Views on Reform
Were we ever a "Democracy"? ... & what is that anyhow?
I don't think we should give up easily on the idea of each person having a meaningful say. The invention of the internet could be just the thing to reverse the slide, but we would also need to adopt the principle of "subsidiarity" a concept first described formally in Catholic social teaching .
"Subsidiarity is an organising principle of decentralisation, stating that a matter ought to be handled by the smallest, lowest, or least centralised authority capable of addressing that matter effectively." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subsidiarity)
While the neighbourhood is not currently a recognised "authority", with the advent of the internet for personal input and collaborative organisation it could easily become an authority. With collaborative development & storage of know-how, and with easy access to that knowledge on the internet, it's easy to start to imagine just how much neighbourhoods could take control of for themselves - from training & service provision to food production & housing (see internet prototype ).
Empowered neighbourhoods would be a force for councils & governments to respect.
There'd be plenty of non market place opportunity for all, & housing security with community participation rather than paid employment could replace the current idea of "mutual obligations", which are currently exclusively market place rather than community focussed.
(see http://landrights4all.weebly.com/change-centrelinks-activity-test.html)
.......................................................................
What IS "democracy"?
One definition is "Government by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives" ..."through grassroots participatory, deliberative and direct democracy, which is based on general assemblies and consensus decision making"
However the mechanics of bypassing the "elected representative" model with "general assemblies and consensus decision making" has made "grassroots participatory, deliberative and direct democracy" inaccessible or too difficult for the grassroots, people busy with work and families and even among those who participate, highly vulnerable to breakdown between the shy and the eloquent.
"New technology" is recognised as having potential, but even then, if we are talking about national "democracy", decisions made inevitably come down to the minority having to accept what the majority wants for the sake of "unity".
Perhaps "technology" to empower neighbours in the way their own neighbourhoods function should be the starting point. A healthy consensus is more likely to result from closer connections than from the anonymity of the national, especially once a majority view has become apparent.
The neighbourhood would seem to be where an experience of grassroots participatory, deliberative and direct democracy based on consensus decision making could be a positive learning experience.
I've been working on this with a PhD student, friend and neighbour Alex. For those who like the theory/philosophy see
http://landrights4all.weebly.com/participation.html
...and check out the easy on-line process at
http://landrights4all.weebly.com/ntws-activity-organiser---createvillage.html
At Village, people are encouraged as follows -
Something interesting on your mind?
Share it on your own neighbourhood’s
VILLAGE FORUM
with neighbours near or far – just for fun – to build connections - or to inspire action!
If you find others who also want action, you can use Village with some easy on-line steps.
If people elsewhere already did something similar you can even import their steps to help you out.
Village on-line process minimises routine or inconvenient meetings with their time limits, strict agendas, & tendency to create indians and chiefs where real control over your own participation is too easily lost.
Other Views on Reform?
Capitalism - Democracy
Competition - Co-operation
Christianity/Communism
Truth
Growth
Rights & Responsibilities
Evolution NOT Revolution .... attraction
Technology & cooperation
"Subsidiarity is an organising principle of decentralisation, stating that a matter ought to be handled by the smallest, lowest, or least centralised authority capable of addressing that matter effectively." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subsidiarity)
While the neighbourhood is not currently a recognised "authority", with the advent of the internet for personal input and collaborative organisation it could easily become an authority. With collaborative development & storage of know-how, and with easy access to that knowledge on the internet, it's easy to start to imagine just how much neighbourhoods could take control of for themselves - from training & service provision to food production & housing (see internet prototype ).
Empowered neighbourhoods would be a force for councils & governments to respect.
There'd be plenty of non market place opportunity for all, & housing security with community participation rather than paid employment could replace the current idea of "mutual obligations", which are currently exclusively market place rather than community focussed.
(see http://landrights4all.weebly.com/change-centrelinks-activity-test.html)
.......................................................................
What IS "democracy"?
One definition is "Government by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives" ..."through grassroots participatory, deliberative and direct democracy, which is based on general assemblies and consensus decision making"
However the mechanics of bypassing the "elected representative" model with "general assemblies and consensus decision making" has made "grassroots participatory, deliberative and direct democracy" inaccessible or too difficult for the grassroots, people busy with work and families and even among those who participate, highly vulnerable to breakdown between the shy and the eloquent.
"New technology" is recognised as having potential, but even then, if we are talking about national "democracy", decisions made inevitably come down to the minority having to accept what the majority wants for the sake of "unity".
Perhaps "technology" to empower neighbours in the way their own neighbourhoods function should be the starting point. A healthy consensus is more likely to result from closer connections than from the anonymity of the national, especially once a majority view has become apparent.
The neighbourhood would seem to be where an experience of grassroots participatory, deliberative and direct democracy based on consensus decision making could be a positive learning experience.
I've been working on this with a PhD student, friend and neighbour Alex. For those who like the theory/philosophy see
http://landrights4all.weebly.com/participation.html
...and check out the easy on-line process at
http://landrights4all.weebly.com/ntws-activity-organiser---createvillage.html
At Village, people are encouraged as follows -
Something interesting on your mind?
Share it on your own neighbourhood’s
VILLAGE FORUM
with neighbours near or far – just for fun – to build connections - or to inspire action!
If you find others who also want action, you can use Village with some easy on-line steps.
If people elsewhere already did something similar you can even import their steps to help you out.
Village on-line process minimises routine or inconvenient meetings with their time limits, strict agendas, & tendency to create indians and chiefs where real control over your own participation is too easily lost.
Other Views on Reform?
Capitalism - Democracy
Competition - Co-operation
Christianity/Communism
Truth
Growth
Rights & Responsibilities
Evolution NOT Revolution .... attraction
Technology & cooperation