The Internet holds the promise of
enhancing national and local democracy. Irving Rappaport, coordinator
of UK Citizens Online Democracy explains how. He wrote this
article in 1997.
UK Citizens Online Democracy (UKCOD) is Britain's first and only
national online democracy service . It can be found at
http://www.democracy.org.uk
and has been developed by volunteers with the support of the
Computing Services and Software Association, the Joseph Rowntree
Charitable Trust, Sun Microsystems, Xara Networks, Internet Vision
Ltd., and Ultramind Ltd.
It is an experiment to find out whether people can use the Internet
to discuss and become better informed about the complex issues that
affect their lives. It is also designed to enable the public to
participate directly in and affect the political process. We hope it
will become a place to make things happen - a powerful new interface
between the public and politicians, both locally and in the Palace of
Westminster.
This initiative is not associated with any political party although
politicians and citizens of all political persuasions are being
invited to participate.
UKCOD's first client is the UK Office of the European Parliament
which has commissioned us (in association with the Scarman Trust) to
host and manage an online seminar and discussion on one of the most
controversial issues of the day - whether Britain should join the
European Monetary Union. The discussion will be launched on 18th
November 1996 and will involve an invited list of participants
including MEPs and representatives of major commmercial, financial,
civic and voluntary organisations. It will last for one month and the
results will be forwarded to the European heads of government who are
meeting at the IGC summit in mid December.
National support for UKCOD continues to grow through contacts with
politicians, political and academic organisations, local authorities,
sponsors etc. For example, Brent Council has invited UKCOD to partner
an application for funding to the European Commission entitled
"Enhancing Community Involvement in the Democratic Process".
In order to help the public find out what is actually going on in
Parliament (as opposed to what the media choose to report), we will
be providing an online link to Hansard. We are also planning to set
up trials for a live, on-line audio internet link with the House of
Commons chambers and committees as a later development of our web
site.
The Cabinet Office supports UK Citizens Online Democracy and has
confirmed that we may approach all Government departments about the
use of their material and that UKCOD is "congruent with the
Government's aims under the Citizen's Charter of facilitating the
dissemination and accessibility of Government information to the
public and enhancing the effectiveness of UK democracy".
I'm personally delighted but not really surprised at the support
we've been getting. After all, we've simply taken our cue from some
of our more forward looking politicians. For example, Graham Allen MP
is on record as saying, "...to use new technologies to provide a much
greater degree of interactive consultation between political
representatives and their electorate...the challenge for politicians
as we approach this new era is to ensure that the conditions are
created for the genuine development of informed, electronic
citizens." ('Wired' Magazine Sept.'95)
Irving
Rappaport
Coordinator, UK Citizens Online Democracy
www.partnerships.org.uk/articles/ukcod1.html