Description
New England proudly stands out as a region apart, most especially in the form of its town meeting government where citizens truly become legislators in their own right. In 1987 New England Manifesto: The Rise of the New Yeomanry explored the connection between this type of direct democracy and the rising baby boom generation known as the "new yeomanry." New yeomen adopted a new attitude towards traditional American economic growth models. While working within the establishment they put family and community first, delving deeply into their towns and the many issues that could be decided on a local level. In this re-issue of the 1987 text the author has added a new preface that looks back 30 years on the development of the new yeomanry and its goals. While much has not been accomplished, the very concept of the citizen as legislator may be a way of bridging the huge gulf in contemporary America between the left and right. The ideology of the new yeoman, communal idealism, appeals to both sides—bringing back decision making to the most local level, avoiding remote and perceived elite government control, and creating an inclusive body politic that rises from the strength of local attachments.