Juan Carlo Castaneda Dr.

Edwin Martin

4POL1 February 28, 2015

Reflection: Learning Radical Planning: The Power of Collective Action

Summary

In the current setting, citizen participation in terms of planning have long been neglected

by states in terms of the develoment of their nation. This phenomena is much evident in

authoritarian ruled states where oppresion of the government towards their citizen is in a high

scale. Beard (2003) uses the case study of Indonesia during the period of 1994-2001 to exemplify

how the utilization of radical planning would result to social transformation. One of the key

concepts of this study that is one of the focus discussion of the author is that how the citizens

specifically those belong in the marginalized sector, acquire skills, experience and the political

awareness and conciousness to participate in radical planning when the state is unable to sustain

its role in terms of bringing development to the state.

Beard (2003) align its argument in authoritarian political contexts because this is where

the citizens learn the skills that is required to particpate in radical planning by participating first

in state-sponsored programs. Times would pass and eventually this state-sponsored programs

would be a tool for the citizens to acquire skills, become knowledgable and efficient to now start

a more innovative local community based planning. The participation of the citizens to state-

sponsored programs is a way of preparation for them to engage in covert planning that although

reaching significant structural change or reform but still operates beyond the purview of the

authoritarian states (Beard, 2002). The community is no prepare for radical or insurgent planning

at a times when the state is already weakened (Tarrow, 1998).

 Another key concept in the article is the concept of planning as a social transformation.

This concept is further elaborated by an author named John Friedmann (1987), he used planning

as to deliberate transfer of knowledge to action in the public domain for the purposes of moving

towards a shared vision of the good society. Friedmann view planning in two concepts namely:

planning as societal guidance and planning as societal transformation (Beard, 2003). Planning

was describe in terms of four broad traditions, planning as a social reform and policy analysis;

planning as social learning and social mobilization. This traditions could be used as a tool to link

knowledge to action and falls along a continuum of overlapping constructs that is divided into

two as stated as planning as societal guidance and as societal transformation (Beard, 2003).

To further discuss the importance of radical planning, the author laid some perspectives

to aid the discussion of radical planning. One of which is the normative model of radical

planning. The aim of this perspective is the emancipation of humanity from social oppression

where the oppression of the community from the state could serve as a stimuli to formulate plans

and solutions to formulate radical planning. An author named Leonie Sandercock introduced the

perspective of a thousand tiny empowerments. She argues that radical planning does not

necessarily begin with grand, overt act but instead it started with smaller notions or what she

calls thousand tiny empowerments (Sandercock, 1998).

As stated earlier in the introduction of this paper, the author used Indonesia as a case

study to exemplify the community based radical planning and the steps undertaken by the

country towards the state. One of which is the movement of local women activists for the

establishment of a of Mother and Child Health Care Clinic Program of Indonesia, which led to a

community based planning that addresses the concern of health for the elderly and designing a

plan in their own health care clinic. This plan is initiated by two locals, one of which is a
midwife and an activist that also works as a nurse. Not only the women of the communities

initiated actions for a plan in their country but the youth as well. They initiated a covert planning

for the establishment of a library in their local area. The library served as a tool to organize

movements against the government when it already showing its weakness. The demonstrations

of the youth led to significant social and political reform in Indonesia.

Reflection

Studies from the field of public administration and public policy and planning shows that

collective action is an essential tool for the establishment of a development to a country.

Collective action with coordination between the state and the community is an effective way to

show that the state trust its governing citizen for the betterment of their own state. It is just that

other countries have governments that seems not to trust their own people thinking that their

citizens dont possess the capabilities and attributes to serve the country in terms of planning and

development. Radical planning as discussed by the author not only exemplifies the development

in a state but also it contributes in promoting social equality in many aspects especially in the

political arena. Every citizen is given a chance even those that belong in the marginalized sector

in voicing out their opinions towards the betterment of the state. Radical planning roots itself

from the marginalized sector because they are the ones who is experiencing that there should be

a change or transformation in the government because they see that the present administration

that demonstrates authoritarianism is a failure in terms of development in the country.

But not only states which has an authoritarian rule experience the social inequality and

injustices, even countries which are democratic also undergo in this phenomena. This is the

reason why many social groups, non-government organizations and community based
organizations is arising to voiced out their opinions and have a say with the problems faced by

the government that hinders in the planning and development of the country. Radical planning is

their tool to voice out their opinions to the government if the state that governs them would

continue to disregard and ignore the marginalized sectors of a state.

In the Philippines where democracy is a popular trend in the state, injustices and

inequality is also present in terms of voicing out plans and opinions. Different sectors in the state

have organized several groups that would serve a tool to be heard by the state. Student activism

is one group that is prevalent in the country and could be seen in the streets voicing out their

intention of a reform in the education system and the continuous increase of tuition fee that

hinder them in finishing their education that would lead to development. Community based

organizations that promote student activism is a reason why the students especially college

students is not only confined in the walls of the classrooms and now has the initiative to inform

the government and private entities that reforms in education is needed for the betterment of

many.

Being an agricultural country where most of the income of the country comes from the

products from agriculture, is a good focus for the government to continuously reform that would

eventually result for development of the country. But this would not be achieved if oppression

would be felt by the farmers working in the countryside. Cooperatives which are community

based are established by these farmers for them not to be oppressed by the state and the private

owner of lands where they are residing. Development in this countryside would not happen if

they are continuously be oppressed by the entities that are above them. The community based

groups of these farmers is one example where radical planning is exercised by groups that are

oppressed and to exercise their rights of achieving equality and social justice in the state.
 Several groups like labor groups that is continuously asking for the increase in wages,

non-governmental organizations that are clamoring for reform in the aspects of electoral reform,

several policy changes, and promoting equal rights for women and children are some of the

organizations in the Philippines that is continuously spreading as of today that if given the

chance to be heard by the state, it could contribute to the development of the country. Planning

and development should not be limited only to policy makers and statesman, cooperation and

coordination with community-based organizations is necessary achieve better plans for the

country and eventually greater development in the whole nation. In return, cooperation of these

community-based organizations is also necessary for a radical planning to work. Even if those in

power cooperate but the community did not do their part, all the planning would just be a non-

sense and development would be hard to achieve.

Works Cited
Beard, V. A. (2003). Learning Radical Planning: The Power of Collective Action.
Planning Theory, 13-35.

Friedmann, J. (1987). Planning in the Public Domain: From Knowledge to Action. Princeton, NJ:

Princeton University Press

Sandercock, L. (1999). Knowledge Practices: Towards an Epistemology of Multiplicity of

Insurgent Planning .169-79