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Since the formation of tribal politics; tribes, cheifdoms, paramount cheifdoms, through the many forms of the state; authoritarianism, democracy, and totalitarianism -left-or-right-, there has been a dual trak of "wills." The will of beauracratic forms and the general will of -the-people-. |
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As communication technologies advanced from marks, pictures, words, printing, through electronic media, the will of the people has found many ways to express itself. These mediums allowed information to spread around in ways that did not exist before them and hence the beauracratic will had no need to control. |
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Beauracracies quick to curb these new methods of information dispersal did so in order to protect their position, which could easily be taken over by the masses. Wether out of fear that the masses would get out of control and either destroy society or that the governmental structure itself would be threatened, power was exercised over any "medium" that could influence this s_i_t_u_a_t_i_o_n. |
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With the formation of formal democracy these "wills" clashed in new ways with the general will competing with the beauracratic will more intensly than ever before in history. With all these new freedoms, governments had to try other technics for avoiding the tyranny of the masses and the wars between the newly formed factions and parties. |
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Instead ofjust deciding what was right for "the people," in an authoritarian manner, beauracrats had to listen to and become influenced by what the people desired. The authoritarians became representatives and depended upon the will of the people for the position they took in the regulation of their governments. A "grey region" emerged where, before running the government, polititians had to interact with the people, through campaigns etc... |
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ENTER - THE MEDIA!
As campaigning evolved in this grey area of interaction from newspapers, bull horns, train rides, to the radio chat, the media formed into a psuedo 4rth branch of the government. The type of news media began to exercise control over which candidates madi it and which didn't. This influence as a reflection of the will of the people. |
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ENTER - TELEVISION!
Nearly instantanious portrayals of events in the world became common and and an "instantanious-awareness" came about which caused much kaos to form up around issues. Although the people accepted their role of choosing representatives they became aware of the potential they might have in influencing the day to day functions of the government. They were aware of what was going on but realised that all of this was still up to the representative beauractrats to decide. |
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Wether it was ending wars, impeaching the president, rallying behind the cival rights movement, or influencing a newer form of women's rights, it was apparent that the television, as an information dispersal mechanism, had at least some influence on the general societal awareness of the times. Beauracrats had to learn ways to deal with this new tendancy of the masses. |
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ENTER - THE INTERNET
In certain cases of the origin of representative government a peculiar series of events sort of brought it about naturally. In the places where legislation was made all citizens could fit in it and vote on each piece of legislation. Then as the population increased everyone could not fit anymore and thus representatives were created to stand in for them. With the arrival of the internet the building may have just expanded enough for everyone to fit in it once again. |
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If the peculiar variety of awareness, resulting from television could have such apowerfull effect on society, what will happen when, with the internet every citizen could potentially vote on every bill or action taking place in congress or micro-manage the execution of that legislation? Could the psuedo 4rth branch of government -the-media- evolve into a true 4rth branch through the internet? Could people's desire have a direct influence on legislation as a new block of votes on the floor? |
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If so would the block of votes require a sort of "cyber_quorum?" When legislation is considered there must be at least a minimal number of legislators present before they proceed with the buiseniss of the day. Could this happen to the public also? Once the ability to directly control the government arrives will people still be satisfied by simply electing people that seem to reflect their will? |
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In many commitees non-governmental experts testify and influence the course of legislation directly. Could "the-people" begin to take on this kind of role once it is possible for them to do so? If all of the information that these experts would use is available, instantly, to the people could they fairly make a descision "for-themselves" on even themost complex bills? |
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The polling industry wether, media, party affiliated,or governmental census, etc..., could turn into a legitimate form of governmental regulation. Corperate entities which perform these enquiries could evolve into and take over from the media, the 4rth branch of government; the executive, legislature, judiciary, and THE-PEOPLE!! But a hazard, as usual, will come along with this new situation.
- The information that people base their descisions upon,must be at least asdependable as the information that non-governmental experts use when they influence the direction of legislation.
- Some mechanism must be in place that ensures against the tyranny of the majority and the harmful results of factional wars over issues.
- The formation of polls themselves must go through a similar process as the formation of legislation. A poll must not be simply a bunch of questions but a package of educational material which illuminates all sides of the debate fairly.
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Once the 4rth branch comes to full power and the other branches loose more and more ground, could traditional beauracracies take a revolutionary turn? Might the entire governmental apperatus appear to disappear as our shrinking technologies are appearing to now?
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