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Dynamic DemocracyHumanity’s questWe are all searching for better life. However, what we have to realise is that a better life doesn’t involve replacing one system of government with another, or making more money than everyone else. It starts with the individual, personal responsibility, overcoming your own illusions and imbedded cultural beliefs, that ask us to choose a lesser of two evils instead of choosing the right/best way. Bernard Shaw calls this the "superman", a man that is able to "do the right thing", doesn’t succumb easily to his weaknesses and always strives to do his best, does it everyday without knowing it. Some leaders have been this way but Shaw points out that once the leader is gone, the solution they engineered falls apart, people returning to their old habits, "thus admitting that the real social solution was not what a casual Superman could persued a picked company to do for him, but what a whole community of Supermen would do spontaneously."(Bernard Shaw in Man and Superman). It starts in small ways and only by improving ourselves; putting in the work, taking risks and being open to learning will we be able to make an impact on the wider world. And bringing the argument closer, to ******. Here we have a rough diamond, something that is ours as long as well live here, somewhere where we have control. But it needs polishing, it needs improvement, it needs everyone to contribute and do the work so that we can reach a state of the web structure (an organisational structure where responsibility is spread across to all members, creating a web-like inter-dependency) , so that democracy is emboldened and we ourselves are more responsible. It’s all easy to expunge but the reality is in the action. Without action, the theory is mere airy sentiment, more suited to first-year university students than the hard-core of New Cross. So it is up to us to do it and do it properly. Systems of Government Ever since humans have started to become group animals, we have had to devise systems of governing to create the social fabric and bind people together. From the egalitarian systems, to chiefdoms, to kingdoms, feudal to capitalistic, taking several shapes and forms but Plato describes the fundamental systems in The Republic. Oligarchy He described the system as, "A society where it is wealth that counts" and in which political powers is in the hands of the rich and the poor have no share in it.” But the breakdown of the system comes when people "in the accumulating wealth, the more they value it and the less they value goodness." Tyranny This system is where a leader makes all decisions and the people unite under him/ her. In the ensueing political relations, the leader sanctions "Exiles,executions…and redistribution of land…till their instigator is inevitably and fatally bound either to be destroyed by his enemies, or to change from man to wolf and make himself tyrant." The situation deteriorates into a reign of terror and the leader is eventually destroyed. Democracy “Democracy is the most attractive of all societies. The diversity of its characters …make it look very attractive.” Democracy is empowering people to partake in decision-making and deciding their own destiny. However, its weakness comes when "the least vestige of restraint is resented as intolerable, till finally…in their determination to have no master they disregard all laws, written and unwritten." Democracy is, for most, the political system of choice. Therefore we need to explore it further. Democracy in-depth Democracy is "Government of the people, for the people, by the people", referring to the system of one-man one-vote to choose those who represent us. A majority elects the leaders/ representatives, thereby pleasing the most number of people. So we have a system that gives power to people by vote, giving everyman his say and empowering each individual. But where are the failings of democracy? Capitalist democracy/ Oligarchy We live in a capitalist democracy in the West. This means that capitalism comes first and democracy is the system of government. Economics has a huge part to play in policy decision-making and therefore influences foreign policy, consumer legislation, etc etc. In fact it is the consumer within democracy that is sometimes the driving force. Everyone demands more jobs, more welfare, better car, bigger house that drives economics above democracy. "All Talk" Democracy This sometimes happens in institutions. Its good to have meetings, as it is necessary make decisions that most people are happy with. However the meeting culture also can bring with it the love of meetings and making decisions, having your say and debating topics; all good per se but without the follow up action, it is just surface democracy. People can become stuck debating procedure instead of trying to understand that procedures are a tool and not a means in itself. Dynamic Democracy What is the recipe for this, my dear? We take the basic premise of democracy, the right of every person to a vote in the management of their affairs. Then we need an added element to make it different from the other two types. First, economics. Co-operation is a way to distribute wealth equally, so that no party has an economic interest to hold power. The community benefits and fails together, the decisions they make directly affect them, making people directly responsible for their own well-being. Secondly, a Dynamic Democracy. Making democracy work in a dynamic way requires a few things.
We need to take the examples of all the different sectors of human endeavour, however distasteful they may seem on the surface. Business It understands that hard work and endeavouring to offer a better service/ product speak of a human need for constructive work and a better quality of life. Where business fails is in its capitalistic pursuit of profit over anything else. Army An army takes action and achieves its goals with engineering and tactical precision, making people work together en mass. But its intellectual ability and moral understanding are lacking. Hippies/ Philosophers Their ideals and morals are in the right place but their action is weak or doesn’t exist, an airy existence of theory and good ideas. If we combine the elements that make these groups good and discard what they lack we achieve a better understanding of the world and are able to achieve the mechanisms for a dynamic democracy. We must be a group that takes action and works selflessly for our mutual goals but has the insight and foresight to see its implications and respect human/natural freedoms. We must be a group that seeks to improve facilities and be open to innovation but without being overzealous in our endeavour. Such is the character of a dynamic democracy. It is building up a habit of a democratic way of thinking so that we are able to proceed. Democracy is about taking care of community business and not just personal quests. If we choose a democracy then we agree to live under a democracy. (Shaw) Destructive Traits in a Dynamic Democracy Little Hitlers People who "demand their rights" all the time and call those that have different ideas "fascists", but they never constructively partake in the democratic process. Authoritarian Left-wingers People who claim they believe in the democratic process but their aims and agendas seem to indicate another underlying element of a need to control. High Priests of Procedure Bandying procedure around like a game of tennis, arguing endlessly on the finer points, holding their knowledge like an elite and playing games of power with it. I Will Do But I Don’t Do Its all good talking but doing is the key. If a community relies on your input, not doing what you agree to do doesn’t benefit anyone. All these are rather dramatic examples. But they show characteristics that are found all around us. It is knowing these traits and observing them in ourselves and understanding the agendas/ actions of those around us. (Shaw) |