Opening talk before a workshop on Liquid Feedback. Organised by NetwerkDemocratie in Amsterdam on 4 July 2012.

1. Democracy and
internet
from 1994 till now
ReindeR@Rustema.nl
4 July 2012
(questions afterwards, 16 slides)

2. DDS (1994)
• bridge between politics and citizens using
the internet
• politicians did not show up
• discussion on issues
• 'captive audience'
2

3. USENET
(1993-2000)
• limited rules, 'anarchie'
• hard coded rules, 'protocol'
• unlimited space, no domain or site only
issues
• discipline through 'netiquette'
3

4. DeDS and
OpenDomein
(2000)
• mailinglist about governance of freenet by
the 'netizens'
• scarcity: a domain, a space, 'real estate'
4

5. Internet Society
(2003-2012)
• association, national 'chapters'
• teleconferences, mailinglists
• mobilise constituency physical events
• many issues, competition from one issue
organisations
5

6. DerdeKamer.net
(2005-2008)
• independent candidates, no party
• each with individual constituency worth one
seat (approximately 60.000 votes)
• crowdsourcing political party in constituency
6

7. Newropeans
(2009-2010)
• mailinglist
• trans European
• 'comité directeur' rules
• organisation only with local
presence
• local presence requires
'events'
7

8. Vrijzinnig
Democratische
Bond (2008)
• living room meetings, debates
• book, articles and blogpostings
• conclusion: forking from existing
parties easier than compete with
them (they are organised already)
8

9. Democratiespel.nl
(2008-nu)
• serious gaming
• simulation, laboratorium for behaviour
• reconstruct gameplay of politics
• political parties are left out
• without interface, place (USENET)
9

10. Petities.nl
(2005-nu)
• issues (splitting political parties)
• not representative (per definition)
• lightweight vs heavyweight
(signatories vs petitioners)
• national website (like DDS once)
10

11. to sum up:
• power on the internet when you own the domain
or determine a protocol or standard
• power off-line dependent on level of organisation
(local events)
• infiltrate and tweak existing structures rather
than start from scratch
• single issues do mobilise, package deals (political
parties) much less so
• light weight works on the internet (it scales)
11

12. miscellaneous
• Nationale Conventie (2006)
• StemDirect or Zetel 151 (open seat)
• Platform Bestuurlijke Innovatie
• Schaduwkabinet.nl (online game)
• Rita Verdonk met wiki (crowdsourced program)
• merger GroenLinks and D66
• G1000 (public meeting with citizens)
• G500 (young seize old political parties)
12

13. European Citizens
Initiative (2012)
• 1.000.000 signatures
• 7 citizens from different member states
• strong appeal to the Commission with public
hearing
• ambition of a European debate
13

14. Political parties
• representation versus direct, when
what?
• party discipline required for power to
govern...
• issues versus issue bundles (internet
versus television?)
14

15. Technology
• the PC is personal, with personalisation and
personal 'service'; paradigm of the
consumer, does this scale or devide?
• versus television with an 'invisible audience',
a kind of community, it does scale...
15

16. Liquid Feedback
• how to deal with ideology?
(packages)
• how does it connect to existing
structures? (use it in party or also
outside?)
• lightweight or heavyweight?
• what is the gameplay and for who?
16