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40 Associative Principles and Democratic Reform

democracy as communication have the advantage that they side. step the central State, they are objects of citizens’ and local initio tives. However, in certain societies like the United Kingdom, a substantial measure of central political reform is necessary for thjj to happen. Britain has become so centralized that local authoritiei lack the fiscal or policy autonomy to create institutions of effective local economic regulation; it has also developed a structure of restnctive legislation on union rights and public order, so as to frustrate action in civil society by marginal groups and to render much activity oppositional. Britain is, however, very much the exception. In its case constitutional reform and political reform of the main institutions of central govemment is the pre-condition for any form of radical politics, not just an associationalist strategy of reform.

1 An associationalist reform strategy

w In the long run an associationalist strategy for reform cannot ■ become widespread unless it has a State at least not actively hostile [ to such a strategy. Voluntary action in civil society and at local levels can initiate such a strategy, but for the devolution of tasksto associations and for the decentralization of the State to take place signihcant legislation would be required and a commitment of a substantial section of representatives to the growth of assoda-donal governance. That can happen only if politicians and officiak see that associations are succeeding in pursuing such a strategy and that it had large-scale public support. Associationalists tradi-tionally ignored the State in favour of action in civil society, we can now see that action in civil society has, in part, to be directed: toward winning over the State.

How might that happen? In the economic sphere, as we shall see in Chapter 5, if industrial districts, organized regional econo* mieś and collaborative interfirm relationships that balance co* operation and competition can survive competitive pressure* from large firms, then they can serve as a political model. The hope would then be of the gradual diffusion of localization and mutuality through its regional success stories, promoting botft emulation from below and pressure for the reform of nationa! laws to permit the diffusion of such developments. Similarly, i®