15th Oct. impressions on how to improve democracy
Tagged as: anti-militarism change democracy economic_crisis environmentalism justice social social_strugglesNeighbourhoods: leeds
Compilation of the answers and proposals about the current democratic and financial system provided by the participants to the Leeds Street Assembly for Global Change on the 15th of October.
On the 15th of October, during the Leeds Street Assembly, the participants were asked the following questions about the current democratic system. These are their answers:
What democracy is and how it could be improved:
Democracy should give a people the ability to change government when necessary.
Equal rights and justice for everyone.
Equal power of votes is what democracy means to me. I'd like to see PR with 5% barrier. I'd like to see many more parties and independent candidates. And enabling of local communities to change things for themselves.
People's government for the people and with the people.
Democracy is to have members of the public elected by society (open electoral lists voted by the members of a party or even by society in general) to represent and fight for the interests of their voters, so that they are integrated in the policies implemented to choose the direction and realities of the country. After that, democracy is when these representatives (politicians) are honest, committed and loyal to the action plan they proposed before running for the elections.
Democracy should be the political structure which would allow ALL citizens to decide about the issues that interest everyone.
Democracy for me is the system that allows a society to choose what laws it has and change them when their needs change. At the moment we don't have true representation in our governments. It is still a class system.
Democracy is an illusion. We need politics that isn't in the pockets of the richest few.
Democracy is a decision making process which takes into account the opinions of everyone.
How it could be improved in the UK:
Proper public control of the government and banks. No privatisation.
Get rid of the corporations running the planet, give power back to the people.
I think pure democracy leads to quite right wing policy because progressive voices are always in the minority.
Real public education and health system. Common interest to be promoted.
National budgets being voted by the public. Any drastic decisions affecting the country (Irak war i.e.) being decided by a referendum (online?). Having charities and independent organizations to assess major welfare system changes (particularly referring to NHS cuts and education).
Through a radical social change.
Give the media barons less power, make it less about pleasing Rupert Murdoch, etc. and more about actual democracy.
I'm not sure it's the best option.
Would you like your opinion to be considered by decision-makers more directly in the event of:
- a war:
Yes, because war is not necessary. / Yes, no war. / No, I want this based on expert opinion and happen fast. / Yes, through a referendum. / Yes. / Of course. / Yes. / War is pointless, little more than government-sanctioned murder.
- an economic reform:
Yes, we should not have to suffer the results of something we have had no control over. / Yes, through a referendum. / Yes. / Of course. / Yes. / [Yes.]
- a social reform:
Yes. / Yes, through a referendum. / Yes. / Of course. / Yes. / [Yes.]
- others:
I don't think direct democracy will work while we have a press that is 80% right wing and makes of disabled people out to be criminals.
Education reform, immigration policy.
Maybe we should educate kids into a more critical, debating mentality where they find solutions to problems collaboratively rather than having them fed to them.
Before any decision made.
More information!
We must protect the NHS.
Main concerns about the future of society. Is there a current political system capable of delivering a solution? If not, what are the alternatives?
The fact that the people that have caused most of the current troubles are getting more and more control. They should not have any.
There is no future unless we get rid of the banks or whoever are running the system. [The alternative] is a system based on love, peace and respect.
I think clearer citizenship focus in schools could create a population that can have the right debate. A free rather than corporately restricted Internet allows views to be heard. A citizenry that values the process of politics as our grandparents and great grandparents did will solve any problem. Our biggest weakness is that so many people don't think they have a role.
Not really [there isn't a current political system capable of delivering a solution], because we are ruled by the elite and not by the people. There should not be a "rule" by a common agreement. [As an alternative:] Participative democracy, from a local to a national and even international level.
Loss of welfare state. Weaker people having a really hard time and being unprotected by the State and ignored by their peers. [As an alternative:] Assemblies of neighbours making proposals to parliament and constituencies that will be seriously taken into account.
[Alternative system:] Council Communism.
Markets dictate the decisions our politicians take. They do so only considering the profit in it, but their profit is not the society's profit it's their own. So our needs have no funds. I believe in democracy but we don't have that. We don't vote who controls IMF and banks and corporations and that should change.
Environment is a major concern. Ability to provide essentials is a big concern. Resource-based Economy is only viable option I have seen.
Further proposals to reform democracy and the financial system:
What would you do to improve our democracy?
The capitalist system is broken - the top down trickle theory doesn't work. Any attempts at QE have made the rich richer and the poor poorer. Any further attempts should be bottom up! Tax the rich, not the poor. Get rid of media control. Banks should not control governments. A new "people's party" needs to evolve. Labour let us down. Justice need to be for all - corrupt rich bankers jailed for their action.
Resource-based economy as proposed by Jacque Fresco.
The left needs to put smaller differences aside for the sake of creating a movement capable of having its voice heard. Monetary donations to politicians/political parties should be made illegal.
What would you do to improve banks and the financial system?
Need to close down all off-shores around the world - should be a fundamental goal of the movement. Finish banking secrecy as a mean to end corruption and tax dodging. Increase tax rates for banks and other financial institutions. Central banks main preoccupation should be employment and not inflation and should be accountable to democratic institutions. Cap CEO's wages and bonuses. Tobin Tax on Financial Transactions. Dismantle IMF and World Bank. Public audit to all debts to find out who owes what to who.
The minimum wages should be higher and there should be a limit on what anyone could earn: a maximum wage which does not allow anyone to be a millionaire. Richer people should pay higher tax. No commissions or bonuses for bankers.
Expose the truth about how the corporations and banks which have the money are supporting wars, environmental destruction and oppression. SPREAD THE WORD. Expose the massive world propaganda control in the media. Give up television.
Strictly separate any personal banking from investment banking; no bailouts. Force banks to operate sustainably in a co-operative manner. Enforce a high transaction fee for high risk dealings. Stop the creation of fictitious money and transactions around that which create more and more debt. Tax the rich more consistently.
Get rid of the evil b**ds who are controlling it. Have a world forum based in peace, love and respect
Links:
Public Pad for ideas and proposals from the Real Democacy Now Leeds movement
Real Democracy Now Leeds Facebook page
Contact email: rdnleeds@gmail.com
Additions
Democracy and facebook don't mix
Seriously folks. Stop shooting yourselves in the feet and read on...
DATE: November 5, 2011.
TARGET: https://facebook.com
Press:
Twitter : https://twitter.com/OP_Facebook
http://piratepad.net/YCPcpwrl09
Irc.Anonops.Li #OpFaceBook
Message:
Attention citizens of the world,
We wish to get your attention, hoping you heed the warnings as follows:
Your medium of communication you all so dearly adore will be destroyed. If you are a willing hacktivist or a guy who just wants to protect the freedom of information then join the cause and kill facebook for the sake of your own privacy.
Facebook has been selling information to government agencies and giving clandestine access to information security firms so that they can spy on people from all around the world. Some of these so-called whitehat infosec firms are working for authoritarian governments, such as those of Egypt and Syria.
Everything you do on Facebook stays on Facebook regardless of your "privacy" settings, and deleting your account is impossible, even if you "delete" your account, all your personal info stays on Facebook and can be recovered at any time. Changing the privacy settings to make your Facebook account more "private" is also a delusion. Facebook knows more about you than your family. http://www.physorg.com/news170614271.html
http://itgrunts.com/2010/10/07/facebook-steals-numbers-and-data-from-your-iph....
You cannot hide from the reality in which you, the people of the internet, live in. Facebook is the opposite of the Antisec cause. You are not safe from them nor from any government. One day you will look back on this and realise what we have done here is right, you will thank the rulers of the internet, we are not harming you but saving you.
The riots are underway. It is not a battle over the future of privacy and publicity. It is a battle for choice and informed consent. It's unfolding because people are being raped, tickled, molested, and confused into doing things where they don't understand the consequences. Facebook keeps saying that it gives users choices, but that is completely false. It gives users the illusion of and hides the details away from them "for their own good" while they then make millions off of you. When a service is "free," it really means they're making money off of you and your information.
Think for a while and prepare for a day that will go down in history. November 5 2011, #opfacebook . Engaged.
This is our world now. We exist without nationality, without religious bias. We have the right to not be surveilled, not be stalked, and not be used for profit. We have the right to not live as slaves.
We are anonymous
We are legion
We do not forgive
We do not forget
Expect us
Correct link to Public Pad
The correct link to the Public Pad is: http://piratepad.net/WpaQozcEcx
(an x is missing at the end of the originally posted link)