The New 21st Century Democracy — The Problem

Let’s face it: we’ve got a problem with Democracy.

It’s a balanced system, yet the vote looks like a simple power of attorney: you’re outsourcing to someone you usually barely know the power of taking political decisions on your behalf.

Let’s dig deeper.

Vote as a contract

The truth is: your vote is a contract. A politician promisses you something, you agree with it and sign a contract with him/her. In exchange for a cross inside the right square, he/she’ll be elected.

And then…

Often the promises aren’t kept.

Often it’s not their own fault, in the sense that it’s far easier to promise something than to actually achieving it.

Often you’ll be disappointed, thinking “they’re all the same”.

And then…

You wait. Another four years, typically.

So, let me ask you a few questions:

• Imagine you were buying some tech device, arrive home, turn it on and noticing it doesn’t work. Would you wait 4 years to go back to the store and demand a new one?
• Imagine that you rented an apartment, but figured out

So we’re used to undo any contract we sign (even marriage!) once a word wasn’t kept or something was wrong… But not the “simple” power of attorney we give to someone we don’t know, in order for that person to take import decisions for you…

Lack of feedback

None cares what you think. Elected officials often take your taxes, accept your votes and that’s it.

You’ll never hear from them, unless you turn on your TV.

They’ll never hear from you, unless… Okay, they’ll never hear from you.

Slow, slow, slow

I’m writing this and posting on the internet. There are hundreds of satelites orbiting around out planet. Billions of people have access to electricity. Our cars are increasinngly safe. Medicine takes step after step of progress. Yet.

Nothing changes in the way Democracy works.

The only significant changes are the way politician’s message reaches us and that they now have wifi in their respective parliaments. And email each other.

Apart from this, what changed? A vote every 4 years or so, a cross inside a square.

It’s like it also needs a tech disruption…

Conclusion

There are several problems with the way Democracy (mal-)functions nowadays.

And maybe it’s time for us to address those problems.

Because we can make things better.