A first Campaign, "The PreConditionPolicy Initiative" is being soft launched with the beta mode publication of the DeliberativeDemocracy.Net domain, in May 2024.
The Initiative is to propose the adoption of a "PreConditionPolicy" to existing political parties in their manifestos, preferably as a Prefatory or First Policy, providing a commitment to the incorporation of DeliberativeDemocratic Structures within those of existing Legislatures, and signalling agreement to the principle that the legitimisation of democracies is a PreCondition that ensures the legitimacy of any new laws being made and should be prioritised accordingly.
As components of this Initiative, DD Networkers propose to test, list and publish positions held in respect of DeliberativeDemocratic principles and forms, and of the PreCondition Policy commitment,
by individual Candidate and/or Elected Representatives,
and Political Parties.
and will provide reports to independent media agencies as the Initiative progresses.
A formal launch of the Campaign will be scheduled after organisational work gathering endorsement and media partnerships.
The draft text of the PreConditionPolicy is below, together with an explanatory paper which may be downloaded in a number of languages.
In the pursuit of the deepening enfranchisement and flourishing of the people of XXXX, and the wider flourishing of all people and of the planet, (we, the XXXX party / I, xxxx, standing as an Independent) will, upon election, commit to pursue the integration of Deliberative Democratic Structures within those of the existing Legislature and wider Governance Systems of XXXX,
and,
this will include giving permanent powers to Citizens in Sortitioned Deliberating Forums to
- initiate legislation,
- provide advice to governments during the drafting of legislation and the development and implementation of policy,
- assent or veto proposed legislation or, to refer it back to Parliament for rethinking, subject to majority or agreed (super) majorities,
and, this will include the convening of a Citizens Assembly(s) to
- deliberate and agree the design of such new Democratic Structures,
- set out a programme for the provision of information about the principles and the agreed design to all Citizens, with appropriate controls in respect of the spread of misinformation,
- and a timetable for the adoption of the new Structures subject to and including, a Citizens Referendum.
Many people and organisations are already campaigning for Deliberative Democracy, and this Initiative is intended to help - both to add to general momentum, and to focus efforts towards a clear objective with transformative potential.
The Initiative is an invitation to all those with a care and interest in Legitimising Our Democracies and, so, the making of a future by fair agreement, across all jurisdictions, to endorse a proposal to enhance and legitimise our Democracies through the incorporation of Deliberative Democratic structures within those of our existing Representative Democracies and, specifically, empowered with legislative authority.
It is aimed in particular at Political Parties, and Members and Candidates to Parliament, since it is only the Legislature that can write into law new Democratic structure and, so, without corresponding activist targeting there will be no change.
When presented with the prospect of Democracy that actually works -
we should expect even the most democratic of elected parliamentarians and their influential backers will vehemently campaign against any separation of powers wherein sovereign decision making is shared and in favour of the retention of all final decisioning with representatives alone because they will know that any such sharing will threaten existing distributions of power and meaningful change and, so, will seek to subvert the prospect by welcoming and then institutionalising randomly selected deliberative forums as Democratic Instruments, with advisory but no sovereign or shared decision making authority.
We should be clear that such a campaign and subversion cannot be allowed to succeed if we are to legitimize our Democracies.., but, we know this too:
it is going to be very difficult for Power to argue against the deepening of Democracy and, very difficult too, for Power to argue against enhancements to Democratic Legitimacy, and in favour of the continuance of an existing system that is so manifestly lacking adequate accountability, so systemically receptive to corruption and so obviously failing that it is consistently producing outcomes contrary to the considered wishes of ordinary Citizens,
and this tells us,
this is a campaign that can be won.
Select from language options to download the paper
Version 2.0
(GERMAN) The_PreCondition_Policy_Initiative_2.0 (PDF)
Version 1.0
(ENGLISH) The_PreCondition_Policy_Initiative_1.0 (PDF)
(GERMAN) The_PreCondition_Policy_Initiative_1.0 (PDF)
(GREEK) The_PreCondition_Policy_Initiative_1.0 (PDF)