In an age of constant digital connectivity, our lives have paradoxically become more disconnected. As sociologist Robert Putnam famously observed in Bowling Alone, participation in civic life and informal social networks has sharply declined – leaving many people in Western societies less rooted in place and less incentivized to invest in the neighborhoods they live in. This comes with a price. People become more isolated despite being virtually more “connected.” This fragmentation signals not just a loss of community, but a deeper erosion of trust and shared responsibility.
The philosophy behind Buurtgroei also resonates with proven economic models that center trust over control, such as Universal Basic Income (UBI). Proven in various pilot programs around the world, UBI demonstrates that when people are given unconditional financial support, they don’t withdraw from society – they engage more deeply with it. Freed from the constant pressure to monetize their time or justify their value within capitalist economies of meaning, individuals gain the space to care, to create, and to contribute in more meaningful ways. Like Buurtgroei’s neighborhood-focused interventions, UBI is grounded in the belief that people simply thrive when trust is the starting point. Not the reward.
Buurtgroei builds on these long-lasting principles by activating local social infrastructures through giving money. Its approach echoes the insights of urban sociologist Jane Jacobs, who advocated for community-based urbanism and emphasized the power of informal networks. Buurtgroei channels these ideas into contemporary, community-led interventions that are deeply embedded in the lived experiences of neighborhoods.
By reactivating these social fabrics, Buurtgroei bridges the gap between past and present – reviving modes of belonging and care that are both timeless and urgently relevant.
