reimagine: to imagine again or anew; especially: to form a new conception of.
Our democratic politics are rife with debate rather than dialogue, competition rather than collaboration. What team wins seems more important than just about anything.
| By seeing democracy predominantly as participation in government-led activity, we can be blinded to a much richer and effective form of democracy. | |
Our dominant approach to democracy puts politcal elites in the driver's seat. Citizens take a back seat. Democracy is something we engage in by fits and starts. We campaign then, for long stretches, consume. For most of us, and for the most part, political democracy is a spectator sport. It is not a mode of democracy that has much more to offer us as community members than it already has.
By seeing democracy predominantly as participation in government-led activity, we can be blinded to a much richer and effective form of democracy. French diplomat and political scientist Alexis de Tocqueville noticed a richer source for a deeper democracy. He referred to it as the mother of all science. He called it "the art of association."
This form of democracy is far more potent and powerful. It is led by citizens and community members. It is centred in the freedom of agency and association with one another. What de Tocqueville noticed was people working with one another, in place, with persistence, to address what was important to them, with the materials already at hand locally.
This form of democracy is enabling and ennobling of community members in their agency and in their giftedness.
Let us consider, for a moment, what happens when we vote. What our political elites would like us to believe is that we have exercised our power. What we have done is given away some of our power. With the ballot box, we have pinned our power to the purveyor of promises yet to be unfulfilled.
That being said, I believe it is critically important to vote. The people who represent us will have influence in a system that has power disproportionate to its abilities. Better people are better by far.
But, with this small act of participation in government-led functions, let us not leave the rest of our power on the table to waste.
Consider that there are powerful people. This is an acceptance of a power differential. We have become quite comfortable with power differential. We defer to it all the time.
| Every community teems with an abundance of talent, ideas, knowledge, wisdom, care, and inspiration. Unlocking this abundance is what a reimagined democracy is and is for. |
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But here is the thing: concentrated power is not a lot of power when compared to diffused power. Power in a hierarchy is Power Over (in most cases). Power in the art of association is Power With.
Having hosted hundreds of gatherings and led a six-years-awarded democratic workplace, I have seen how much more power there is in a group, room, organization, or community when it is diffused. When everyone in a group is exercising their agency, there is exponentially more power in the room than when only one or a few are doing so from the top.
That such power is not explicit leaves it underutilized. When we leave the voting booth, let us not forget the other 98% of our power and to take it with us and into community.
Our communities are filled with more potential and wonder than we can imagine. Every community teems with an abundance of talent, ideas, knowledge, wisdom, care, and inspiration.
Unlocking this abundance is what a reimagined democracy is and is for.
Imagine what community life would be like if each of us was seen and heard, if our gifts were recognized and enlivened, if we as community members came together to create the things we wanted to see. What if, in our uniqueness and diversity, we were supported in our goals by those near to us, and they were supported in their goals by us?
In diversity and interdependence, we have the ingredients for whole and healthy community life.
This blog is Part 1 of a 4-part series on the topic of reimagining democracy. Upcoming segments explore the elements of a reimagined democracy. To ensure you don't miss any of this content, sign up for the free Axiom News e-news by clicking here [1].
Reimagine Democracy Blog Series, Blog 2: "Elements of a Reimagined Democracy: Citizen-Led Community Building & Democratic Workplaces." [2]
Reimagine Democracy Blog Series, Blog 3: "Elements of a Reimagined Democracy: Unleashing Local Capital & Pent-Up Capital." [3]
Reimagine Democracy Blog Series, Blog 4: " [4]Inclusive and Generative Journalism for a New Narrative." [4]
