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In order to survive democracies need to evolve into a structure that can respond to a truly connected world . There are many ways in which democracy currently fails to feel "real" to people. Choose Your Future Pty Ltd (Previously PoliVOtE Pty Ltd) promotes the idea that in order to feel "real" democracy needs to operate across 4 dimensions:
Direct: People are directly informed of the decisions that impact them and can have a direct say.
Diverse: We encourage decisions to value diverse opinions by generating information about how particular groups support or don’t support and are affected by decisions.
Deliberative: Decisions can be considered by viewing various lobbying positions, calling on community experts and running citizens juries (as well as many other tools such as forums, webinars etc).
Dreamed: We are focused on what people want, not what they do not want. It frames its questions this way and is forward looking.
Choose Your Future Pty Ltd was a company set up to promote a change in Democarcy in 2012 and it continues to do so to this day.
4D: Four dimensions of democracy
This theory proposes that four key things are needed together in order for democracy to be experienced as truly participatory and “real” for its citizens. The four dimensions are directly related to the four dimensions we are most familiar with:
Height = Direct; We should feel that we have direct input into decision making and not that we are being represented. We should feel that we have the power to make decisions and that decision makers are not too “high” above us.
Width = Diverse; We should feel that citizen engagement is “wide enough” to include people from all backgrounds
Depth = Deliberative; We should feel that decisions are properly considered taking into account multiple perspectives and factors.
Time = Dreamed; We should feel that our engagement will lead to a better future.
The model of the 4 Dimensions of Democracy was presented at the following conferences:
AASW National Symposium 2015
2015 International Association for Public Participation (IAP2). Conference in Perth
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