Francis Maude speech - The Big Society and the City

Francis Maude delivered a speech at an Institute of Directors ‘Big Society and the City’ event at Portcullis House on 20 February 2012.

Introduction – What is the Big Society?
There is such a thing as society. It is, simply, what people do together, in association with each other.

And most of what we do in our lives is done with others – work, family, friends, church, schools. Or in the words of John Donne – ‘no man is an island, entire of itself’.

And when we talk about a bigger society we mean exactly that.

The Big Society is one where more people do more things together: in their communities, for their communities, with each other, for each other.

So clearly not a new idea – in fact it’s as old as the hills.

Look back to our rich heritage of social entrepreneurs and pioneering philanthropists who campaigned against the workhouses and child labour, for better sanitation and for universal suffrage.

And look around today at the numerous local campaigns and causes to improve social housing, to save local post offices and parks, to make neighbourhoods safer.

People have always cared passionately about improving the lives of themselves, their families, their communities.

But something has capped and limited this enthusiasm and motivation to make a difference in the last few decades.

The Big Society has been thwarted by a Big State that has gradually inserted itself into every aspect of our lives, controlling everything from the centre.

It wasn’t that successive Governments couldn’t talk the talk on localism and people power – but they certainly didn’t walk the walk.

And you’d find that Opposition politicians in particular were all for decentralising the state. But once in Government there was a tendency to decide that after all it’s very natural that’s where power should sit.

Today power is shifting. This Government believes in a bigger, stronger society that supports local initiative, local innovation and local ambition to make a difference.

We are dismantling the central state and giving local communities ownership of their own local problems and the power to create real change.

But this requires a culture change that won’t happen overnight. It’s not just about changing how politicians behave - we need to get local communities actively agitating for more power and responsibility.

So it’s not just about letting go of power – as if all you have to do is open your hands and it will flow away.

You do have to push it away, you have to mean it, you have to make it stick.

But it’s supply and demand, the more we supply power - the more the demand for it will increase.
 

Other areas discussed -

• Business and the Big Society
• The National Citizen Service
• Community Connections
• Social Investment Market
• Conclusion

Click here to read the rest of the speech