ABSTRACT

This chapter explores whether, and under which conditions, citizens-led social innovations can bring about societal transformation, also referred to as “regime change”. It puts forward four scenarios. In scenario #1, a major crisis forces such a society-wide transformation because the alternative would be societal collapse: citizens-led social innovations provide a solution to the crisis, which is seen as an opportunity. In scenario #2, grassroots innovations are encouraged to create alternatives to the usual way of doing things, resulting in a form of “sociodiversity”, which can gradually lead to societal change. In scenario #3, such innovations are “co-opted” by the actors dominating the mainstream regime, allowing them to expand. In scenario #4 finally, the grassroots innovation is deliberately designed to subvert the mainstream regime. This chapter argues why this fourth scenario is both more realistic than and preferable to its competitors, and what conditions should be present for this pathway to succeed.