Democracy
Question # 1 What is democracy?
The word democracy is derived from the Greek word demokratia, which is composed of the words demos and kratos - people power.
https://www.solonian-institute.com/about
Democracy is the belief in freedom and equality between people, or a system of government based on this belief, in which power is either held by elected representatives or directly by the people themselves.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/democracy
Democracy is a regime in which power cannot be
taken or held against the will of the majority.
https://en.unesco.org/courier/novembre-1992/what-democracy
In the 18th century, political philosophers John Locke, Charles Montesquieu and Jean-Jacques Rousseau created several prodemocracy principles: Freedom of the press. Religious liberty. Popular elections. Universal suffrage. Equality before the law. Separation of powers. Independent judiciary. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3397074094 Pages 143 and 182.
Question # 2
What laws can improve democracy?
The ideal democracy is one in which
as many citizens as possible vote.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/02/democracy-crisis-plan-trump-brexit-system-politicans-voters
Switzerland has the second longest standing democracy in the world. The constitution of Switzerland was signed in 1848. Possibilities to improve democracy in Switzerland: Voting rights for a larger part of the population. Increase in voter turnout.
https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/fifty-shades-of-democracy--can-you-measure-people-power-/45889898 https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-the-worlds-oldest-democracies/
The ideal democracy is one in which voters are armed with the most objective information.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/02/democracy-crisis-plan-trump-brexit-system-politicans-voters
5th Century BC Athens was a direct democracy. Any citizen
could attend a meeting several times a month and propose a law. What are your thoughts?
https://youtu.be/0fivQUlC7-8
What if information about donations to political
parties is published openly on the Internet.
https://www.economist.com/essay/2014/02/27/whats-gone-wrong-with-democracy
What if information about expenses, which members of
parliament have, is published openly on the Internet.
https://www.economist.com/essay/2014/02/27/whats-gone-wrong-with-democracy
What if members of parliament are paid relative to how fast incomes of people, who have the 20% lowest wages, grow.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/02/democracy-crisis-plan-trump-brexit-system-politicans-voters
Organize dialogues between people in small groups.
https://ideas.ted.com/how-can-we-improve-democracy-one-intriguing-idea-set-up-a-jury-system/
Hand some decisions to ordinary people. That will strengthen democracy, as it creates balance between globalism and localism.
https://www.economist.com/essay/2014/02/27/whats-gone-wrong-with-democracy
The Finnish parliament must consider any citizen initiative that gains 50,000 signatures.
https://www.economist.com/essay/2014/02/27/whats-gone-wrong-with-democracy
Question # 3 What technologies can help improve democracy?
https://www.change.org/
https://campax.org/
https://yrpri.org/
https://citizens.is/portfolio/
https://citizenos.com/
https://manabalss.lv/
https://g0v.asia/ https://join.gov.tw/ https://info.vtaiwan.tw/
What other ideas do you have to improve democracy?