Venezuela Moves Towards Direct Democracy

[Fodla32 3,692]

City Of Debates Moves Venezuela Towards Direct Democracy

 

 

In the past two weeks ordinary citizens from across Venezuela have been participating in thousands of public assemblies called Cities of Debates, in which community members submit and debate proposals that will form the basis of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's Socialist Plan for his new six-year term. The Cities of Debates are being held on a daily basis in most of Venezuela's public spaces.In just two weeks the government has collected well over 5,000 proposals from community members. They encompass everything from increased funding to health care and education to the construction of new public parks.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DbwdyiNQwNc

[Fodla32 3,692]

[Dumbledore 154]

Would this not be more of an example of interactive democracy rather than direct democracy?

[Lugh Ildánach 2,352]

Would this not be more of an example of interactive democracy rather than direct democracy?

 

I would agree with you, but it certainly is a move in the right direction. Compare this process with the involvement of thousands, to the Irish "Constitutional Convention" which has 60 members of the public involved. Of course, the involvement of thousands doesn't mean that their opinions will actually be heeded, and it could amount to an intricate facade of democracy, but it certainly exposes the version of democracy that we have in Ireland as being very narrow.

[Dumbledore 154]

I would agree with you, but it certainly is a move in the right direction. Compare this process with the involvement of thousands, to the Irish "Constitutional Convention" which has 60 members of the public involved. Of course, the involvement of thousands doesn't mean that their opinions will actually be heeded, and it could amount to an intricate facade of democracy, but it certainly exposes the version of democracy that we have in Ireland as being very narrow.

One could argue that this is a more efficient form of democracy, if of course the elected government was made up of genuine legislators rather than gombeens. I mean, direct democracy such as in Switzerland is dangerous because many councils were bankrupted directly because of decisions made by the public through direct democracy. Also, in relation to issues such as the Irish language, we need educated people to say "we need to preserve this, even if more than 50% couldn't be arsed learning it". That applies to the allocation of public funding to important cultural and heritage sites. It would be terrible to cut funding to these things, but many fools would say that they'd prefer an extra fiver in their pocket.

[Fodla32 3,692]

One could argue that this is a more efficient form of democracy, if of course the elected government was made up of genuine legislators rather than gombeens. I mean, direct democracy such as in Switzerland is dangerous because many councils were bankrupted directly because of decisions made by the public through direct democracy. Also, in relation to issues such as the Irish language, we need educated people to say "we need to preserve this, even if more than 50% couldn't be arsed learning it". That applies to the allocation of public funding to important cultural and heritage sites. It would be terrible to cut funding to these things, but many fools would say that they'd prefer an extra fiver in their pocket.

 

I think that the infantile behaviour you are talking about is encouraged, possibly even created by representational democracy. Switzerland is not really a good example, as representation is where the real power lies. People feel they can use the direct democratic system irresponsibly, as the representational system will act as a safety net. I think a direct democratic system would have to have a totally different type of educational system, i.e. one that trains everybody to think as a legislator, and not just a tiny elite.

[Dumbledore 154]

I think that the infantile behaviour you are talking about is encouraged, possibly even created by representational democracy. Switzerland is not really a good example, as representation is where the real power lies. People feel they can use the direct democratic system irresponsibly, as the representational system will act as a safety net. I think a direct democratic system would have to have a totally different type of educational system, i.e. one that trains everybody to think as a legislator, and not just a tiny elite.

 

Agreed. However, I think to simply go straight from representational to direct democracy would be a mistake. Perhaps interactive democracy could be used as a stepping stone, whereby the politicians are truly the facilitators of the people, before genuinely direct democracy can come about.

[Fodla32 3,692]

Agreed. However, I think to simply go straight from representational to direct democracy would be a mistake. Perhaps interactive democracy could be used as a stepping stone, whereby the politicians are truly the facilitators of the people, before genuinely direct democracy can come about.

 

I think this is why Al Gaddafi maintained a position of guarantor, outside the system of direct democracy in Libya. You are right that people would not be prepared to suddenly undertake the responsibility of ruling themselves. After thousands of years of being ruled from above, I think most people would be frightened and confused if they were thrown in at the deep end of real democracy. And that's why its so important that we in Ireland continue the work of building the Soviets, so that when the bourgeois régime is finally defeated, the people will already have gained considerable experience of ruling themselves.