Our
current legal system shows that big sets of rules that get
passed as one unit are polluted with a myriad of riders designed to
gain the
support of special interests. A constitution is no different. If it is
designed
as one big chunk, we will have to make “compromises” to enlist the
support of
certain groups, and it will taint our new government.
If
we define direct democracy as having no representatives, then
we have a solid new term to use in our debate (what other definition could there be?).
This is great, but if we are
championing the form of government as the “best” without consulting the
people
who must be subject to it, then the term democracy is not appropriate
to it.
Again, I don't think most of us are
saying it is "the best". We
have no proof of that. I think what frustrates most of us is that it never was, we don't know if it's
the best or even good. It was never given a chance. It seems to me like
it would be the fairest, the most evolved system of government, sure,
but Direct democracy has to be tested in many different incarnations
(with and without weighted voting, with and without compulsory
participation, with and without universal initiative provisions, etc)
before we can assess its effectiveness....
But what percentage of the population is
interested in such experiments? As long as people have reasonable
standards of living they will (the majority) choose to spend their time
doing anything else, it doesn't matter what, just NOT this. The only
situation that can reverse that is if people are in a desperate and
immediate struggle to survive. We spend Billions supposedly bringing
"democracy" to former dictatorships and we can't even be bothered to
participate in our own. I'd like to think it's because it's NOT really
a democracy and our desillusinment with it is what causes the low
turnouts. But this is not the truth.
Look at reality. Look at the free choices
people make, as consumers, as parents, etc. How far down their list of
priorities is something like "Constitutional reform"? How many adults
with serious careers, children, the whole nine yards have I met who
told me to my face that they don't have any interest in politics, don't
know the first thing about it, don't want to know and can we change the
subject please... although the last month of last year's Presidential
campaign was quite exciting... seeing all those people in Chicago was
almost as good as watching Pop Idol. I'm not making any of this up.
This is the average Western citizen, not some trailer park example.
This apathy is the biggest obstacle to any of the ideas put forward in
this forum.
To
be a direct DEMOCRACY, it must be both DIRECT and CHOSEN by
the people.
The
best use of all the research that is being done here is to
inform the public when they decide for themselves what course they wish
to
pursue. No one can predict what that will be, and the assumption that
the best
government can be guessed is pure hubris.
I can predict that if you phone people
and ask them, the majority will tell you they are not interested in
taking part in your "survey" or whatever you're selling.
I
have gotten a lot more positive response from, “Would you like
to choose for yourself?” than “Would you like to switch to [Insert form
of
government here]?”
Well, of course you have!!! Did you expect
people to SAY "No, I prefer not to choose for myself, I am a sheep and
I know it." ?
How can you draw any conclusions from that? How
many of the people who SAID they would prefer to choose for themselves
would even cross the street, IN ORDER to make those choices? Just like
anything in life, talk is cheap. They won't lift a finger to make it
happen.
Democracy
must be the goal. It has never been tried. Not really.
Fully agree. Please forgive my
negativity. I have faith in the concept of democracy. It's Western
people I'm not so sure about. I think that an alternative democratic
experiment would be very popular in North Korea, China or Cuba... but
it would not be allowed.
Think
BIG,
Parrhesia
PS…
something to think on.
What a fine example of leadership you're
giving us below. Don't worry, I've been accused of the same myself.
My point is that it will always take
instigators, leaders, motivators...like you.
Welcome to Democracy
In each step, you will be
choosing what role you wish government to play in your everyday life.
Vote according
to your preferences. In each step, there will be content and guidance
provided
by the organizations you have selected.
You have selected: WDDM
and The
Mises Instituteas
your scholars. (Choose more here if you wish)
If these organizations provide
video, text or other media
for each decision, they will be made available at the appropriate
times. You
will also see the recommended choices of these scholars next to the
options
themselves.
Would you support
(choose all that
apply)
X
_ _ Anarchy,
the complete absence of a compelling body of government.
XX
X A
system of government.
You chose a system of
government. In proceeding, you may elect to make each decision
How
XX
X Cooperate
to design a democratic government from the ground up according to the
preferences of society.
_ _ _ A new
government designed by random representatives
_ _ _ The
current government, in its existing form
_ _ _The current
government, with some changes.
(This
will preset all of the choices to the values currently
established
by our government, which you can change)
Would you support
(choose
all that apply)
Completely
Representative Government
XX
X Non-representative
government
XX
X Mixed
government
For representation, do you prefer
your representatives to
(choose
all that apply)
_ _ X Pass binding
laws (on areas you select)
_ _ X Make non-binding
suggestions (on areas you select)
X
_ X A
Mix of the two
You said you would supported a
government with mixed representation. What areas and what powers would
you
assign
None Suggestion
(NSB)
NN
N Military
NNS
N Banking
NSBNS
S Trade
…
Etcetera…
you get the idea. From the decisions of the governed
emerges real democracy… as socialist or free as the people wish. Do not
attach
freedom to democracy… do not attach capitalism or socialism or any
other ism to
it… make it the pure _expression_ of the public will and it will be
beautiful.
Beautiful.
Accept no less.