This is what I commented:
You know, I was thinking a while ago about the undue influence that corporate vested interest have over our government and wondering what it would take to create a system that would allow all citizens to be genuinely involved in the passing or vetoing of laws.
Currently in Australia we have a three tier system of government – local council, state government and federal government. The bigger the group, the less power an individual feels he has to influence the group and the outcome of group deliberations.
I am aware that trial by jury stood for centuries as the last bastion against tyranny and wondered if a system could not be created whereby the society were modelled around decisions being made by groups of twelve men\women at the bottom level who elected one of their number as a representative to vote in a council of twelve representatives. That representative was bound to vote only as directed by the lower tier he represented.
In theory you could have an unlimited number of tiers, all electing a representative to present their vote at the next higher tier.
Low level decisions that affected only one suburb or neighbourhood could be voted on at the second or third level tier.
National level decisions would filter from the bottom to the top level.
In this fashion no political party machine could stand on one platform then renege on their platform promises. There would be no professional politicians able to spend other people’s money with no accountability or responsibility. All power would reside ultimately in the hands of the aggregated decisions of individuals.
This is an idea. It would take fleshing out to be workable but with today’s high speed comm lines it could be made to work, even if fiercely resisted at first by those who stood to lose most by its introduction.
Toms Blog on Life and Livingness