ABOUT US
" If you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem." - Malcolm X
WHERE WE CAME FROM
In 1988 three founder members based in Leicester launched a midlands regional group, concerned with issues of democracy and culture. The original name Movement for Middle England was chosen to refer not only to the Greater Midlands but also to the spirit of England. During the next decade we helped to popularise the idea of Middle England. This was eventually taken up by media and politicians with a different angle: 'Middle Class Britain' - forcing a change of name and emphasis.
The new Devolve! which emerged at the turn of the century was no longer a territorial regional movement but remained committed to supporting regional devolution, alongside its other tenets of real democracy and cultural renewal. More recently, we have recognised the importance of economic devolution, making it our fourth tenet.
HOW WE WORK
Like all movements of conviction there are circles of commitment around the ideas, from a handful of activists at the centre to a slight interest at the outer rim, via members, sympathisers and allies. Our internal democracy works mainly by consensus, with respect for the energies of active members. However, our constitution provides for ballots or voting at meetings when necessary. As a voluntary group there are no paid staff, all activity is inspired by conviction.
OUR ETHOS
Probably the most distinctive feature of Devolve! is the goodwill and tolerance which exists between members. In many respects we are more like a family or friendship network than a social movement. One example of this ethos is that members can choose which tenets of Devolve! to support - perhaps just one of the four. Another example is that differing views on controversial issues - e.g. Europe - are accepted without dogmatism. This has been viewed by some critics as a 'woolly' approach but has avoided the bickering over points of ideology which has damaged so many social movements. Nor has it blunted our ability for clear cutting-edge thinking.
ASPECTS OF DEVOLVE!
A crucial feature of our politics is that it is not limited to concerns with social content - what shall be decided as good for society - but also with social structure: who decides and how decisions are reached. We aim to empower all people regardless of their views.
At one level Devolve! functions as an ideas forum or think tank. This takes place informally, through our internal ideas exchange journal, via face to face meetings and through a wider network of allies and related bodies in civil society.
Networking forms a major part of our activities. This takes place across a wide spectrum of social and cultural ideas and actions. One aspect of our networking is having a presence at meetings of allies and other organisations. Another is making links between individuals and groups not previously in contact. Yet another network is created because many of our 'inactive' members and sympathisers have their main focus of activity elsewhere; thus they provide a link between apparently differing projects/groups.
Devolve! strives to give practical and logistical support to the activities of allies and others.
Finally, we challenge power centres, cliques and top-down decision making. Devolve! is a strong advocate for territorial, democratic, cultural and economic devolution in the pluralist tradition. We can claim to have had influence on the devolution debate.
For recent news and a diary of events, visit the 'News and Events' page.
To find out about our allies and other relevant movements, visit the 'Links and Allies' page.
[April 2007] In order to best use the energy of those active around our network and to concentrate on our 'coalface' projects (see below), Devolve! as an organisation is going into slumber mode for a year. We shall not be accepting new members or making any commitment to regular open newsletters. (Newsletter 42 has just gone out.) However this Web Site will continue to be developed and updated. If you would like to become directly involved with, or seek information on, any of our projects then contact us at inform @devolve.org [Note: the space after 'inform' is to prevent machine reading for spam generation: do not insert this.]
The main projects which Devolve! carries forward, supports or has members involved in: -