2. Vibrant Democracy
A vibrant democracy is more than voting now and then on the policies of different political parties.
Founded on human dignity, inclusion, and justice, it is more exciting than that. People are much more directly involved in shaping the decisions that affect their lives.
Here, we give two examples of how they can do that: first, by participating in a citizens’ assembly, and second, by being active in their local community. Next, we discuss how this can lead to collaboration between stakeholders in an area that benefits everyone.
Citizens Assemblies
Citizens’ assemblies are just one way to involve people in shaping the future.
A citizens’ assembly consists of randomly selected individuals representative of the broader population who come together to consider specific issues and make recommendations.
Ireland has successfully used citizens’ assemblies to address complex and controversial issues, such as abortion, same-sex marriage, and climate change. These assemblies have played a significant role in shaping public policy and informing legislative changes.
Active in your community
Another is being active in your community or what we like to call bottom-up decision-making.
The bottom-up decision-making approach creates a more inclusive and responsive political system, fostering a sense of ownership and engagement among everyday people. Devolving decisions to a neighbourhood, a residents’ association, park users, or cooperative worker-members leads to more effective and sustainable solutions.
Collaborative governance
Collaborative governance involves multiple stakeholders, including the council, other public agencies, private entities, and the community, coming together to make joint decisions on policymaking issues and overseeing the implementation of those policies.
They work together on a win-win basis, looking out for their partners’ interests and their own.
Leveraging stakeholders’ diverse perspectives, capacities, and resources leads even further towards more effective and sustainable solutions.
Party Political Doctrine
A vibrant democracy is free of political doctrine to serve the needs of the people.
Elected members’ hands are tied by party leaders and whips, who dictate how they vote or speak about an issue.
We would introduce a more genuine system that encourages elected representatives, whatever their political persuasion, to discuss issues, express their concerns, and exchange their ideas and opinions in the lead-up to more united decisions.