# The New State: Group Organization the Solution of Popular Government explained — The New State

> Chapter companion for The New State by Mary Parker Follett.

## What happens

This chapter introduces the group principle as the foundation for true democracy, arguing that genuine popular government must be built upon organized group life rather than individualistic or mass-based political systems. It critiques existing democratic theories for failing to account for the social and psychological realities of human association, and proposes neighborhood and occupational groups as the basic units of political organization.

## Themes in this chapter

### Group Process as the Foundation of True Democracy

The chapter establishes the group principle as essential for genuine popular government, arguing that democracy must be built on organized group life rather than isolated individuals.

### Rejection of Crowd Psychology and Mass Rule

The chapter critiques mass-based democracy and majority rule, advocating instead for deliberative group processes as the true expression of popular will.

## Character check-ins

### Narrator

The narrator presents the central thesis of the book, advocating for group organization as the solution to popular government.

### We the People

Referenced as the collective body that must be reorganized through group principles to achieve true democracy.

### Léon Duguit

Mentioned in the context of legal and political pluralism, providing theoretical support for group-based governance.

### William James

Cited for his psychological insights into group consciousness and the pluralistic universe.

### Roscoe Pound

Referenced in relation to sociological jurisprudence and the role of groups in law.

## Key lines

> The New State Group Organization the Solution of Popular Government

The new state must be organized around groups, not individuals, to achieve true popular government.

_This opening statement encapsulates the book's central argument that group organization is the key to democratic reform._

> The group principle is the solution to popular government.

Organizing society into functional groups is the answer to making democracy work.

_The narrator asserts that group-based organization can resolve the failures of existing democratic systems._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/the-new-state
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_new_state_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters