Anarchism in Local Governance: A Case Study from Finland

Through accounts of his experience as a local politician and elected once holder, Stephen Condit examines, in 'Anarchism in Local Governance', how his anarchist convictions may have contributed to the administration of his community in a way that empowers citizens towards self-governance and prefiguration of communal anarchist ideals. The hypothesis is that municipal governance and anarchist thought and praxis can both benefit by this kind of encounter. Condit also investigates the emergence of anarchism through citizen participation in civil society as a reality to which the municipality is accountable.

Stephen Condit is an American-born naturalised Finnish citizen retired from a lectureship in English, translation and culture studies in the University of Eastern Finland. He has been active for over 30 years as a Green in both the local and regional politics of Savonlinna, Finland, and in the national party, the Green League. Condit served for six terms on the municipal council, as well as in numerous other posts in the municipality and the party. He has published works on anarchist philosophy and on environmental philosophy, with particular emphasis on nature tourism.