t have anything interesting to
say. Be brief.
• Do not criticise reprehensibly. Be constructive.
• Compromise yourself to take responsibilities for action.
Work after the assemblies is the most important. Real
work is done in working groups, not at assemblies.
• Be sincere.
After local Assemblies…
• Part of a wider network. Up-down
structures for decision-taking.
• Minutes, information and transparency.
Thank you!