Title: The Case for Local Government | RealClearPolicy
Headings: The Case for Local Government
The Case for Local Government
By Michael Hendrix
March 04, 2019

Content: At the very least, being so close to a relatively small electorate — both in terms of decision making and revenue — helps elected leaders voice the tune of their constituency. Citizens, in turn, feel a sense of empowerment from active participation in local government, which ideally leads to more civic engagement. This is how municipalities become schoolhouses of democracy. As Alexis de Tocqueville put it, “a nation may establish a free government, but without municipal institutions it cannot have a spirit of liberty.” Self-government? Popular accountability? Limited government? These democratic concepts are birthed and nurtured locally. The technocrats and bureaucrats, ideologues and advocates in our federal and state governments are jealous of local power. “ A highly civilized community can hardly tolerate a local independence, is disgusted at its numerous blunders, and is apt to despair of success before the experiment is completed,” said Tocqueville.