Is the "Big Society" really a way to build voters' commitment to the governing coalition? As everyone in my profession knows, the way to engage employees in an organization is to seek their opinion on how to change it. You normally get some good ideas back, but the other huge value is that people who have had a say in designing their organization are far more committed to making it work. They become more productive and innovative and develop better relationships with their clients. So does this logic extend to neighbourhoods and communities?