Democracy 2013
My blogs are my notes of the program ondemocracy with Mr. Myron Eustatius as my guest. Eustatius studied PublicAdministration.
The program is called 2121 because of thecall in number 6412121.
Political science is my hobby. I studied it but it is my chosen profession.
Introduction
We discuss democracy, especially theelectoral system. From time to timesocieties complain about their system.
Whatis democracy?
Democracy is a system and a way oflife. In politics it is about the settingthe agenda and deciding who get what.
It is about check and balances. We identify five powers:
Government
Parliament
Court
Civil service
Media
There is a global consensus ondemocracy. See the Arabis Spring. But China, Cuba and Singapore have an alternative.
Twomodels
Consensus model, representative democracy.It is about deciding rationally.
Voters democracy, Direct democracy, thevoters decides directly. Winner takes it all. Voting is fun. It is aboutemotion. Permanent political campaigning. It is the world of: and and and. InDutch it is called Polder model.
The objective of a system is to select thebest to rule and take the best possible decision. This process starts with the politicalparties. They pre-select the best. Theycreate (train) an elite of rulers. It is the world of: or and or.
The consensus model is empirically a verysuccessful model. This model is the best fit to deal with the very complexproblems societies face. But the consensus model has a negative image. Thevoters to not trust politicians anymore. Representation is based on trust. Whythis distrust?
Consensus democracy
Pendule democracy
Voters democracy
Participatory democracy
Theproblems
There must be a fit between society and electoralsystem.
With funding
Media
Social media
New paradigm: it is based on emotions and risks(kick)
Emotions and populism
Wemust go back to e-voting in Curacao.
Tumba Music Festival 2013 with SM votingillustrates the point.
Thecase of Zwitserland.
Zwitserland combines the two systems:consensus and swing.
Whatare the perceived weaknesses of our systems?
Lack of continuity.
Voters do not recognize their will in theconsensus that comes out of the political system.
Change
If it is not broken do not fix it. We arenot good in implementing bold charge. See for example the the implementation ofthe new organization of the civil service in 2010.
Changesthat might improve the system
I propose to make some changes of the existingsystem and improve it continuously
e-Voting
Apply the law on political organization
Adapt the law on elections stating thatcandidate who receive the most votes gets elected.
Politicians appoint informateur directly
I do not understand the issue politicianshave with the commission supervising financial matters (Cft)
We should introduce a constitutional court
Fix the civil service
Accountability
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