Some believe that bottom-up voluntary associations are among the building blocks of democracy, preparing people for engaged citizenship. Interest in Chinese civil society is based on the idea that such groups might foster the emergence of democracy. In a society where major institutions bear the imprint of authoritarian rule, can voluntary associations spur social and political change?
In Everyday Democracy, Anthony J. Spires argues that even in an authoritarian state, bottom-up organizations nurture the skills and habits of democracy. In some Chinese volunteer groups, ideals of equality, mutual respect, and dignity have motivated young people to invent new practices and norms that contrast greatly with typical top-down organizational culture. Everyday Democracy pinpoints the seeds of a democratic culture inside an authoritarian regime.
In an interview conducted on December 6, 2024, Anthony Spires, in conversation with Diana Fu, discusses his findings about grassroots organizations in China.
