[iDC] voting as an act of citizenship, perhaps? cont.

[Janet Hawtin]

On Jan 6, 2008 2:51 AM, Stephen Coleman <S.Coleman at leeds.ac.uk> wrote:
> Again, good points. You're right to raise the question of when it makes more sense to abstain from voting than collude with a system that will always produce unacceptable outcomes.
>
> Your point about 'more subtle means of representation' is very much to the point of our research. I wonder whether you - or others who've been reading this thread - could offer some creative examples?
>
> Stephen

The problem is largely in the aspects of governance which do not
pertain to voting. In their disengagement from
the diffuse needs of society im preference for more defined/congruent
needs of commercial interests which are able to write policy and law
in their own interests and to promote those through international
trade agreements.

Much of the key work happens in international meetings where the pay
to play process models disenfranchise the social voice. Following the
blogs of people like James Love and Robin Gross who participate at
WIPO makes it really easy to see how the mechanics of governance in
international fora are structured to filter for deep pockets.

Chomsky's Manufacturing Consent is a good start for documents defining
the problem.
Information Feudalism by Drahos Braithwaite covers intellectual
property as a trade ratchet.

This group has been quite successful in AU at getting response to their actions.
http://www.getup.org.au/

I am sure there will be similar organisations in other places. And I
do not think that incidental action
is likely to fix the systemic problems. (The lightbulb has to want to change?)
But it seems to be some of the more effective work being done here atm.

Cheers

Janet