Teledemocracy
" Rather than acting as a revolutionary tool rearranging political power and instigating direct democracy, the Internet is destined to become dominated by the same actors in American politics who currently utilize other mediums." (Davis, 5) But how can one argue this point, how can this useful tool not affect democracy to the better? Dahl in his book On Democracy asserts that there are certain conditions and institutions that are necessary in order for a true democracy to be existent and be prosperous. But with the development and evolvement of information communications technologies (ICTs) such as the Internet, these institutions and condition of democracy will become negatively affected. This will occur because the dominant actors of politics of our time will get hold of even more control than they have had before on aspects of political matters and decisions, which in return, deters the public even more from becoming active in political life. Dahl's required institution of having access to Alternative sources of information for having modern representative government and the condition deeply essential for this institution to be true, which is that of Democratic beliefs and political culture, are hindered by
Many have had high hopes for the Internet and its possibility of achieving true direct democracy, i.e. teledemocracy. "Teledemocracy means the use of modern information and communications technology (ICT) as instruments to empower the people of a democracy to help set agendas, establish priorities, make important policies and participate in their implementation." (Keskinen) In a word, true teledemocracy is the use of ICTs to give the public leverage in self-governance. Put another way, it is the use of ICTs to help transform modern representative democracies into more participatory democracies. But all these visions are being overrated, for these visions can also have negative effects. The Internet will not and cannot really change the amount of people participating, for activists before will remain to be the same activists; for if people do not want to be genuinely politically involved, no one or any form of technology can really change this facet. For the Internet cannot suddenly transform people to become politically active. The Internet provides information and is considered to be one of the most imperative features for people now seeking information. Yet, the Internet prevents the user in that it gives chance for the user to only "click" onto subjects that interest them and keeps them away from learning of other new subjects that they may have not ever known of. But the newspaper and TV in a sense forces them to this state, for it forces the reader or watchers to pass by other stories of interest which in turn causes them to learn new things, without taking any effort to search for it. Learning of new thoughts allows the individual to be well rounded in their intelligence and encourages them to become involved in other aspects of political or civic life. Associational Autonomy is what is critical for a true democracy. Citizens must have the right to from "relatively independent associations or organizations, including independent political parties and interest groups." (Dahl 86) These obviously include our already set up political parties, interest groups, lobbyist and other forms of factions. But a condition is de rigueur for this institution to be controlled and not to be taken out of hand, that being the condition that Dahl states as weak subcultural pluralism. For not one group should be able to take control of political society and not one group should infringe their ideologies upon all the people of the democracy, for then this state would not be a democracy. ICTs will unquestionably negatively impinge on these aspects of democracy. ICTs will and are furthering the concept that Davis speaks of in his book, The Web of Politics, which is that; the Internet will become destined to be "dominated by the same
Some common words found in the essay are:
BBC CNN, ICTs Internet, East Africa, Internet Internet, Associational Autonomy, Democracy America, German Ideology, , Hence Internet, Democracy ICT, alternative sources, subcultural pluralism, true democracy, direct democracy, associational autonomy, political culture, sources information, actors politics, alternative information, internet destined dominated, political activists, democratic beliefs political, destined dominated actors, direct democracy internet, beliefs political culture,
Approximate Word count = 1848
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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