Citizens: Why the Key to Fixing Everything is All of Us

by Jon Alexander, Brian Eno (Foreword), Ariane Conrad (Primary Contributor)

MCKINSEY TOP 5 RECOMMENDED READ

'An underground hit' – Best Politics Books, Financial Times

' Jon has one of the few big ideas that's easily applied ' – Sam Conniff, Be More Pirate

'A wonderful guide to how to be human in the 21st Century' – Ece Temelkuran, How to Lose a the Seven Steps from Democracy to Dictatorship


Citizens opens up a new way of understanding ourselves and shows us what we must do to survive and thrive as individuals, organisations, and nations.

Over the past decade, Jon Alexander’s consultancy, the New Citizenship Project, has helped revitalise some of Britain’s biggest organisations including the Co-op, the Guardian and the National Trust. Here, with the New York Times bestselling writer Ariane Conrad, he shows how history is about to enter age of the Citizen.

Because when our institutions treat people as creative, empowered creatures rather than consumers, everything changes.

Unleashing the power of everyone equips us to face the challenges of economic insecurity, climate crisis, public health threats, and polarisation.

Citizens is an upbeat handbook, full of insights, clear examples to follow, and inspiring case studies, from the slums of Kenya to the backstreets of Birmingham – and a foreword by Brian Eno.

It is the perfect pick-me-up for leaders, founders, elected officials – and citizens everywhere. Organise and seize the future!

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Sociology, Society, History, Sustainability, Activism

256 pages, Paperback

First published March 17, 2022

Reviews

[Paddy Loughman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The list of books that genuinely have the chance to "change the world" is a short one, but 'Citizens' is most certainly on it.

If you find yourself stuck in a doom spiral, or asking the questions "what is the new story?" and "how do we tell it?", then this is for you.

Standing on the shoulders of giants like Humankind: A Hopeful History and Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds, Jon Alexander and Ariane Conrad brilliantly capture a simple but profound idea about who we are and need to become.

I would go as far as suggesting it sits alongside The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity and Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist, as one of the essential texts for understanding the human world and how to evolve it. 'Dawn' covers the history, 'Doughnut' the economics, and 'Citizens' sorts out the politics.

Full of inspiring, actively hopeful examples of people working together to change our world, and sparkling with fresh, practical and radical ideas, you will struggle to put this down – and once you do, will be unlikely to forget it.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author presents his ideas for the "citizen" story, a third way of governance, distinct from the ancient "subject" story and its modern alternative "consumer" story. He presents some usefully provocative ideas such as the stories that dominate our ideas of society and the individual, the twin threats of Chinese-style complete subjugation and Sovereign Individual-style complete consumerization, and the harm and misuse of the hero myth.

I wanted to like this book much more than I did. However, to me it read like a series of editorials or TED talk scripts--long on confident exhortations and shallow examples, and remarkably short on information that a person interested in the Citizen idea can use. I hope someone has written a detailed explanation of citizen initiatives in Ireland and Taiwan that will give me what I hoped to get from this book.

[Shae Turner · Rating 2 out of 5]

A few ideas in this book are so wonderful to me that I think if more people read them, the world would be better. Wasn’t on my summer reading bingo card: a half-page Morpheus quote to inspire me into small p-politics.

[Heidi Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shae and I read this for our Citizens book club, this is my take on how to apply the small-p model:

The biggest takeaway is we’re not just Consumers, and we definitely can’t shop our way to a better world. That myth has kept us quiet while collective power has been dismantled.

Capital-P Politics happens every few through elections, Small-p politics happens every day with our ideas, our energy, our resources.

The books also gives instruction to make a climate action Venn diagram: what you’re good at, what problem you want to solve, and what brings you joy. My overlap looked like brand building, climate storytelling, and connecting people to circular systems. We can apply small-p through our existing jobs, even if they are capitalistic by nature in today's system.

Citizens also reinforced what I've always known: that Alexander Hamilton, and more specifically Lin-Manuel Miranda, have a lot to answer for in our societal collapse.

[Tamasine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not a self help book, but it has helped me. It has woken me up to what is possible when we stop seeing ourselves as consumers and start embracing out agency as Citizens. (Together People)

Wonderfully written, this book has helped me see myself, my friends, my community and my work in a totally different and energising way.

I realised that with a simple shift in how we view ourselves and those we work with - by seeing things as #CitizensNotConsumers it shifts the power. It changes all of our futures. (To be clear you can still consume, you just don't need to BE a Consumer)

I want the whole world to read this book... I think I might start leaving copies on benches! 😝

[Kendall Robertson · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you want to learn anything about enacting change in the world DO NOT READ THIS BOOK. It won't tell you shit about it. The approach Alexander recommends to change the world into one for "Citizens" he literally debunks himself in the book. For most readers, you will gain nothing from wasting time on this jumble of words called a book. The organization 0/10, the content 1/10, the ideas impossible/10. The only entertaining part of this book was the terrible metaphors Alexander made using Hitler. It wasn't worth my time, and it's not worth yours.

[efe feffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

must read, this book stands for everything i stand for

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely feeling a lil inspired and liked the framing of the citizen story. Didn’t necessarily feel empowered/enabled to be a part of my own citizen story but keen to continue fighting the good fight!

[Gary Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read and thought provoking. But unfortunately for me at the end of the day a bit “pie in the sky”. While it is great to read about grassroots activities that have gained traction the reality is the world is a very different place than when this book was finished in 2021. So even if there was a glimmer of hope this change could gain more traction at government levels in countries across the globe the world we see now has ensured that is not going to happen.

[Jamie Bowen · Rating 4 out of 5]

There has to be a better way? The world of 2022 is a very unstable environment, democracy seems challenged and mega corporations hold significant power. Jon Alexander sets out a new way, tapping into the citizenship we all have within us. A very interesting book.

[Marianna (MJ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

amazing first chapter, the rest are examples that may be a bit confusing

[Martine Delannoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

By now full of markings and pages folded as rabbit ears for future use.
Jon Alexander and Ariane Conrad, present an engaging new story where we drop the past rol of a subject and the current one of a consumer and embrace true citizenship. This should be read by all citizens and wanna be’s ;)

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not perfect. But it certainly got me thinking in the way I hoped it would.

[magalim96 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I changed my mind about this book at least ten times, but here are my thoughts:

Overall summary:
Jon Alexander with Ariane Conrad talk about the power of stories and presenting the citizen story as opposed to the consumer and the subject story, as the way forward. As founder of the new citizen project, Alexander gives examples of 1) individual inspirational citizens & their journeys, 2) the subject and consumer eras and their historical background and 3) how to apply participatory democracy to organisations, governments, companies and change our trajectory.

Concepts that I like:
- the subject story (kings, rulers, patrons, powering over and controlling their obedient subjects - dependence) to the consumer story (subjects wanting to become king and freeing themselves through market logic and being controlled and separated by it - independence) to the consumer story (naming, nurturing and revealing collective, participatory, citizen engagement - interdependence) arc (even though it‘s a lot more complicated and interconnected than that)
- proximity and reciprocity over effective altruism
- campfire democracy, sortition, neighbourhood assemblies, open source movements, crowdsourcing
- citizens as in people working together not as the status of citizenship tied to a state - we as citizens are so much more than voters (disproportional focus on elections)
- journalism not as content for consumers, but equipment for citizens

Where the analysis was lacking:
- the historical ‚background‘ and accuracy of the 3 ‚stories‘ and how they overlap (or not) - very loose definition of history
- the refusal to use scientific and political notions + very real systems of power like capitalism/communism/white supremacy/colonialism etc but talking about democracy and paternalism (not patriarchy)
- even though they tried to incorporate a diversity of stories, the book remains Euro- or at least Western centered
- (with an exception of the conclusion) his very globalised point of view, talking more about (inter)national initiatives than (hyper)local ones

Conclusion:
Honestly stirred up some thoughts, mostly reminders, but also aha moments and new questions sparking up. I liked the more practical aspects of the book like talking about concrete citizen stories, how to learn from them/get involved in new ways of citizen participation and fighting for it.

To end with a quote: ‚Intoxicated by the power to choose we don‘t realise that the real power lies in creating the menu even deciding whether there is a menu at all‘

[Carra Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read that urgently reminds us of our power we have as people when we pull together. Written in a conversational voice in clear language, ‘Citizens’ is uplifting, full of energy, and packed with historical insights and inspirational examples of ‘citizenship-in-action’ from around the world. It gives clear context to our current experiences, stemming from being treated as passive 'subjects' then 'consumers', and why the mood is shifting to 'citizen' empowerment in a way that’s informative, easy to digest, and very illuminating.

[Isabella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book! The authors did a great job of weaving theory and practical case studies. If you’re interested in participatory approaches to anything (government, business, civil society work) then this will be a satisfying read with lots of fascinating examples dotted along the way. Would’ve liked it to be a bit more radical in places, but I guess it wouldn’t hold the same broad-based appeal to as many people if it was.

[Jayne Poole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Citizens was incredibly refreshing because it focused on REAL examples from the actual world over pages and pages of theory and academia. It's also helped restore my optimism about humans (which has been severely dented in the past few years).

The example about what happened in the run up to and during Covid in Taiwan blew my mind 🤯. Read that chapter first!

[Niklas · Rating 4 out of 5]

„We are made to feel naive, looked upon as idealists and pointless dreamers.“
Viel zu oft bin ich genau in diese Situation geraten, wenn ich versucht habe, meine Gedanken zum aktuellen Weltgeschehen zu teilen. Dieses Buch spricht mir aus der Seele und macht Mut.
Definitiv der Gegenentwurf zu „Menschen sind nicht vernünftig und sich selbst am nächsten“.

[Stefan Papp · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the ideas, but then again sometimes it feels a bit to much written from a woke-perspective.

[Simon Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

With all the resources and ingenuity at our dispoal, we humans can solve our problems. But we don't. Why not ? And what can you and I do about it ?

Authors, the media, social media, people you meet on the bus, etc, present a vast array of answers. So many claim to know what's wrong and how to put it right. But what do we get from them ? Curations of political, personal and historical detail - a mishmash. Anecdotes. Sometimes an appeal to a certain emotion or to willpower. Often a conjuring trick of belief. Some underlying principles if you're lucky; honest caveats on their applicability only if you're very lucky. It is rare to come across coherent principles which are widely applicable, verifiable through the reader's own observations, ideas which are simple and which extend readily into complex situations. But Citizens has these.

Jon Alexander posits that, in our interactions with each other, we should look for the embedded story of who we are. When I pay my taxes, buy my groceries or go to work, am I a subject complying with the rules from above or a consumer hoping to get something out of the deal ? Of course, I am both. Could I also be, potentially, a citizen, a true participant in shaping things ?

We constantly hear and tell stories about who we are and our capacity to act. "Leaders" may tell us they can save us from all manner of problems, if we clear their path to power. Their story is that we should live as subjects - cogs in their machine. Or they tell us that our narrow self interest will make things work out via the magic of the marketplace. Their story is that we should live as consumers - liberated - yes, liberated to be cogs in another machine whose ownership we are all a bit vague about. Aren't these people dreadful to fill our heads with these stories of how our lives should be lived ! But wait, we tell ourselves the same stories, we tell them to each other. We are complicit. The stories are all pervasive.

We need a better story than "I am a subject" or "I am a consumer" and you can probably tell by now what this story might be and think you have the gist of it all. But context is everything, and this book gives you background, explanations, examples, preconditions and projections of the possibilities of the citizen story and its counterparts, the subject and consumer stories. It gives you a new frame of reference for understanding events, reviewing claims and making choices. That is what the book does for you and for anyone you share it with.

Is this book about poliitics ? Is it about business ? The arts, environment, science, technology, finance ? My own field of building and infrastructure ? It is a book about all of these because it is a book about patterns in how we think about ourselves and each other. Only a true hermit would have no use for this book.

Is this an important book ? Brian Eno thinks so and so do I. The future could be an unbending authoritarian dystopia, or an uncaring libertarian dystopia, or an unbending and uncaring hybrid dystopia. But these miserable futures are founded on unbending and uncaring stories about ourselves, stories of us as subjects and consumers. Instead, could I be a citizen ? Could you be a citizen ? Could we persuade "them" to be citizens ? Jon Alexander has written an enjoyable eye opener. Read and reflect.

[Charlie Crossley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of the audiobook. Used AI tool to write the Review with my prompts and editing...

Citizens is an invitation to step out of the role of passive consumer and into the richer, more active role of citizen. It argues that societies thrive when people participate not just in markets or institutions, but in shaping the future together. Told with optimism and a sweep of historical perspective, it blends stories of organisations, communities, and governments that are experimenting with citizen-led approaches.

It was a timely listen for me as I've been working on participatory approaches at work so it was good to get some accessible theoretical backing for this work

What Was New?
The big idea that stuck with me is the book's three-part model of subject, consumer, and citizen. Subjects obey authority, consumers make choices in markets, but citizens participate, shape, and co-create. It’s not just a framework for politics, but for organisations, workplaces, even everyday life. Hearing it laid out so clearly was both simple and memorable.

Memorable Moments
The Subject–Consumer–Citizen model mentioned above.

Taiwan’s digital democracy experiments: The story of participatory platforms in Taiwan where thousands of people help shape legislation. Inspiring, and a hint of what technology could make possible.

The BrewDog tale: How a brand that has done lots to embody citizen energy still wrestles with consumerist, profit-driven patterns. A reminder that the story isn’t automatic—it can slide backwards.

What’s Missing?
The book leans heavily on the positive. It doesn't look as much at how economic or other systems might hold back the citizen story.

It also doesn’t wrestle much with the hard edges of participation:

What happens when bad actors, manipulators, or even just highly polarised groups dominate?

How do citizen spaces deal with burnout in our fast-paced societies.

These are real risks, and they could do with more exploration to make the argument more robust. Still, I fully understand why the authors wanted to focus on the hopeful arc given where the world appears to be at.

Impact
The audiobook left me energised. It gave me confidence that the citizen story and participatory approaches aren’t just idealistic, but necessary. It also reinforced that participation makes communities stronger and people more fulfilled.

Takeaways and Life Interaction
For me, the main takeaway is to hang in there with participation, even when it feels slow, messy, or hard. The book reminded me that being a citizen is something you can try and take forward in different aspects of life and work, and there are strong reasons to think it will be worth the undoubted effort.

[Nathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

***would be 2.5 stars - definitely not a two star book but not 3***

I agree 100% on the message of the book and there are some great ideas in there. There are some sources to back up the points being made which gives credence to the idea of the ‘citizen story’ and how we can shift the narrative to allow ourselves to come together at a grassroots level to heal what’s broken…

But… as a piece of writing… it’s not enjoyable. The structure of the book is a bit messy. For example, parts I and II could have been swapped. I could go into detail as well about how refusing to attribute the names of concepts such as ‘capitalism’ and ‘communism’ is detrimental but it would be a waste of time. The writers outline why they believe they are best not to use these terms and I will simply say that I disagree. At times it can feel hollow which is pretty much the antithesis of the message it’s trying to convey. This is all to say, it was a bit of a struggle to get through.

If this is a book that you want to get into as many hands as possible and you seek to promote change and inspire then you need it to be as strong as possible to do so. For me that just wasn’t the case and at times undermined the whole point of the book.

[Marilyn Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is getting a 5 star review from me with some influence from context as well as content. I'm supporting a local citizens' assembly next month, and was keen to read this beforehand. There's more than that though; published in 2022, the final chapter is even more prescient now. Alexander and Conrad describe 3 potential futures for us - with a not so great option being intimately involved with the big tech oligarchs. In addition, I'm currently working for a not-for-profit and Citizens provides some hugely relevant material for that sector. I borrowed a copy from the library and intend to get my own on which to scribble many notes! I find it a very realistic and hopeful book, a good antidote to doomscrolling.

[Mildred · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm at a loss as to how to rate this one. I think overall I hold it in positive esteem but my mood went up and down like a yo-yo throughout and now I just feel exhausted and have no idea what to believe.

I think it's interesting to read books like this that present a hopeful manifesto for the future, years after publication. It's not been long, as this was only published in 2022, but with everything currently going on I find it difficult to put too much weight on what is said here, because the world is constantly shifting.

That final question he leaves you with has given me a lot to think about though.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book that challenges our fundamental beliefs about ourselves, our fellow humans and the role of organisations. I don’t think I have nodded and shouted out “EXACTLY!” and “YES” quite as much while reading a book before. As long as we continue to only see ourselves and each other as consumers, and define success of organisations as financial growth by “selling” (even for non-profits) as much as possible then we are not going to achieve the significant change we need to see in the world.

[Tulitha King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars because the content is what's needed for these times. In parts, it read slowly (sometimes a couple too many adjectives). Generally, however, the pace, the content and the structure lent itself to what is, in the end, a hopeful book, one which leaves the reader aware of another way, another story with which to approach the world and themselves.

My intention is to put some of this into practice.

[Amy B Garratt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful and informative, a healthy dose of optimism considering the serious subject matter. Bought the book from an author talk at the Rabbit Hole Brigg, and really enjoyed Jon’s talk/explanations of Taiwan and the government changes. Many stories are collected here to discuss the history of subjects/consumerism and how to move forward into a healthier future as a collective.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really thought provoking, but I remain sceptical any real change around the citizen story will happen at scale or at a national level - I'd love to be proved wrong.

It felt like a long time was spent setting up the citizen story in this book. I would rather have had less on the history of the subject and customer stories and more depth on the citizen story. It's a place to start though.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging, hopeful read. Helps us realise that we are the answer - we've just got to step into our power. The stories bring to life what being a citizen really is. The story about Audrey Tang, the Taiwanese government and Covid is the very essence of hope. Everyone should read this book

[Tony Mattson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

Coherent, practical, and genuinely inspiring. This book will stir your soul and make you want to change. I have bought copies for everyone in my team at work. I cannot recommend it highly enough.