Taking on Corporate Power

It's a rude awakening when a corporation decides to build a hog farm or a big-box store in your community. Or dump sewage sludge or open a mine. It may not be something residents want, but they soon find out that the laws are stacked in favor of the corporation. Communities across the country are taking our founding documents at their word and declaring citizens' right and duty to protect their water, land, local economy, and way of life, even if it means taking on the enormous power of corporations.

Here are some of the peaceful revolutionaries who have stepped up:

		Communities Take Power The Citizens of Barnstead, New Hampshire, used local law to keep corporate giants out of their water.
		Democracy, Unlimited: Measure T Bans Corporate Campaign Finance Non-local corporations are banned from politics in Humboldt County.
		Common Knowledge: How to Get Local Control—Taught By People Who've Done It Strategies of resistance to corporate power need to invoke the people's rights to exercise democratic power over corporations and governments. Several organizations offer training and workshops to share their experience with establishing democracy at a community level.
		Campaign Finance Reform and More: Putting Citizens in Charge of Democracy People across the country aren't waiting for action from politicians and judges. Here are the hot spots where activists are getting corporations out of government and elections.