There are bits of decentralization in some interesting places both new and old.
New Bethlehem (in the US)
Lloyds of London
Visa
SWIFT
The FED (yes really)
John Lewis
United Reform Church
The Quakers
There are bits of decentralization in some interesting places both new and old.
New Bethlehem (in the US)
Lloyds of London
Visa
SWIFT
The FED (yes really)
John Lewis
United Reform Church
The Quakers
The FED is decentralized in its structure, but it is still a central manager of the U.S. economy. That's not full decentralization. The Quakers are much closer. Many Christian denominations are decentralized in some sense, but they are very often (as is the case with URC, it appears) exclusionary, meaning you must adhere to their special pet doctrines if you want to become a member. As a Christian, I object to that on principle as Christ is all and in all (Colossians 3:11). I'd be curious to see how decentralization is playing out in New Bethlehem. I'm guessing you mean the town in Pennsylvania.
The FED might be the the manager of the US economy and it might be central to it but that does not make it centralized. It only appears to be because it has physical assets. No one centralized authority runs it. That is why it often clashes with Governments or Presidents that want to control it. As such it can appear to have a political stance but that is more a reflection of those veiwing. People see what they expect to see as all their critiques will be accurate regardless of the political stance of the veiwer. If a person veiws it negatively they will find evidence for their assertions. If a person views it positively they will equally find evidence to support their assertions. That is true of everything decentralized. It was based on Quaker ideals. Many banks were founded by Quakers.
United Reform is exceptionally diverse as it is built on the Congregationalist idea. ie. An individual congregation decides what it stands for. They can include universalist concepts - as in the god worshiped does have to be the Christian concept of one. The only real doctrine is that the different congregations co-operate.
In New Bethlehem the concept collapsed but it was driven by decentralization. It was most famous for New Bethlehem Steel. All of this was an an extension of the ideas of New Lanark, which is in Scotland. Decentralized cotton mill town (also collapsed). Pennsylvania was very different to the other early states at the start. More open, as founded by Quakers.
Pennsylvania is very different today.
Yes, I imagine so.