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.