Re: Re: [WDDM] Simpol and True Democracy

["Vijayaraghavan Padmanabhan" <vijayaraghavan.p(at)rediffmail.com>]

Dear Antonio and all,
I have indicated in the course of several of my posts how a conscience-based political system can be ushered in. In fact WDDM has helped in improvising the original plan I have mentioned in my blog: http://musingsonpartylessdemocracy.blogspot.com . But let me update and summarize here what I have in mind:

1) The model of Roy Baine's www.myverdict.net is a good starting point. He has painstakingly collected names of about 140 countries, the primary divisions (states) of each of these countries and the secondary divisions of each of these primary divisions. Any person on earth belonging to one of these localities can thus express himself regarding matters concerning his/her area. I would suggest that we prepare a similar list but the names should be that of the constituencies at the state, district and sub-district levels so that the views expressed by voters of a particular constituency can consolidate and pave the way for action at the local level, either directly or through pressure exerted on the elected representative of that constituency (in terms of the prospects of him getting reelected or recalled if such a law is eventually passed). An example of exerting pressure of similar nature being already tried is given in the following link: http://www.alliance21.org/2003/article.php3?id_article=2455

Thus WDDM can be a platform for people to make their voice heard. The members who register themselves at WDDM can express on what they they would like to see happening with respect to their locality/state/nation on issues that concern them. Similarly they can express dissatisfaction on issues that affect them. Thus the individual's conscience is made the centre of all activity and not the views of a small minority belonging to the political or other elite classes.

2) In order to add weightage to the views of the people it should be made clear that if the members of a particular area feel that the elected representatives are failing in their task, then the voters would join together in the next ensuing election to campaign for the candidate (either an independent or belonging to a political party that believes in conscience-based governance) whom they believe would seriously take note of the people's views expressed on the WDDM (and other such platforms).

3) Eventually the above steps can lead to a situation where 'conscience-based governance' through 'partyless mechanism within the elected house' can be made into a law if the people so desire. The political parties would still exist but would be confined to promoting their particular ideology outside the elected house, having no role in actual governance.

The above step wise approach would allow freedom of thought to the people and would allow increasing degree of activism towards truer democracy depending on the need of the locality and the way the political parties respond to the challenge. Political parties and independent politicians would find that getting themselves registered at the WDDM and adopting the principle of 'conscience-based governance' would be advantageous to them. NGOs fighting for various social causes would find that supporting the WDDM by registering themselves in it would be of great help in promoting their respective causes.

The global approach of WDDM would be an advantage since the possible down-side of adopting 'conscience-based governance' to individual national economies in terms of losing competitiveness would be balanced by similar changes occurring everywhere. The global approach naturally would add to the appeal and credibility of 'conscience-based governance' to the common man.

There is vast scope of further refinement of the above proposal. I&R Tools like Enitiative can be integrated to facilitate deliberation
and decision making by the people.

I will post this under the proposal forum for what it is worth.

PVR



On Sun, 29 Jul 2007 Antonio Rossin wrote :
>
>
>Vijayaraghavan Padmanabhan ha scritto:
>>
>>Dear Antonio and all,
>>I have also adopted Simpol even before becoming a member of WDDM.
>>The only problem I have with Simpol is that it deals with the problem of
>>climate change (as well as others) at the 'tip of the ice-berg' level, whereas
>>the fundamental reason for these problems to have occurred in the first
>>place (being the lack of true democracy) is ignored. I had a discussion
>>with John Bunzl regarding this and he feels that Simpol cannot deal with
>>this issue though there could be synergism with a organization that deals
>>with it.
>>
>
>Dear PVR
>
>I also had discussion with JB regarding the roots for these problems, that
>are the lack of true democracy.  He seems like disliking such deepenings.
>My opinion is, his is a shyness in facing the representative establishment,
>as if, to Simpol to be up, no change of the current (undemocratic) system
>were necessary, and the attempts towards increasing people's democratic
>awareness were all disturbing noises, that might slow -- if not stop  -- the
>course of SP.  In one only word, JB's Simpol is a totalitarian project.
>
>Which totalitarian attitude could be successful, at least theoretically. Who
>knows?  Only the time passing can tell us whether JB is right or wrong.
>In the meantime, I support him honestly and reasonably.
>JB is doing his play, which is fair play: if there were synergy, he thanks.
>As for democratic co-operation, that is another kettle of fish.
>
>>
>>Several people and organizations, including the members of the WDDM,
>>have made worthwhile suggestions for ushering in True Democracy.
>>What is needed now is to have an open mind and allow things to crystallize
>>into an effective action plan.
>>
>
>
>Agreed. Yet there are WDDM members whose action plan is turning WDDM into a
>bureaucratic cage of mandatory democratic rules, as if the target -- the people --
>were eager of being caught inside. Which ushering is not taken for granted,
>rather the contrary, if the people were still lacking of  the needed 'conscience'.
>>
>>
>>The problem with the current DD methods is that they depend on the
>>government of the day to adopt them.  On the other hand we need to be
>>more pro-active like Simpol and visualize a system where people, using
>>their constitutional right to vote, can force governments to adopt truer
>>democracy methods.  The 'conscience-based' political system, which I
>>have been suggesting, fulfils this need.
>>
>>Regards,
>>
>>PVR
>>
>Please give me (again?) the link of your document - proposal.
>
>Regards,
>
>antonio
>
>>
>>On Fri, 27 Jul 2007 Antonio Rossin wrote :
>> >Hi PVR,
>> >
>> >I totally agree on your point of view.  This is why I've become a
>> >Simpol adopter, and a supporter of people's greatest sharing-in to
>> >democracy.
>> >
>> >About Simpol:  www.simpol.org .
>> >
>> >
>> >Regards,
>> >
>> >antonio
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Vijayaraghavan Padmanabhan ha scritto:
>> >>
>> >>Dear Antonio and Giorgio,
>> >>The exchanges between you have been interesting to read.  Basically
>> >>the present situation of excessive use of world's oil resources and the
>> >>consequent global warming reaching alarming proportions, can be
>> >>controlled - provided if we understand what propels such a process.
>> >>
>> >>It is the run away success of business establishments in the present
>> >>day world aided by a faulty political system that is responsible. The
>> >>party-based political system is amenable to manipulation by business
>> >>intersts, which set the politico-economic agenda of nations. The people
>> >>are also carried away by the way of life being projected by such
>> >>interests. In their heart they may be in favour of a more placid life style.
>> >>But such preferences are over-shadowed by the prevailing agenda set
>> >>by business interests.
>> >>
>> >>A truer democracy, if it can be established, will counter the business
>> >>interests at a fundamental level. Thus there is a link between global
>> >>warming, depleting oil resources and the kind of democracy that is
>> >>prevailing. As I have mentioned before, if a conscience-based democracy
>> >>can be ushered in at the global level, it can counter the process of global
>> >>warming. A strange statement at first sight, but it is true.
>> >>
>> >>Regards,
>> >>
>> >>PVR
>> >> >
>>
>>
>>