TED Conversations

Jean-Daniel Cusin

This conversation is closed. Start a new conversation
or join one »

Reinventing government - what would it look like?

If we were to start from scratch and invent a new model of national governance using current available technology and possibilities - what would that look like?

What criteria would be used to evaluate what a good model of governance looks like? I think a basic premise would be that those affected by decisions must have the means to weigh in on them and that the governance measures must be provably sustainable - other thoughts?

Topics: Internet direct democracy governance government sustainability technology
+2
Share:

Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.

  • Harry Stottle

    • 0
    Apr 25 2011: may I simply submit my own modest proposal: I make no apologies for nudging you in the direction of a piece I wrote a couple of years back. In short, the best, and in my view, the only way to re-invent government is to abolish it.
    http://stottle.blogspot.com/2009/01/authoritarians.html
    • thumb

      Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

      • 0
      Apr 26 2011: Hi Harry..reminds me of that old saw "Chistianity hasn't failed, it just hasn't been tried yet" I am beginning to think most folk are very lazy about democracy and even about their own morals and ethics.You are sadly correct..people think democracy is delegating to others ( our legislators)..no one wants to roll up their sleeves and do the really hard work of having a real democracy. I am very disheartend and surprised for example by the thread on "Would You Buy Unethical Clothes"..too much effort they say unless the clothing is labled..By the way..love the idea of your blog and I do the same at blogspot ( my "spiritual" blog and at posterous my blog on searching for the truth behind the headlines. What you are doing is good and honorable work..thank you. Harry.

      • Harry Stottle

        • +1
        Apr 27 2011: Thanks Lindsay
        It is easy to be overwhelmed by the scale of the problem. Getting people even to understand what Democracy really is, is proving to be almost impossible, so it's not encouraging to even contemplate the task which would then follow (getting the required consensus to implement it) let alone the even more remote obstacles we'll face when we actually do. But I'm an optimist and decades of hill walking has taught me that the mountain always looks bigger and tougher from the bottom than the top!
        • thumb

          Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

          • 0
          Apr 27 2011: RE: How The Mountain Looks From The Bottom

          Well as I once learned on a hike in the Azores ..the way to get to the top of a mountain is to just make the section right in front of you..and then the next one and then the next one and never think about how high the mountain is or whether you actually can reach the top.We can't avoid problems because they are too big to solve..we have to just sart with what is in front us and do what we can from there.

Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.