Digital Democracy: Discourse and Decision Making in the Information Age

By admin • Oct 6th, 2008 • Category: Economics

Digital Democracy: Discourse and Decision Making in the Information Age

Digital Democracy: Discourse and Decision Making in the Information Age
By Barry N. Hague

Publisher: Routledge
Number Of Pages: 277
Publication Date: 1999-08-03
ISBN-10 / ASIN: 0415197384
ISBN-13 / EAN: 9780415197380
Binding: Paperback

Is direct democracy in the age of remote communication possible? Examining the impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and their consequences for political institutions, Digital Democracy offers a critical assessment of the concept of an emergent electronic democracy.

The international contributors discuss concepts and issues such as democracy and cyberspace, local democracy, global control and interactive ICTs. Investigating the impact of technology on government, they examine the implications of televising the British House of Commons, the effects of ICTs on political parties, and issues surrounding the use of closed-circuit television. Finally, they explore the relationship between ICTs and citizenship with chapters covering democracies online as well as ways to strengthen communities in the Information Age.

Summary: Internet seems to enable more involvement
Rating: 4

This year, 2004, gives an interesting take on the book, if you consider the unfolding US Presidential campaign, and the previous 2000 campaign. As Americans increasingly get wired up, the major parties are increasingly using the Internet to build up and expand their base. Plus, it enables challengers like Howard Dean to aggressively solicit supporters.

All these give an affirmative to the broad thrust of the book’s speculations. It does indeed appear that the Internet/Web is an enabling of far broader grassroots participation in democracy.

When the book discusses the live broadcasting of the British Parliament on TV, it turns out such events have had lesser impact on people. Partly because, like the radio broadcasts which British and Australian Parliaments have had for years, these attract only a small audience of diehards.

In part, this might be due to those being broadcast media. Whereas, with the interactive nature of the Internet, with things like email, to some people this may be far more attractive.

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