It has never been so easy to reform democracy as today. Demoex and other Electronic Direct Democracy initiatives in a dozen countries recently agreed on a common policy in which political neutrality and interactive media for debates and referendums are the cornerstones. Several forums are under construction and they are intended to be used worldwide.
As long as the Internet is open in Arab countries, they cannot fail to establish democracy. The democratic process can be completely done over the Internet, where all necessary conditions and equipment are available. Widespread Internet usage and a literate population are all one needs to reform democracy.
Democracy requires freedom of opinion, expression, and assembly. The Internet offers all of this. Twitter and Facebook are examples of virtual communities. Participants do not need to meet physically, the important thing is that they can exchange information and make decisions together. The Internet both provides this and has the necessary transparency to prevent abuse of power and corruption.
If the young internet democrats may be represented in the House, they’ll probably use some kind of e-gov. The easiest way will be if they vote for an internet party. Democratic impacts can occur in two ways: by deciding directly or by influencing the decision-makers. Digital direct democracy provides the opportunity to influence both directly through referendums and indirectly, by arguing in the open debate.
A failure or success? 
March 9, 2011 at 9:13 pm |
How can we start Electronic Direct Democracy in Hawaii?
March 10, 2011 at 12:28 am |
EDD resources can be found at http://www.participedia.net/wiki/Electronic_Direct_Democracy_-_EDD. The Swedish and American political systems are a bit different. Maybe you need a candidate, as in the Australian initiative senator online with only one promise: to represent the result from the internet referendums.
April 23, 2011 at 2:00 pm |
The internet has certainly made it possible for a global consesnus on issues to emerge and it has radically changed how grass roots action can emerge transcending parties and organizations but if we want to use the internet in service to humanity.we must use the internet as old grass roots organizations did to keep the key events and key issues in the forefground..to keep buildinging consensus. There is such am yth that the youth of Egypt brought about a revolution through social networking. Social networking brought them to the square to stand before the wolrd with their demands..their complaints but then the world went on to the next big thing and firgot to notice that the new democracy hadn’t come and isn’t coming to Egypt..that the propsects for the fundamental chnages Egypts youth sought in their qulaity of life are not at all improved. If we are committed to using the internet to bring baout a better world we need to have more focus and more commitment. ( Several essays with links to facts and discussions at my blog http://www.lindsaynewlandbowker.posterous.com)
April 24, 2011 at 8:34 pm |
Hi Lindsay,
Revolution is impossible by the Internet, but once you have established “direct e-democracy” (E2D) inside the political system you can run democracy from your home computers. It works, even if our opponents still refuse to believe it. I’m not naive, I have practised E2D for nine years – it works!