Who rules a democracy?

"In Avallon, people fly under their own power, cavorting among the giant trees." THE MILLENNIAL PROJECT By Marshal T. Savage. Image used by permission of Eric Klien.

The promises of freedom and liberty can be realized only when these are the promises of every citizen put into effect by the exercise of political power. Wisdom expressed by the power of all the people is a shield against tyranny. Without political power no one can insure either their own well being or the survival of the biosphere of Planet Earth. The Tree of Biospheric Destruction, demonstrates this truth.

Scientists believe we are in the midst of a mass extinction faster than the crash which occurred when dinosaurs died some 65 million years ago.

"All power derives from the people," is the natural law presumed under the US Constitution but Americans have never learned how to exercise their democratic powers well. Without disciplined engagement by the people, discovering the larger synthesis of valued ideas, the elite always rule in a democracy by the tyranny of the biggest fist, the loudest voice, the largest bank account. In global dimensions conflicting perspectives, cultures, and languages are very greatly enlarged, overwhelming limited human capacities for processing relevant and valid information. Globalization is a harbinger for elite rule unless corrected by new democratic strategies.

The appalling existing situation is the outcome of strategic failure in the democratic process, infesting the whole of human relations, beyond mere politics of right and left. The key to rule by "the People," which is now illustrated in a colorful slide show, is A Technique of Democracy, which can facilitate meaningful dialogue in which everyone affected by the actions of public or private organizations, can participate to decide on their own future. This is based on the "third phase science," in which community groups are engaged as "expert observers" of the situation in which they are embedded.

The technique of democracy is a challenge to crowd politics: "The successful politician is one who understands crowds and how to dominate them. He speaks to the emotions, he relies on repetition, he invents catch phrases. The crowd follows." Traditional politics of the right and left rely on crowd politics. No one plays that game better than capitalists, however, highly skilled in the devices of managing crowds. They also own the mass media that carries their messages. The progressive movement cannot succeed on those terms. After years of street protests, the progressive movement remains stalled. "To sum things up," Susan George explains in Another world is possible, "the climate may be far better than it was, but so far we haven’t actually won anything from the worldwide corporate government." The technique of democracy was especially designed by CyberspaceCapital for emancipation of individuals at the grass roots level. Everyone should be enabled to facilitate meaningful dialogue via internet. This is the alternative to crowd politics. It would strengthen mutual understanding of citizens and enlarge their social powers to support each other. Grass roots minority groups immediately understand and applaud this alternative, it has been my experience, whenever I have had the opportunity to present the case.

A Conference on Internet Managed Dialogue, July 7-11, 2003, is now planned, to engage "the People" in meaningful dialogue about the digital divide. To subscribe to forthcoming information about that Conference, Click CC-Registrar. Type "subscribe conference info".