# We the People — The New State character guide > We the People in The New State by Mary Parker Follett. **Role:** major **Also known as:** us, we, our, ourselves, ours **First appearance:** 0001-the-new-state ## Snapshot Not a crowd but a collective speaker — the 'we' who must learn democracy by living it, since no one can hand it down from above. ## Who they are This collective voice insists there is no 'individual' and no 'society,' only the group and the group-unit, and it keeps pressing the question of what form the new state should take. Its tension is with older political grammars — consent of the governed, majority rule, external leadership — which it treats as offspring of a psychology it wants replaced. It matters because it converts the book's abstractions into a demand: democracy is not a decision about association but a skill in living together, and the reader is included in the 'we' being asked to acquire it. ## Relationships ### [Narrator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/characters/narrator) _social_ The narrator addresses and interacts with 'We the People' as a collective audience or abstract democratic entity. ### [Mr. A](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/characters/mr_a) _psychological_ Mr. A engages with 'We the People' as a rhetorical device, often manipulating or defining the collective identity. ### [Mr. B](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/characters/mr_b) _rivalry_ Mr. B often positions himself in opposition to the collective will of 'We the People'. ### [Hegel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/characters/hegel) _psychological_ Hegel's concept of the state as a rational whole is used to shape the identity of 'We the People'. ### [Narrator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/characters/narrator) _social_ The narrator addresses and interacts with 'We the People' as a collective audience or abstract democratic entity. ### [Narrator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/characters/narrator) _social_ The narrator addresses and interacts with 'We the People' as a collective audience or abstract democratic entity. ### [Mr. A](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/characters/mr_a) _psychological_ Mr. A engages with 'We the People' as a rhetorical device, often manipulating or defining the collective identity. ## In the story ### [The New State: Group Organization the Solution of Popular Government](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/the-new-state) Referenced as the collective body that must be reorganized through group principles to achieve true democracy. ### [Part I: The Group Principle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/part-i-the-group-principle) Referenced as the collective body that constitutes the group through which democracy is realized. ### [I: The Group and the New Psychology](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/i-the-group-and-the-new-psychology) Referenced as 'we' and 'us' throughout, representing the collective who must learn democracy and study group psychology. ### [II: The Group Process: The Collective Idea](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/ii-the-group-process-the-collective-idea) Represents the collective 'we' that emerges from the group process, embodying the united will. ### [III: The Group Process: The Collective Idea (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/iii-the-group-process-the-collective-idea-continued) Referenced as the group that must engage in the creative process of unifying differences to achieve progress. ### [IV: The Group Process: The Collective Feeling](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/iv-the-group-process-the-collective-feeling) Referenced as the collective that generates sympathy and unity through the group process. ### [V: The Group Process: The Collective Will](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/v-the-group-process-the-collective-will) Implied as the collective that must learn to evolve the social will day by day. ### [VI: The Unity of the Social Process](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/vi-the-unity-of-the-social-process) Referenced as the collective that creates the common will through civic activity and group life. ### [VII: The Individual](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/vii-the-individual) Implied as the collective whose social process creates and nourishes the individual. ### [VIII: Who Is the Free Man?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/viii-who-is-the-free-man) Referenced as the collective 'we' who must win freedom through fellowship and group consciousness. ### [IX: The New Individualism](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/ix-the-new-individualism) Referenced as those who must learn cooperation and take part in evolving collective thought and will. ### [X: Society](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/x-society) Referenced as the collective that experiences the psychic process of society and the freedom to relate to multiple groups. ### [XI: The Self-and-Others Illusion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xi-the-self-and-others-illusion) Referenced as the collective 'we' who are slowly purged of particularistic desires and come to realize human solidarity, especially through the war. ### [The Crowd Fallacy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xii-the-crowd-fallacy) Referenced as those who resent being used as part of a crowd and who feel emotional thrill in masses. ### [XIII: The Secret of Progress](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xiii-the-secret-of-progress) Implied as the collective that must embrace conscious evolution and share in the creative process of democracy. ### [The Group Principle at Work](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xiv-the-group-principle-at-work) Referenced as the collective society that is gradually adopting community responsibility for crime and rethinking education and immigration. ### [From Contract to Community](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xv-from-contract-to-community) Implied as the community that produces law through associated life and collective will. ### [Part II: The Traditional Democracy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/part-ii-the-traditional-democracy) Referenced as the collective subject of traditional democratic theory, whose will is misrepresented by majority rule. ### [XVI: Democracy Not “Liberty” and “Equality”: Our Political Dualism](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xvi-democracy-not-liberty-and-equality-our-political-dualism) Referenced as the collective that must become the state, with the state expressing the common will. ### [XVII: Democracy Not the Majority: Our Political Fallacy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xvii-democracy-not-the-majority-our-political-fallacy) Referenced as the governed who are physically helpless to govern themselves under majority rule, and as the collective that must produce an integrated will. ### [XVIII: Democracy Not the Crowd: Our Popular Delusion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xviii-democracy-not-the-crowd-our-popular-delusion) Referred to as 'the people' who must rule through group methods, not as a crowd. ### [XIX: The True Democracy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xix-the-true-democracy) The collective 'we' is invoked throughout as the agent of democratic living, learning to evolve collective ideas and commingle day by day. ### [XX: The Growth of Democracy in America](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xx-the-growth-of-democracy-in-america) Referenced as the collective body that was not trusted by the framers of the Constitution, and as the 'united, responsible people' that should form the basis of a living democracy. ### [XXI: After Direct Government—What?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xxi-after-direct-government-what) Referred to as the electorate that must be organized; the people are capable of more than imitation and must express the common will through group life. ### [Part III: Group Organization Democracy’s Method](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/part-iii-group-organization-democracy-s-method) Referenced as the collective body that must be organized into neighborhood groups for true democratic participation. ### [I: The Neighborhood Group](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/i-the-neighborhood-group) Implied as the collective subject that forms and participates in neighborhood groups. ### [XXII: Neighborhood Needs the Basis of Politics](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xxii-neighborhood-needs-the-basis-of-politics) Implied as the community that must recognize the integration of daily life and politics, and whose needs are to be articulated through neighborhood groups. ### [An Integrated Neighborhood](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xxiii-an-integrated-neighborhood) The collective 'we' is used throughout to refer to citizens and neighborhoods working together to build community and democracy. ### [Neighborhood Organization vs. Party Organization I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xxiv-neighborhood-organization-vs-party-organization-i) Described as not yet existing; must be created through integration and genuine group life. ### [Neighborhood Organization vs. Party Organization II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xxv-neighborhood-organization-vs-party-organization-ii) The collective group that neighborhood organization aims to empower, evolving genuine leaders from within. ### [XXVI: Neighborhood Organization vs. Party Organization III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xxvi-neighborhood-organization-vs-party-organization-iii) Described as clever and desiring self-government, rejecting governments that disregard them, and capable of responsible citizenship through neighborhood groups. ### [XXVII: From Neighborhood to Nation: The Unifying State](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xxvii-from-neighborhood-to-nation-the-unifying-state) Referenced as the collective that must create the state through neighborhood organization and direct participation. ### [II: The Occupational Group](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/ii-the-occupational-group) Implied as the collective subject of democratic participation through occupational groups. ### [XXVIII: Political Pluralism](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xxviii-political-pluralism) Referenced as the collective that must create small groups and build the federal state through lived experience. ### [XXIX: Political Pluralism and Sovereignty](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xxix-political-pluralism-and-sovereignty) Referenced as the collective from which genuine sovereignty and authority evolve through group interpenetration. ### [Political Pluralism and Functionalism](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xxx-political-pluralism-and-functionalism) Referenced as the collective 'we' in the context of group interlocking and the need for the individual to express multiple sides through groups. ### [Political Pluralism and the True Federal State](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xxxi-political-pluralism-and-the-true-federal-state) Referenced as 'we' in the context of American understanding of federalism and the need for unity. ### [XXXII: Political Pluralism (Concluded)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xxxii-political-pluralism-concluded) Referenced as subjects striving to become 'kings of our own destiny' through living the life of a sovereign state. ### [XXXIII: Increasing Recognition of the Occupational Group](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xxxiii-increasing-recognition-of-the-occupational-group) Referenced as 'we' in discussing the need for integration and experimentation. ### [Part III: The Dual Aspect of the Group](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/part-iii-the-dual-aspect-of-the-group) Referenced as the collective that forms groups and is also part of larger unions. ### [The Moral State and Creative Citizenship](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xxxiv-the-moral-state-and-creative-citizenship) Referenced as 'you and me' and 'the public,' emphasizing that democracy depends on every individual's active participation and responsibility. ### [XXXV: The World State](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/xxxv-the-world-state) Implied as the collective that must learn a new patriotism and participate in building international unity. ### [Appendix: The Training for the New Democracy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/appendix) Implied throughout as the collective body of citizens who must be trained for democracy through group activities, continuous education, and social responsibility. ### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/chapters/endnotes) Referenced as the collective that must judge schemes for occupational representation and as the subject of group process. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/characters/we_the_people - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_new_state_se/characters