Book review: Jeremy Heimans and Henry Timms, New Power: How Anyone Can Persuade, Mobilize, and Succeed in Our Chaotic, Connected Age
| Published date | 01 June 2022 |
| Date | 01 June 2022 |
| Author | Samar Nanda |
| DOI | 10.1177/00195561221091426 |
| Subject Matter | Book Reviews |
306 Book Reviews
presented, Mawlynnong in Meghalaya earned the prestigious tag of ‘cleanest
village in Asia’, Hiware Bazar in Maharashtra has a record 60 millionaires and
barely any poor.
The Chapter, ‘The Much Needed Governance Changes’ says that it is impor-
tant to lay down accountability at all levels of governance; decision-making levels
must be clearly known and there must be clarity about discretion. Arbitrariness in
decision-making can be checked by greater transparency with easy access to
information. Staff must be trained in dealing with public and mobile phone proto-
cols. Technology has to be easy and meaningful and grievance redressal more
effective. The new initiatives need to be proactively shared and best practices
published. A hassle-free governance system would be the best way to celebrate
India’s 75 years of Independence.
The Chapter, ‘Towards Becoming a Global Model,’ presents ten key steps for
India’s governance. Identifying the most important issues for the common man,
preparing a comprehensive action plan on the requirements of a cross-section of
society, creating an eminent public persons’ oversight mechanism, creation of a
template for a six-monthly feedback from MPs and MLAs, expanding the Good
Governance Index to cover ease of common man’s interaction with government,
common man’s assessment of governance delivery, enlarging the role of the
Department of Administrative Reforms, major role for national institutions in the
area of public administration and recognising state performance are the suggested
steps.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.
V. Srinivas
DARPG, GOI,
New Delhi, India
vsrinivas@nic.in
Jeremy Heimans and Henry Timms, New Power: How Anyone Can Per-
suade, Mobilize, and Succeed in Our Chaotic, Connected Age (Reprint
edition published on 26 February 2019). New York: Anchor Books,
Penguin Random House LLC, 2018, 325 pp., `1015.00. ISBN-978-1-
101-97110-9 (Paperback).
DOI: 10.1177/00195561221091426
The book New Power is a seminal work charting out the ways and means through
which every Civil Society Organization (CSO) must look to stay relevant, effi-
cient, and effective. It has called for a paradigmatic shift from the traditional per-
spective of looking at power, authority, and legitimacy to the new-age realities
such as networking, sharing, coordinating, and collaborating through heightened
transparency. The success of movements such as #MeToo and #FridayForCharity,
#IceBucketChallenge, #BlackLivesMatter have shown the world the currency of
the new power. How leaderless, faceless mass mobilisation could happen has pro-
voked and challenged the age-old accepted norms is worth-pondering and probing.
To continue reading
Request your trial