BINGO ! EMPOWERMENT !

« Empowerment refers to measures designed to increase the degree of autonomy and self-determination in people and in communities, in order to enable them to represent their interests in a responsible and selfdetermined way, acting on their own authority. It is the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one's life and claiming one's rights.
In the field of citizenship and democratic education, empowerment is seen as a tool to increase the responsibility of the citizen. Empowerment is a key concept in the discourse on promoting civic engagement. »
(Wikipedia)

But, wait. Is being a citizen being a prerequisite for being empowered ?
Does self-determination necessarily lead people to civic engagement ?

This is an excerpt from the proclamation of the Freetown Christiania in 1971, by Jacob Ludvigsen:

The objective of Christiania is to create a self-governing society whereby each and every individual holds themselves responsible over the wellbeing of the entire community. Our society is to be economically self-sustaining and, as such, our aspiration is to be steadfast in our conviction that psychological and physical destitution can be averted.
It is the biggest opportunity so far to build up a society from scratch - while nevertheless still incorporating the remaining constructions. Own electricity plant, a bath-house, a giant athletics building, where all the seekers of peace could have their grand meditation - and yoga center. Halls where theater groups can feel at home. Buildings for the stoners who are too paranoid and weak to participate in the race...

While it is obvious that Ludvigsen was praising self-determination and autonomy, we can also doubt that the first Christiania settlers had anything to do with citizenship and civic engagement. As Ludvigsen suggested, Christiania was a social attempt for those who were too weak to participate the race. A place to find a right to live while escaping the rules and regulation of the contemporary neo-liberal city.

Or as the philosopher Gilles Deleuze put it : Fleeing, but in fleeing to seek a weapon.

Empowerment can be a way to resist and to untie institutional bounds. A way to escape centralized governmentality.
Could you design off the grid ?