There are two major principles expressing the interplay between society and territory: bottom-up and top-down. The bottom-up approach, which is literally penetrated by self-governing processes, represents one of inherent principles of the initial stages of society formation. On the contrary, the top-down approach is typical for later phases of societal development, when elite groups rule over the non-elites in order to maintain control. Top-down approaches enabled the centralization of power, which stands behind the creation of the modern nation state. In modern discussions of sustainability (economic, environmental, and social) we rarely hear about the resurgence of self-governance. It is largely omitted that concepts of self-governance constitute one of greatest challenges and opportunities for truly sustainable development in our common future.
