The potentials of Direct Democracy to democratize Democracy

The potentials of Direct Democracy to democratize Democracy A presentation for southkorean NGO’s in Sunchun City & Chunchun City By Andreas Gross (Switzerland) Director of the Scientific Institute for Direct Democracy in St. Ursanne and Swiss MP&Council of Europe 28 th of February 2006 www. andigross. ch info@andigross. ch

We should overcome the banalisation of the term “Democracy” üDemocracy enables us to be free. Democracy enables us to be ü Freedom enables us to act together on our common life ( « Life is not a destiny » ) our common life ( « ü Democracy constitutes the rules, rights and procedures to prevent conflicts to be solved violently ü Democracy is the only source for legitimate power

Representative democracy is an essential part of Democracy. But it should have the monopole of D. Indirect Democracy enables you to vote your representatives; Direct Democracy enables you to vote on important issues you don’t want to leave to your Representatives

Direct Democracy is about people voting on issues (Constitut. or legislat. changes) The Right to Vote on important issues creates a particular culture of democracy and changes the political culture of a country (More substance, more alternatives, more differentiation, more deepness, more knowledge)

Direct Democracy makes politics more communicative ü Citizens will try to convince eachother ü In order to be convincing they have to listen and to speak with eachother ü Public Discourses get more substance ü People see, hear and learn more ü A learning society may solve problems quicker and more in the interest of the people.

DD on local and regional level is a condition to restore confidence in democracy in order to constitute DD on the national level and Democracy on the transnational and global level DD reduces apathy DD reduces cynism DD restores trust in yourself and others DD reduces the personalization of politics and opens the public sphere to the essential questions of the society and our times

Which are the basic (“principal”)products of Direct Democracy’s best practices? Ö Individ. / collective communication&deliberations Ö Multiple deliberations Ö Collective learning potentials Ö political openess et legitimate polity Ö Identification with the DD process ( « Democratic patriotism » )

The quality of the design of the process determines the quality of the outcome and the quality of the side - effects Ö The design of the process is essential for the « usefullness » of DD for any community. Ö Each level (local, regional, national, transnational) requires a special design

The quality of DD (citizen empowerment) depends from achievements in: Ö Social opportunities (Resources ) Ö Individual capacities (Education) Ö Polity Design (constitutional rights) DD helps people to get more of this – DD improves it‘s own conditions

Social opportunities which improve the quality of DD: Ö No poverty / Established lifechances for all Ö Pluralistic, open, discursive public sphere Ö Individual autonomy Ö culture of empathy, solidarity and equity

Individual capacities which help to increase and realize the quality of DD: Ö Ability to speak, read and listen Ö Social competences (Meet, discuss and organise) Ö Ability to understand Ö Political judgement Ö Openness and empathy

Elements of the Polity Design (constitutional rights) to increase the quality of DD: Ö Guarantee of the Human Rights (Rule of law) Ö Constitution of the peoples sovereignity on all economic levels Ö Fairness rules for the use of financial resources Ö Decentralisation of power and clear competence sharing Ö Freedom of information act Ö Time-sensibility (no quick fix), interactive/coop. settings

Ex. for high quality DD-Design (I) : Free signature gathering Ö Allows to address unknown fellow citizens Ö Increases serious deliberation opportunities Ö Protects anonymity Ö Facilitates the meeting of other social groups Ö Enforces the overcoming of preducies

Ex. for high quality DD-Design (II) : Low % signature requirements Ö DD is an instrument for those who are not powerful Ö It helps to integrate minorities and diversity Ö All hear and sea more when it’s easier not to be overlooked Ö The Polity is more open and accessible for new ideas Ö Unsolved problems may be less overlooked

Ex. for high quality DD-Design (III) No special majority qualifications (“quorums”) Ö Those, who take part, decide Ö No invitations to play against the spirit of DD Ö You have to convince, when you want to win Ö The majority of those, who participated, decide

Ex. for high quality DD-Design (IV): No by passing of the Parliament Ö ID and DD are complementary Ö ID and DD have to build up a cooperative culture Ö Mutual Counterproposals increase the options Ö Institutional deliberations increase the institutional learning and respondsivnes

Historical conditions when people movements succeeded to implement Direct Democracy (CH/CAL/OREG) Ö Representative Democray was discredited (Corruption. . . ) Ö Parliament excluded the interest of many ordinary citicens Ö Excluded interests were the interests of the majority Ö People became aware, that more and a better Democracy is possible >>> They engaged themselves for it <<<

Historical lessons for those who want to democratize democracy Ö The basic new designs have to be implemented into the constitution and accepted bz the people Ö Further improvements of the constitution must be possible Ö Essential procedures have to be based in law(s) Ö The citizens have to right to put a law before the people

The basic set of Direct Democracy (The basic rights of the citizens in a DD) Ö The constitutional (oblig. )Referendum Ö The constitut. Initiative (#Propositions) Ö The optional legisl. Referendum Ö The legisl. Initiative >No plebiscites, >no assembly Dem, >no direct elections