--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In America, we need to develop…" description: "\"In America, we need to develop communitywide structures of democratic ownership, we need to work out cooperative development, we need to work out parti..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/gar-alperovitz-25589_america_in-america-we-need-to-develop-communityw_2863469.png" --- # In America, we need to develop communitywide structures of… ![“In America, we need to develop communitywide structures of democratic ownership, we need to work out cooperative development, we need to work out participatory management, we need new ecological strategies developed at the local city, state, regional level.” quote by Gar Alperovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/gar-alperovitz-25589_america_in-america-we-need-to-develop-communityw_2863469.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/gar-alperovitz-25589_america_in-america-we-need-to-develop-communityw_2863469.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/gar-alperovitz-25589_america_in-america-we-need-to-develop-communityw_2863469.png) > “In America, we need to develop communitywide structures of democratic ownership, we need to work out cooperative development, we need to work out participatory management, we need new ecological strategies developed at the local city, state, regional level.” [Gar Alperovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gar-alperovitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates building democratic, cooperative structures at all government levels to empower communities and protect the environment. **In simple terms:** Create community-owned, cooperative systems for better democracy and ecology. Key Takeaway Promote local democratic ownership and ecological planning. Themes democracy cooperation environment localism policy economics Mood inspirational pragmatic Type policy visionary When to use this quote - city planning - local business - community budgeting - environmental projects Key Concepts participatory governance ecological economics Questions to Reflect On - What local structures can you start today? - How to balance local autonomy with national standards? A Different Perspective Implementation faces political resistance and funding challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Cooperatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cooperatives/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Ownership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ownership/) [Strategy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategy/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) [Work out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-out/) ## Related quotes > [In an age where community involvement and partnerships with civil society are increasingly being recognized as indispensable, there is clearly a growing potential for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/in-an-age-where-community-involvement-and-partnerships-with-civil/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [In America you need a bodyguard to go out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-deneuve/in-america-you-need-a-bodyguard-to-go-out/) [Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/) > [“You tell me why the government needs this information on every Verizon customer but they don’t need to know who’s coming across our border?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/you-tell-me-why-the-government-needs-this-information-on-every/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [ISIS and Iran have declared war on America, and we need a commander in chief who will do everything necessary to keep our children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/isis-and-iran-have-declared-war-on-america-and-we-need-a-commander-in/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [In America we need members of the Latino community to come to the Tea Party movement and enrich the Tea Party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-breitbart/in-america-we-need-members-of-the-latino-community-to-come-to-the-tea/) [Andrew Breitbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-breitbart/) > [As much as racism bleeds America, we need to understand that classism is the real issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immortal-technique/as-much-as-racism-bleeds-america-we-need-to-understand-that-classism/) [Immortal Technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immortal-technique/) > [We in America have everything we need except the most important thing of all-time to think and the habit of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/we-in-america-have-everything-we-need-except-the-most-important-thing/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [I have a platform, and I felt compelled to use it to bring awareness to what is happening to Black folks in America and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/porsha-williams/i-have-a-platform-and-i-felt-compelled-to-use-it-to-bring-awareness/) [Porsha Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/porsha-williams/) > [And now that the Greatest Generation is getting older, I think it is the responsibility of all Americans to make sure we do our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/and-now-that-the-greatest-generation-is-getting-older-i-think-it-is/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [To bear witness to all the unnecessary suffering on the planet and make ourselves available to service - whatever that means for each of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/to-bear-witness-to-all-the-unnecessary-suffering-on-the-planet-and/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [There are still places in America that we need to nurture, to allow them to understand that there are other ways of living, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-clayton/there-are-still-places-in-america-that-we-need-to-nurture-to-allow/) [Garrett Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-clayton/) > [There are far too many children in America in need of a loving home who are shuttled between temporary homes and group shelters that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-musgrove/there-are-far-too-many-children-in-america-in-need-of-a-loving-home/) [Ronnie Musgrove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-musgrove/) > [To be president of America, you need tremendous stamina.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/to-be-president-of-america-you-need-tremendous-stamina/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [If we really want to put America first, we need to stop giving corporations a tax break for outsourcing and level the playing field…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-gallego/if-we-really-want-to-put-america-first-we-need-to-stop-giving/) [Ruben Gallego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-gallego/) > [So, President Obama wants to change America. I understand that. We don't need to change America. We need to change the White House. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-diaz-balart/so-president-obama-wants-to-change-america-i-understand-that-we-don-t/) [Mario Diaz-Balart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-diaz-balart/) ## More by Gar Alperovitz > [“But if the system is the problem, the truth is that there will not be satisfactory answers in the here and now for lots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-alperovitz/but-if-the-system-is-the-problem-the-truth-is-that-there-will-not-be/) [Gar Alperovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gar-alperovitz/) > [“… our nation's truly critical problems are built into the very structure of the economic and political system; they are not something passing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-alperovitz/our-nation-s-truly-critical-problems-are-built-into-the-very/) [Gar Alperovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gar-alperovitz/) > [We've been following many forms of democratized ownership, starting with co-ops, land banks at the neighborhood level, municipal ownership and state ownership of banks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-alperovitz/we-ve-been-following-many-forms-of-democratized-ownership-starting/) [Gar Alperovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gar-alperovitz/) > [As we move toward the pluralist commonwealth, economic interventions that stabilize communities - for instance by localizing the flows of goods and services or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-alperovitz/as-we-move-toward-the-pluralist-commonwealth-economic-interventions/) [Gar Alperovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gar-alperovitz/) > [Worker-owned co-ops, on their own, floating in the market, tend to replicate the behavior of worker-owned capitalists in some circumstances. They sometimes develop positive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-alperovitz/worker-owned-co-ops-on-their-own-floating-in-the-market-tend-to/) [Gar Alperovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gar-alperovitz/) > [Finding ways to organize work in which people are not locked into unequal power relationships is very important. Having said that, it's not easily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-alperovitz/finding-ways-to-organize-work-in-which-people-are-not-locked-into/) [Gar Alperovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gar-alperovitz/) > [For 40 years, my argument has been that democratizing ownership of wealth has been the key to egalitarian society and the goals of egalitarian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-alperovitz/for-40-years-my-argument-has-been-that-democratizing-ownership-of/) [Gar Alperovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gar-alperovitz/) > [In America, we need to go forward in nationalizing several large corporations: I think that's possible; we nationalized General Motors; we nationalized several of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-alperovitz/in-america-we-need-to-go-forward-in-nationalizing-several-large/) [Gar Alperovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gar-alperovitz/) > [Parecon is a very tough-minded economic vision and model, and it sets a standard for us to look at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-alperovitz/parecon-is-a-very-tough-minded-economic-vision-and-model-and-it-sets/) [Gar Alperovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gar-alperovitz/) > [We need to learn to listen to what the people need and want and not try to impose on them a whole schema that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-alperovitz/we-need-to-learn-to-listen-to-what-the-people-need-and-want-and-not/) [Gar Alperovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gar-alperovitz/) > [There are areas using what's called the "checkerboard strategy." They are different cities where you can move around the "checkerboard," doing things you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-alperovitz/there-are-areas-using-what-s-called-the-checkerboard-strategy-they/) [Gar Alperovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gar-alperovitz/) > [Internationally, there are countries going well beyond the course, with airlines, transportation. There are systems around the world that have explored mining, rail transport,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-alperovitz/internationally-there-are-countries-going-well-beyond-the-course-with/) [Gar Alperovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gar-alperovitz/) > [There has been a change in consciousness that makes this one of the most interesting periods of American history, maybe the most interesting. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-alperovitz/there-has-been-a-change-in-consciousness-that-makes-this-one-of-the/) [Gar Alperovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gar-alperovitz/) > [The top 400 people own more wealth now than the bottom 185 million Americans taken together. That is a medieval structure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-alperovitz/the-top-400-people-own-more-wealth-now-than-the-bottom-185-million/) [Gar Alperovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gar-alperovitz/) > [I am interested in the political economy of institutional power relationships in transition. The question is one of "reconstructive" communities as a cultural, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-alperovitz/i-am-interested-in-the-political-economy-of-institutional-power/) [Gar Alperovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gar-alperovitz/) [Explore all 22 Gar Alperovitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gar-alperovitz/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In America, we need to develop communitywide structures of democratic ownership, we need to work out cooperative development, we need to work out participatory management, we need new ecological strategies developed at the local city, state, regional level.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gar Alperovitz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-alperovitz/in-america-we-need-to-develop-communitywide-structures-of-democratic/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-alperovitz/in-america-we-need-to-develop-communitywide-structures-of-democratic/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/gar-alperovitz-25589_america_in-america-we-need-to-develop-communityw_2863469.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/gar-alperovitz-25589_america_in-america-we-need-to-develop-communityw_2863469.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/gar-alperovitz-25589_america_in-america-we-need-to-develop-communityw_2863469.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In America, we need to develop communitywide structures of democratic ownership, we need to work out…” — Gar Alperovitz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gar Alperovitz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gar-alperovitz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In America, we need to develop...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-alperovitz/in-america-we-need-to-develop-communitywide-structures-of-democratic/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-alperovitz/in-america-we-need-to-develop-communitywide-structures-of-democratic/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```