Ella Baker - "Participatory Democracy"

"Participatory Democracy"

In 1960s, the idea of "Participatory Democracy" was created. The meaning of this was bringing together a new formulation for the traditional appeal of democracy with an innovative tie to broader participation. There were three primary emphases to this new movement: (1) an appeal for grass roots involvement of people throughout society, while making their own decisions, (2) the minimization of (bureaucratic) hierarchy and the associated emphasis on expertise and professionalism as a basis for leadership, and (3) a call for direct action as an answer to fear isolation and intellectual detachment. Ella Baker said herself,

You didn't see me on television, you didn't see news stories about me. The kind of role that I tried to play was to pick up pieces or put together pieces out of which I hoped organization might come. My theory is, strong people don't need strong leaders.

Baker's statement advocates a more collectivist model of leadership over the "prevailing messianic style of the period" In essence, what Baker was largely arguing against was the Civil Rights Movement mirroring the organization model of the Black church. The Black church, at the time, had largely female membership and male leadership. Baker questioned not only the gendered hierarchy of the Civil Rights Movement, but also that of the Black church