Eventually I foresee voting on the Internet, which will lead to much more direct democracy.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
It is not inevitable that the Internet will evolve in a manner compatible with democracy.
The Internet has brought democracy to so many other things. It's about time the Internet brought democracy to democracy.
The critical question is: How do we ensure that the Internet develops in a way that is compatible with democracy?
Democracy, it appears, is a bit chancy. But its chances also depend on what we do ourselves.
Television is the most perfect democracy. You sit there with your remote control and vote.
Every democracy is constructed day-to-day. And the electoral process reduces and minimalizes every single aspect of human complexity. We're putting it into pamphlets. We're doing a publicity show. We're becoming symbols.
Everything has to be done to build some sort of international democracy. We've seen only the tiniest beginnings of that.
A short exposure to the convention convinced me that the Internet may save the Democracy in that it is a way for the people, for the citizens, to have some direct influence on the government.
I don't see democracy getting better. I see democracy diminishing. More rules, more legislation. Eventually governments will see everything.
Our only real hope for democracy is that we get the money out of politics entirely and establish a system of publicly funded elections.