Use these three DIY facilitation plans to organize your own small-group exploratory discussions to explore the relationship of the Economy and Democracy

How do you see the relationship between the economy and the health of our democracy? What are the purposes and values that shape our economic system – and how do these mesh with the purposes and values of our democracy? What challenges flow from our economic system, and how do these affect the health of our democracy? How might we better meet these challenges? These three interrelated facilitation plans are intended to help you and your conversation partners collaboratively explore these questions and more.

Facilitation Plan One: The Economy and Democracy – How Are They Related?

This discussion is intended to help you explore the ways that the economy and the health of our democracy are connected to one another. What are some of the challenges facing the relationship between our economy, including our economic system, and democracy–and how might we meet those challenges?

Facilitation Plan Two: The Economy and Democracy – The American Dream?

This discussion is intended to help you explore the relationship of the economy and democracy in respect of the notion of the American Dream. What is, or what could be, some different ways to express the American Dream? How does, or how might, the American Dream relate to democracy? How might we start to reimagine a new version of the American Dream?

Facilitation Plan Three: The Economy and Democracy – Reimagining the American Dream

This discussion is intended to you and your conversation partners move ahead in exploring the relationship of the economy and democracy by collectively imagining new visions for the American Dream. What might the American Dream look like if it were first and foremost a democratic dream–or a vision where the economic aspects were more fully in support of improving the health of our democracy? What steps can we imagine to help us more toward new forms of the American Dream that are more supportive of a healthy democracy?