Is There a Big Society Overseas?

Dear Ian,

Cameron recognized Britain and its Western fellows have been guilty of racism for assuming that Arabs are not ready for democracy. He accused the EU of failing in the Mediterranean for developing trade only making business with autocrats.

He has a point and is brave to admit a truth known to everybody. After a year of silence Britain has rediscovered it has a role to play in the world. But pointing the finger is too easy. What’s the vision for the future – is there a Big Society overseas?

When I asked you the same question you took note as you meant to report to the PM. I must confessed I didn’t realized you are a pretty senior guy in goverment but I’m glad we met. It was a really nice chat with the young members of ACEVO and Clore Fellows at Gulbenkian Foundation.

I came to the dinner straight from Paris. I gave a talk on social entreprenership and innovation at the French PM’s Centre of Strategic Analysis. What a surprise, the hottest question was about the Big Society. Delegates wanted to know what’s happening in the UK; if it is just marketing to cover the cuts or there is something more.

I guess you know there is quite an interest for Big Society overseas. Cuts to public funding are taking place everywhere across Europe and the other governments want to see how much and far you can push for social chasnge before society blows up. The UK has become a sort of social laboratory.

Even the European Union has its Big Society agenda. It’s called social innovation. Different tag, same principles. Public institutions can’t tackle social challenges alone anymore and can’t bear the cost either. They need all the stakeholders to be part of the solution but to achieve this they must relinquish power and transform themselves in enabling institutions.

This process transforms how public insitutions and people relate to each other preparing the ground for a new democracy in 21st century. This is the revolution of the new century.

I still struggle understanding if the UK wants to ride the wave across Europe and worldwide or just grow a Big Society on its small island.