Democratic Society Introduction

The Democratic Society A place for citizens 4.0

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY Everyone knows traditional politics is in trouble ... http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... low trust in politicians ... http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... disengaged young people ... http://www.demsoc.org

... falling turnouts ... UK voter turnout at General Elections UK voter turnout at General Elections THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY 1950-1969 average 2000-2009 average Source: International IDEA http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... and general apathy. http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY But, away from politics, this is the age of democracy. http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY Adverts tell us we can take control ... ... by buying a newspaper http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY We can take a stand ... ... by buying a bar of soap http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY We can even change the world ... ... by using a computer operating system http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY Everywhere, you can have it your way ... http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... or tell people what you think. http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY This is the age of mass personalisation http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY It’s the triumph of democracy http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY But politics isn’t keeping up http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY It is still a ﬁrmly representative system ... Image: UK Parliament website http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... based on mass compromises ... http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... and declining political parties. Change in party membership numbers in 13 European countries, 1980-2000 0 -10 -20 -30 % -40 -50 -60 -70 ce ly UK y d s ia nd en k nd ium y nd ar wa an an Ita str an ed la la m rla m nl lg or Au er Ire Fr en Sw er Fi Be N he itz D G et Sw N Source: Mair & Van Biezen, Party Membership in 20 European Democracies in Party Politics v 7 (2001). http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY In the age of mass personalisation ... Vote that guy o Big Brother Ten seconds Tell that Times columnist that One minute he’s an idiot Have my burger without mayonnaise Five minutes Buy made-to-measure jeans One week http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... politics isn’t an attractive proposition. Vote that guy o Big Brother Ten seconds Tell that Times columnist that One minute he’s an idiot Have my burger without mayonnaise Five minutes Buy made-to-measure jeans One week Change a government Four years, policy I don’t like if you’re lucky http://www.demsoc.org

So among the young ... UK voter turnout 2005 UK voter turnout 2005 THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY Voters aged 65 and over Voters aged under 25 Source: British Election Survey 2005 http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... and the not so young ... After 1992, abstention started increasing among older age groups too 60 18-24 50 35-44 65-74 40 30 20 10 0 64 66 70 a b 79 83 87 92 97 01 05 74 74 20 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 20 19 19 Source: British Election Survey 2005 http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... all around the world ... Years of highest and lowest election turnout since 1945 in selected mature democracies* 100 90 80 70 60 Highest turnouts all before 1980 All but 2 lowest turnouts after 1995 50 1945 1958 1971 1984 1997 2010 Highest Lowest Source: International IDEA. *Parliamentary elections in all EU member states that have been democracies continuously since 1950, plus US (presidential), Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, Iceland & Norway. Countries with compulsory voting excluded. Germany = West Germany before 1990. http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... politics has become a hobby ... Image: Trainspotter (Wikimedia Commons) http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... and not even a very popular one. Membership of selected UK organisations 4 3 members (millions) 2 1 0 st PB ion ty es y* ur ) s ng em ru cie bo tiv r RS bu un lT li D yc va La So n na B b (C to r se M Li in io las n lke G TC at Co G N To C Source: News reports 2007-9 and corporate websites. * Glastonbury = 2008 attendance http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY People still want to engage ... EU voters asked “do you approve of the German voters asked “should there be a Swiss government model, with greater use referendum on the Lisbon Treaty?” of referendums?” No No 23% 30% Yes Yes 70% 77% German poll: Open Europe 2009. EU poll: Eurobarometer 1997 (EU = 1997 member states) Photos: World Naked Bike Ride Brighton (Nick Sayers), Tea Party Day protest, Orlando (Instapundit), “Downtown for all” campaign http://www.demsoc.org lobbying Seattle City Council, 2006 (Real Change)

... but they don’t trust the system ... Would trust Would not trust Net %ge saying a member of that profession/group THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY 100% “would tell the truth” 75% Journalists Politicians generally 86% 83% 50% Ministers Business leaders 25% Trade union officials 14% 17% Civil servants 0% Pollsters Parliament Civil service Man in the street Police TV News DON’T TRUST DO TRUST Scientists Priests Judges Academics Teachers Doctors -75 -50 -25 0 25 50 75 100 Trust: Henley Centre report, quoted in Strategy Unit 2002 Risk report; Never Trust A Politician image, Nuno Machado Lopes; Trust in professions: MORI/BMA/Parliamentary Monitor 2003 http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... and they don’t trust its listening exercises. http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY Instead they support campaign groups ... 2004 1973 1999 1997 1975 2004 1934 1989 2001 http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... or minor parties ... Vote share of larger minor parties in European Parliament elections 20 UKIP Green BNP 15 % 10 5 0 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009 Source: UK O ce of the European Parliament http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... that focus on their most important issues. Image: European ﬂag, Flickr/Rocohen; Hospital patient, caring.com; Soldier, wikimedia commons; Wind farm, http://www.demsoc.org ecofriendlymag;

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY This creates a single-issue politics ... MORE TRAINS ! £ LOWER TAXES ! £ http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... with no need for trade-o s or compromises. MORE HOSPITALS ! ? £ LOWER TAXES ! £ http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY Meanwhile, the small world of politics ... (the ratio of elected politicians to citizens in the UK is the same as the ratio of seats in an executive box to seats in Wembley Stadium) Elected politicians = MPs, MEPs, Councillors (other than Parish Councillors), and members of devolved institutions http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... becomes even more isolated ... Career backgrounds of MPs 90 Politics 80 Manual labour 70 Number of MPs 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1987 1992 1997 2001 2005 Source: House of Commons Library http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... and the narrowing of the battleground ... Source: Labour poster from 1930s (Spartacus); Conservative campaign logo (Conservative Party website); BBC News article; Margaret Thatcher (BBC) http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... makes the issues harder to understand. Source: “Reconstruction” Conservative policy statement on the economy, page 8 http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY So where do we go from here? http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY The party system can’t deliver ... + = http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... neither can electoral reform ... Electoral turnout, New Zealand 100 90 80 70 Proportional representation introduced from 1996 election 60 50 1981 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1999 2002 2005 2008 Source: New Zealand Electoral Commission http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... or power shifts within the political class. http://www.demsoc.org

On the Net, debate is polarised ... Top ten political blogs, by Technorati authority THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ? http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... privileges extreme views ... BBC Have Your Say, 8 June 2009 Actual votes for BNP & UKIP vs 30 most recommended comments to question mainstream parties, 4 June 2009 “Is Britain entering a new political age?” Other UKIP + BNP 20% 23% Pro-BNP/Pro-UKIP Mainstream parties 80% 77% Source: Democratic Society analysis; BBC http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... and buries facts in prejudice. Global warming fears are just that, fears; like everyone with a cold thinks they have the pig flu. In the great scale of things even a million years is just a blink and the green crowd think More stupidity from this discredited administration. What other country has they can foretell the future by sticking their heads out of the so wilfully 'hamstrung' its industry and introduced legislation which will cost window! The government promote the fear to raises tax. The the general populace so much? nut-cutlet and sandal brigade do it because it is the latest fashion. As I sit here, looking out of my window at a beautiful 81 degrees, I wonder if I should put on my bikini and sarong So let's get this straight. We don't emit a trace element quantity of essential, life-giving gas and we BENEFIT by £1 and do a bit of sunbathing! Of course, I have "massaged" Trillion? There's not even any flippin warming that can be the figure, in cardiff it is barely 14 degrees and, when you shown to be out of the ordinary, and for ten years there's been add the wind-chill factor, ITS DAMN COLD AND I STILL flat or cooling temperatures. CO2 driven warming my hat. HAVE THE HEATING ON. In MAY!!! This is obscene, ideologically driven fraud. Insanity, nothing less. We can ALL massage the figures to suit, milliband, this,make no mistake, is just ANOTHER SCAM TO TAKE Global warming is just a con to milk taxes from the ordinary person. EVEN MORE OF OUR HARD EARNED MONEY!!! It would be interesting to see just who has heavy investments in the 'Green' Industries. Government Ministers?; MPs?; Anyone care to place a bet? One way to fill the tax gap ZaNu liebour have created. Green taxes are the new window tax. Why not just stop packing this small island with immigrants, that would reduce our carbon footprint better than more tax. Just why are governments clinging to the hoax that CO2 forces 'Global Warming' ? It is scientific fact that the earth is in a cooling phase and has been for the past 9 years. If Labour ministers say there is a huge risk from so- More CO2 - the gas of life - can only be beneficial to our called global warming, then it is clear that the whole thing is rubbish. Those of us who are "climate change biosphere and human environment and well-being. denyers" are labelled by the enviro-hippies as on a par with holocaust denyiers, but their whole premise is based on poor science. None of the original computer models have been even CLOSE to what we are experiencing now. Comments on Daily Mail article “recommended” by more than 50 users, 5 May 2009. http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY Something is missing. http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY the citizen http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY Politicians, academics and campaign groups can’t reform democracy on their own. http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY To change politics, we have to make a demand of everyone: http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY Decide to be a citizen ! http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY The Democratic Society is there to support that decision. It aims to build: http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY A large-scale membership organisation ... http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... not dedicated to endless discussion ... Global warming fears are just that, fears; like everyone with a cold thinks One way to fill the tax gap ZaNu liebour they have the pig flu. In the great have created. Green taxes are the new scale of things even a million years is window tax. Why not just stop packing this just a blink and the green crowd think small island with immigrants, that would they can foretell the future by sticking reduce our carbon footprint better than their heads out of the window! The more tax. So let's get this straight. We don't emit a fear to government promote the trace element quantity of essential, life-giving gas sandal raises tax. The nut-cutlet and and we BENEFIT by £1 Trillion? There's not latest brigade do it because it is the It would be interesting to fashion. even any flippin warming that can be shown to see just who has heavy If Labour ministers say there is a huge risk be out of the ordinary, and for ten years there's investments in the 'Green' from so-called global warming, then it is clear been flat or cooling temperatures. CO2 driven that the whole thing is rubbish. Those of us Industries. Government warming my hat. This is obscene, ideologically who are "climate change denyers" are Ministers?; MPs?; Anyone driven fraud. Insanity, nothing less. labelled by the enviro-hippies as on a par with care to place a bet? holocaust denyiers, but their whole premise is based on poor science. None of the original computer models have been even CLOSE to Global warming is what we are experiencing now. More stupidity from this just a con to milk discredited administration. What other country has so wilfully taxes fromlooking out of my window at a beautiful 81 As I sit here, the ordinaryIbit of sunbathing! Ofput on myI bikini "massaged" degrees, wonder if I should and sarong 'hamstrung' its industry and are governments clinging Just why and do a person. course, have introduced legislation the hoax that CO2 forces to which will 'Global Warming' ? It is scientific figure, in cardiff it is barely 14 degrees and, when you cost the general populace so the fact that the earth is in a cooling the wind-chill factor, ITS DAMN COLD AND I STILL add much? HAVE THE HEATING ON. In MAY!!! phase and has been for the past 9can ALL massage the figures to suit, milliband, We years. More CO2 - the gas of life - this,make no mistake, is just ANOTHER SCAM TO TAKE can only be beneficial to our EVEN MORE OF OUR HARD EARNED MONEY!!! biosphere and human environment and well-being. http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... but to citizenship. Understanding Discussing Voting Source: Wellcome images http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY Connecting online and o ine ... http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... holding local and national debates ... http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... that allow the best arguments to rise ... Marked as “essential reading” by the debate leader http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... so people can pick them up quickly. View all • View only “essential reading” http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY Discussions reach conclusions ... http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... which are passed to politicians. http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY Groups can form around places ... Images: Goodrich, Herefordshire (shakespearesbaby/Flickr); Ronalds Road, Highbury (yourlocalweb); Ojén, Andalusia (Wikimedia) http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... or shared interests ... Images: Maths teacher (chrisrobinson1945/Flickr); Paignton cricket club (zleap.net); IBM corporate headquarters (Reuters) http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... giving people chances to take part ... Images: Planning consultation meeting, Saipan, Marianas Islands http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... even if they have busy lives. Image: Wellcome images http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY Our mission is to be the most popular ... http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... most authoritative and most trusted ... http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ... place for citizens. http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY So if you want to work for ... Responsive politics Real communication Active citizens Better information on the issues http://www.demsoc.org

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY Find out more and get involved at: hello@demsoc.org or http://www.demsoc.org http://www.demsoc.org

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Democratic Society Introduction

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