Edinburgh - Power to the people should be way ahead
Power to the people should be way ahead
ALEX ORR
(news_en@edinburghnews.com)
DEMOCRACY in Scotland is in serious trouble. There are falling turnouts at elections and a growing cynicism about the politician of all parties - signs that faith in our entire political system is at an all-time low. At the same time, governments of all persuasions have taken more and more decisions away from local communities, further removing people from any influence over issues affecting their lives. The facts speak for themselves. In Scotland we recently had one of the most exciting elections for a generation, and yet voter turnout in the Lothians was just over half those entitled to vote - a damning indictment of our political system.
The vast majority of the general public seem to feel politics is something that happens to them and around them, not something they feel they can control in any meaningful way or have any ownership over. Trust in politicians has also plunged to new depths. The Power inquiry was set up to examine why people are alienated from the political system. It set out, in uncomfortable detail, research that revealed the extent to which people hold politicians in contempt and have lost faith in the political system itself. The only way to restore trust and credibility to politics, and to re-engage a disillusioned electorate, is to give people a real and direct say over issues that matter most to them and their lives. That means allowing them to decide on national and local issues, on a case-by-case basis, through voting in referendums, instead of simply electing a government once every five years to make all the key decisions on their behalf.
One such method would be to introduce "Citizens' Initiatives". Based on a Swiss model, this form of direct democracy also exists in New Zealand and half the US states and has recently been introduced elsewhere in the world, particularly in the new democracies of Eastern Europe.
Switzerland has one of the highest rates of political participation of any advanced democracy and scores impressively in international surveys that measure levels of voter satisfaction. Most observers acknowledge this is a direct result of the country's system of direct democracy. Swiss citizens have the right to call a referendum on any subject they want as long they can gather the required number of signatures. If enough names are collected within a set period, then a proposal can be put on the ballot paper and voted on by the general public. If it is passed, it becomes law. According to Richard Layard's groundbreaking book Happiness, there is compelling evidence to suggest a link between levels of human happiness and public control over political decisions. The clear evidence shows that if you allow people a meaningful say over the decisions that affect their lives, be it the siting of a new supermarket or other community wide issues, they will respond with great enthusiasm. Not only does this form of direct democracy encourage participation and political debate, it also improves happiness levels. Politicians in Scotland should be seriously considering ideas like Citizens' Initiatives to help reinvigorate our democracy.
A perfect example of where such a system could have been used was in the tram debate. Scarcely a day passes without the issue of Edinburgh's tram network dominating the headlines. Ultimately the decision on whether or not the tram scheme went ahead was taken by a handful of politicians, yet surely this was an issue, not for the politicians, but for the public? They will face the greatest impact from its construction and, on the whole, they were well informed about the scheme.
Also, a referendum was held in Edinburgh on congestion charging, so why not on trams?
In Switzerland, local referendums recently took place on proposals for a new trolley bus in Basel and an extension of tram lines in West Bern and West Zurich. This is a perfect example where citizens can be re-engaged with the political process on issues that matter to them.
Under the Swiss popular initiative model, once a proportion of the population had petitioned on an issue, say 2.5 per cent, a referendum would be triggered. In Edinburgh, this would amount to some 11,500 people signing such a petition in order to trigger a referendum on issues such as the introduction of trams, the future of the green belt, school spending or the introduction of fluoride into the water supply.
Swiss-style direct democracy has the power to transform not only the legitimacy of political decision-making, but also the quality of decisions.
Who is better placed to determine the advisability of building a new supermarket on the edge of Edinburgh - local residents who understand the situation and will have to live with the consequences, or civil servants and a handful of councillors?
To those who fear rule by tabloid, I would urge them to examine the reality of what happens in other countries that operate variations of the Swiss system. Votes to bring back capital punishment have been defeated and proposals to raise taxes have been approved. All the evidence shows that ideas get a hearing and tend to be decided on their merits. Often, the fear of facing a vote on a policy leads governments to consult more widely and seek compromise.
Whatever the eventual outcome, there is one consequence of referendums that no-one disputes: After the process, voters are always far better informed about the political issues under discussion.
Citizens' Initiatives are not intended to be an alternative to representative democracy, where government through elected representatives remains the norm, but would act as check on the power of government and bureaucracy alike.
Even in countries where referendums are in widespread use, like Switzerland, the vast majority of decisions are still taken by elected representatives at a national and local level.
All the evidence suggests that at a time when politicians are looking for new ways to engage the public in politics, as well as improve wellbeing, introducing Citizens' Initiatives could be an important part of the answer - having a positive impact not just on politics, but on political happiness.
Alex Orr is a member of Our Say, the campaign group for local and national referendums.
Added Comment
No-one could reasonably argue with this, but the Swiss system is already well known to British politicians, but the last thing they want is the public having any direct say on what they do in our name.
How else would they get away with appointing "Waste Assessors", "Nappy Officers", "Nursery Rhyme Promoters" and "Trampoline Officers", not to mention providing free tights and gloves for prostitutes?
A referendum on paying bribes to councillors to stand down at the last election would surely have overwhelmingly rejected the idea.
That's why we're not given them.
ALEX ORR
(news_en@edinburghnews.com)
DEMOCRACY in Scotland is in serious trouble. There are falling turnouts at elections and a growing cynicism about the politician of all parties - signs that faith in our entire political system is at an all-time low. At the same time, governments of all persuasions have taken more and more decisions away from local communities, further removing people from any influence over issues affecting their lives. The facts speak for themselves. In Scotland we recently had one of the most exciting elections for a generation, and yet voter turnout in the Lothians was just over half those entitled to vote - a damning indictment of our political system.
The vast majority of the general public seem to feel politics is something that happens to them and around them, not something they feel they can control in any meaningful way or have any ownership over. Trust in politicians has also plunged to new depths. The Power inquiry was set up to examine why people are alienated from the political system. It set out, in uncomfortable detail, research that revealed the extent to which people hold politicians in contempt and have lost faith in the political system itself. The only way to restore trust and credibility to politics, and to re-engage a disillusioned electorate, is to give people a real and direct say over issues that matter most to them and their lives. That means allowing them to decide on national and local issues, on a case-by-case basis, through voting in referendums, instead of simply electing a government once every five years to make all the key decisions on their behalf.
One such method would be to introduce "Citizens' Initiatives". Based on a Swiss model, this form of direct democracy also exists in New Zealand and half the US states and has recently been introduced elsewhere in the world, particularly in the new democracies of Eastern Europe.
Switzerland has one of the highest rates of political participation of any advanced democracy and scores impressively in international surveys that measure levels of voter satisfaction. Most observers acknowledge this is a direct result of the country's system of direct democracy. Swiss citizens have the right to call a referendum on any subject they want as long they can gather the required number of signatures. If enough names are collected within a set period, then a proposal can be put on the ballot paper and voted on by the general public. If it is passed, it becomes law. According to Richard Layard's groundbreaking book Happiness, there is compelling evidence to suggest a link between levels of human happiness and public control over political decisions. The clear evidence shows that if you allow people a meaningful say over the decisions that affect their lives, be it the siting of a new supermarket or other community wide issues, they will respond with great enthusiasm. Not only does this form of direct democracy encourage participation and political debate, it also improves happiness levels. Politicians in Scotland should be seriously considering ideas like Citizens' Initiatives to help reinvigorate our democracy.
A perfect example of where such a system could have been used was in the tram debate. Scarcely a day passes without the issue of Edinburgh's tram network dominating the headlines. Ultimately the decision on whether or not the tram scheme went ahead was taken by a handful of politicians, yet surely this was an issue, not for the politicians, but for the public? They will face the greatest impact from its construction and, on the whole, they were well informed about the scheme.
Also, a referendum was held in Edinburgh on congestion charging, so why not on trams?
In Switzerland, local referendums recently took place on proposals for a new trolley bus in Basel and an extension of tram lines in West Bern and West Zurich. This is a perfect example where citizens can be re-engaged with the political process on issues that matter to them.
Under the Swiss popular initiative model, once a proportion of the population had petitioned on an issue, say 2.5 per cent, a referendum would be triggered. In Edinburgh, this would amount to some 11,500 people signing such a petition in order to trigger a referendum on issues such as the introduction of trams, the future of the green belt, school spending or the introduction of fluoride into the water supply.
Swiss-style direct democracy has the power to transform not only the legitimacy of political decision-making, but also the quality of decisions.
Who is better placed to determine the advisability of building a new supermarket on the edge of Edinburgh - local residents who understand the situation and will have to live with the consequences, or civil servants and a handful of councillors?
To those who fear rule by tabloid, I would urge them to examine the reality of what happens in other countries that operate variations of the Swiss system. Votes to bring back capital punishment have been defeated and proposals to raise taxes have been approved. All the evidence shows that ideas get a hearing and tend to be decided on their merits. Often, the fear of facing a vote on a policy leads governments to consult more widely and seek compromise.
Whatever the eventual outcome, there is one consequence of referendums that no-one disputes: After the process, voters are always far better informed about the political issues under discussion.
Citizens' Initiatives are not intended to be an alternative to representative democracy, where government through elected representatives remains the norm, but would act as check on the power of government and bureaucracy alike.
Even in countries where referendums are in widespread use, like Switzerland, the vast majority of decisions are still taken by elected representatives at a national and local level.
All the evidence suggests that at a time when politicians are looking for new ways to engage the public in politics, as well as improve wellbeing, introducing Citizens' Initiatives could be an important part of the answer - having a positive impact not just on politics, but on political happiness.
Alex Orr is a member of Our Say, the campaign group for local and national referendums.
Added Comment
No-one could reasonably argue with this, but the Swiss system is already well known to British politicians, but the last thing they want is the public having any direct say on what they do in our name.
How else would they get away with appointing "Waste Assessors", "Nappy Officers", "Nursery Rhyme Promoters" and "Trampoline Officers", not to mention providing free tights and gloves for prostitutes?
A referendum on paying bribes to councillors to stand down at the last election would surely have overwhelmingly rejected the idea.
That's why we're not given them.
posted by Bill at
9:47 AM
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