Crowdocracy

In the 1970s, I remember seeing an amusing film called The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer - long before the days of the Internet – where Rimmer took consultative democracy to such an extreme through TV communication that he was eventually elected dictator so that he could get on with things himself. Subtitled 'the end of politics', this stimulating book is a response to the shortcomings of democracy focusing in particular on governance, participation and the overall quality of decision-making. It recognises that we live in a world of wicked problems that require complex solutions. Currently, power is in the hands of an elite represented by lobbies and vested interests who shape politics for their own purposes. After a brief history of governance, the book moves on to explain the notion of the wise crowd based on diversity of knowledge and opinion, independence of thought and collaboration, decentralisation of power and integration - all of which can be facilitated through user-friendly technology platforms. A number of examples of crowdocracy in action are given, for instance Kickstarter and Change.org before a more detailed consideration of how the process can work in terms of proposing, shaping and public consultation. The overall framework draws on Ken Wilber's four quadrants and represents a potential evolutionary advance, especially at a time when wicked problems emphatically require wicked solutions. Partisan divisions arising from referendums are not at all what it is about, but rather defining and drawing on collective wisdom - I think a further element to add to the mix is John Bunzl's idea of simultaneous policy that encourages governments to act in the planetary rather than their national interests.