Paint Your Town Red by Matthew Brown & Rhian Jones Summary

Paint Your Town Red explores how communities can reclaim economic and political power through local initiatives like the Preston Model. It combines case studies, policy analysis, and actionable strategies for community wealth-building—prioritizing democratic ownership, fair employment, and redirecting spending to local businesses. The book critiques neoliberal capitalism while offering blueprints for grassroots economic transformation.

Local policymakers, activists, and anyone interested in equitable economic reform will find this book essential. It’s particularly relevant for municipal leaders seeking alternatives to austerity or centralized governance, as well as advocates of cooperative business models. Academics studying urban development or democratic socialism may also value its interdisciplinary approach.

Yes—the book balances rigorous analysis with practical guidance, making it a compelling resource for those seeking tangible solutions to systemic inequality. Reviewers praise its “contagious sense of hope” and ability to translate complex economic concepts into accessible strategies for local action.

The Preston Model is a community wealth-building strategy where local institutions (like councils, hospitals, and universities) redirect spending to support regional businesses and cooperatives. Key outcomes include tripling local procurement to £111 million, creating jobs, and establishing worker-owned enterprises. The model emphasizes democratic control over economic resources rather than reliance on external corporations.

The book critiques neoliberal policies for exacerbating inequality, austerity, and corporate dominance. It argues that urban entrepreneurialism and financialization have stripped communities of agency, advocating instead for participatory democracy and localized ownership to rebuild social and economic resilience.

• Plural ownership: Prioritizing cooperatives and community land trusts.
• Progressive procurement: Leveraging public spending to support local suppliers.
• Fair employment: Ensuring living wages and worker rights.
• Social use of land/property: Redirecting assets for public benefit.

Yes. The final chapters provide a roadmap for local action, including:

• Building coalitions between councils, unions, and grassroots organizations.
• Auditing institutional spending to identify local reinvestment opportunities.
• Launching cooperative enterprises to retain wealth within communities.

It contextualizes the pandemic as a crisis that intensified existing inequalities, arguing that community wealth-building offers a pathway to recovery. Examples include redistributing resources to mutual aid networks and strengthening local supply chains to withstand shocks.

Some reviewers note challenges in scaling hyper-local models nationally and the reliance on progressive local governance. Others question whether the Preston Model can fully counter global capitalist forces without broader structural reforms.

Unlike abstract theoretical works, it focuses on real-world case studies (e.g., Preston, Mondragon) and emphasizes practicality. It aligns with David Harvey’s urban activism ideas but diverges by providing step-by-step implementation strategies.

With rising inequality and climate crises, the book’s emphasis on local resilience and democratic ownership remains timely. Its strategies align with growing movements for municipalism and economic decentralization.

• “A roadmap for how local public authorities [...] can leave deprivation behind and rebuild their communities”.
• “The mess we’re in [...] demands solutions that prioritize people over profit”.

Yes. Summaries and key takeaways are available on platforms like SoBrief, while audiobook editions can be found through major retailers.