How to Revive Community in a Polarised World

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How can we redress the imbalance that has emerged in our public life, and put the community back at its centre?

An assumption underlying the politics and economics of the moment goes like this: that what matters are governments and markets, and the interaction between them. What about the rest of society? The ‘third pillar’ – community – has been forgotten in a world increasingly shaped by globalisation and technological innovation. Focusing on the state and the market at the expense of social issues has proven not just short-sighted, but a dangerous factor in the rise of populism.  

What we need, argues renowned economist Raghuram Rajan, is to reframe how we think about civil society, empowering local communities to counteract growing unrest and fragmentation. He explores how strengthening the grass roots of our society can restore the balance that we need for a better democracy and more meaningful lives.