This article begins with a good criticism of systems change, then recommends an alternative approach that essentially amounts to the same thing. Oh, but the difference is explained by saying "the critical difference is that it is emergent." I agree that the best (and only) way to change society is through emergent change, that is, where the change is driven by the people, not the leaders. But in this article, 'emergent' means "driven by scale-obsessed doer organizations." No. Take education, for example. So many reformers feel we can effect change by redesigning educational systems (and if followed the advice in this article, administrators, rather than funders, would be driving change). But education changes only if people as individuals decide to learn differently. Right now (as suggested by Chomsky here) people still consent to the existing model of education. It's when that consent changes - and not until - that education changes.
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