democracy LO29362

From: Janis & Tom (jldutton@iac.net)
Date: 10/18/02


Replying to LO29344 --

Alan wrote:

>I suggest a distinction can be made between two types of democracy -
>representative democracy (parliament, local councils and unionism) and
>participative democracy. Personally I have never used the representative
>system to put my viewpoint to the government (or my employer) or society
>generally. I feel that whatever I have to say through this system will be
>modified out of recognition to conform with a pollies (or union reps)
>mindset, often to serve their personal needs. In short it is very
>difficult to get real change through the representative system, if your
>ideas comprise more than a few short sentences.

...snip...

I agree with Alan that limiting the understanding of democracy to mere
representation is problematic since the results of representative
democracy often run counter to democratic principles. So can
participatory democracy because often this process too, as Alan wrote, is
designed to maintain a system in which the power base is centred in only
one part of a class structure......snip.......... and privilege is being
maintained at a significant cost to the community in lost opportunity and
mismanagement.

I also agree with the following statement (with one change because I think
the politicians are controlled by a larger power structure.)

There needs to be a shift in paradigm which will promote community and
employee ownership of 'the means of production' and the decision making
processes, and which will effectively empower every individual to have a
reasonable level of influence. I think the [power structure]will resist
further, so whose interests do they really represent?

In order to accomplish this I think we have to understand that
participatory democracy is not "distinct from" but an integral part of
representative democracy. Furthermore democracy in its wholeness
encompasses many democracies, not just these two, and include economic,
social and educational democracies. Without this understanding all the
representative and participatory methods and processes out there aren't
really democratic unless democratic ends are achieved.

Janis Dutton

-- 

Janis & Tom <jldutton@iac.net>

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