Dear Carl Dassbach, Colleagues,
"Carl H.A. Dassbach" <[log in to unmask]> wrote Wed, 22 Sep 1999 11:52:48
>A direct electronic democracy is sound in principle but flawed in reality.
There are IMO many reasons for trying to improve indirect democracy, which
is the predominant form. Askwith wrote "All over the Western world,
"initiatives" are sprouting, giving experimental substance to the idea of
direct, electronic democracy." and I think he is right in this assessment.
Of course, the reality of mixed (direct and indirect) democracy already
exists e.g. in Denmark, Italy, German Federal Republic, Switzerland and
more than half (the states of) the United States of America. Like most
reality, it's flawed, but less flawed, in my opinion, than in those cases
where indirect democracy ("representative rule") exists alone.
Not too long ago the Swiss parliament considered the introduction of
electronic voting for elections and referenda. The proposal was rejected
ostensibly because of inadequate security guarantees. On the other hand,
the US military will try out voting via Internet soon, for troops stationed
away from home.
Electronic voting is IMO not the most important issue here, although it
could certainly reduce the costs of elections, citizens' initiative and
referendum. The assistance which ICT can give to political communication is
more important.
>Democracy presupposes and requires a rational, educated and aware populace.
>Unfortunately, mass and consumer culture distract the attention of the
>populace and numb their brains by either sensationalizing ideas and events
>or reducing them their lowest common denominators, sex and violence.
>While this phenomena is most developed in the US, it is becoming
>increasingly evident in the other industrialized nations.
I don't find the above type of reasoning convincing. It would be good to
find out if, having become informed about the possibility to have more say
in governance, people would want to participate, to take more
responsibility, to inform themselves about issues, to support reform
proposals for their democratic system. In Britain, I think, most have given
little thought to the idea of reform and few know much about the options,
even about how things are done in nearby countries.
Wearing my "citizen's hat" I have this summer circulated a proposal to
introduce elements of direct democracy into Britain's indirect system.
There has been quite a lot of interest and more than a few "aha" responses.
The proposal may be found at http://www.snafu.de/~mjm/reform.html and
debated at http://www.peoplesproposal.democracyforum.net/
>As a result, although the Internet may hold the promise of new forms of
>direct democracy, the reality of the Internet is the opposite: it promises
>new, more powerful, more personalized and interactive means for manipulating
>the masses, new channels of direct surveillance (Big Brother watches through
>your net connection) and new avenues for mindless consumerism.
I agree entirely that information and communication technology can provide
and support systems of coercive and insidious control of populations.
People must be watchful, and strive to strengthen their democracies in such
dimensions as openness, freedom of information/right to know, feed-back in
governance, deliberation on public issues, participation in decision-making
and policy-steering. I would welcome feed-back on this aspect. Who is
studying it?
>--------------------------------------
>Carl H.A. Dassbach [log in to unmask]
>Dept. of Social Sciences (906)487-2115 - Phone
>Michigan Technological Univ. (906)487-2468 - Fax
>Houghton, MI 49931 (906)482-8405 - Private
>>
Sincerely,
Michael Macpherson
Publications in several languages:
Citizen participation and ICT
http://www.snafu.de/~mjm/hradec-kralove.html
Czech
http://www.isss.cz under the headline "Sbornik prispevku"
Hungarian
http://www.snafu.de/miercurea-hu.html
Romanian
http://www.snafu.de/miercurea-ro.html
English (longer)
http://www.snafu.de/~mjm/CP/cp2.html
Français:
Citoyenneté, la participation politique et les nouveaux médias.
http://www.snafu.de/~mjm/CP/cp2fr.html
Deutsch:
Buergerpolitik, Partizipation und die neuen Kommunikationsmedien. Im:
Bulletin des Europaeischen Medieninstitutes e.V., Jg.14, Nr.4, Dezember
1997, S.3-4,S.17. Entwurf http://www.snafu.de/~mjm/CP/cp2de.html
Open Forum: Citizens Resolve
http://www.snafu.de/~mjm/prop2.html
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