What Is a Junto?
What Is a Junto?
Section titled “What Is a Junto?”In 1727, a twenty-one-year-old printer named Benjamin Franklin gathered twelve friends in a Philadelphia tavern and proposed something unusual: a club dedicated to mutual improvement.
He called it the Junto — from the Spanish junta, meaning “joined together.”
Franklin’s Original Vision
Section titled “Franklin’s Original Vision”The Junto met every Friday evening. Members came from different trades — a cobbler, a surveyor, a clerk, a merchant — but shared a commitment to self-improvement and civic betterment. Each meeting followed a structured format:
- Standing questions — A set of 24 questions posed at every meeting (see our adapted meeting agenda)
- Essays — Members took turns presenting original essays on morals, politics, or natural philosophy
- Inquiry — The group discussed each question and essay, seeking understanding rather than victory
The rules were clear: all debate must be conducted “in the sincere spirit of inquiry after truth, without fondness for dispute or desire of victory.”
What Made It Work
Section titled “What Made It Work”The Junto succeeded because of several design choices that remain relevant three centuries later:
Diverse membership
Section titled “Diverse membership”Franklin deliberately recruited across trades and social classes. Diversity of perspective was the engine of insight.
Small by design
Section titled “Small by design”The original Junto had twelve members — enough for lively discussion, small enough that every voice was heard. When demand grew, Franklin didn’t expand the group. Instead, he encouraged members to start their own Junto-style clubs, creating a network of independent groups.
Structured inquiry
Section titled “Structured inquiry”Rather than free-form conversation, the Junto used Franklin’s standing questions to ensure depth and breadth. This structure prevented the drift toward gossip or complaint that plagues many groups.
Mutual accountability
Section titled “Mutual accountability”Members committed to bringing something to each meeting — a question, an observation, an essay. Participation wasn’t passive.
Civic purpose
Section titled “Civic purpose”The Junto wasn’t just a social club. It led to the creation of America’s first lending library, a volunteer fire company, a public hospital, and the University of Pennsylvania. Community improvement was the goal, not just self-improvement.
The Junto Model Today
Section titled “The Junto Model Today”JuntoGroups carries forward Franklin’s vision for the modern era. A Junto group is:
- Small — 5 to 15 members who meet regularly
- Diverse — People from different backgrounds, professions, and perspectives
- Structured — Meetings follow a format that encourages depth over drift
- Action-oriented — Discussion leads to projects, not just talk
- Multiplying — Successful groups seed new groups rather than growing indefinitely
The Multiplication Principle
Section titled “The Multiplication Principle”Franklin’s most powerful insight was that one great group is less valuable than many good ones. When your Junto is thriving, the next step isn’t to grow it — it’s to help members start their own.
This is how communities scale: not by getting bigger, but by getting more.
Learn more about this principle in Multiplication.
Ready to Start?
Section titled “Ready to Start?”- Start a Group — Step-by-step guide to launching your own Junto
- Principles — The values that guide every Junto community
- Find a Group — Connect with existing Junto communities