Project Open Democracy

GIVING PEOPLE A GREATER SAY IN GOVERNMENT DECISIONS

“Whatever the problem – cost-of-living, inequality, energy poverty, violence against women, abortion, drug addiction, social conflict and alienation, denial of basic freedoms, and the return of the horrors of war – all can be traced back to the failure of representative democracy, corrupted by partisan politics, undermined by lobby groups and betrayed by the mainstream media.”

There is a growing perception that democracies and constitutional republics are faltering as effective forms of governance, as evidenced by increasing distrust in politicians and political processes, including democratic elections. While the principle of democracy may not be failing, representative democracy—like the outdated taxi industry—struggles to function effectively in today’s complex, interconnected, and polarized world.

The answer to the stagnation of the taxi industry was not better managers and more regulation, but a revolution in the form of ridesharing. Similarly, the solution to the failings of representative democracy is not simply better candidates, but a transformation: a shift to open democracy.

Whatever the problem – cost-of-living, inequality, energy poverty, violence against women, abortion, drug addiction, social conflict and alienation, denial of basic freedoms, and the return of the horrors of war – all can be traced back to the failure of representative democracy, corrupted by partisan politics, undermined by lobby groups and betrayed by the mainstream media.

Today, we possess both the concept and technology needed to transition from representative democracy to open democracy, built upon a shared vision. This shift can allow us to address the many social, economic, and political problems facing the modern world.

Open democracy provides a platform for global consensus to prevent conflicts and wars through verifiable, analyzable feedback via the PByT (Powered by Trust) concept. This system prevents politicians from waging or supporting war by eliminating claims of false mandates or reliance on unreliable “black box” polls.

Open democracy also offers a mechanism to hold governments accountable and curb governmental overreach, such as the quasi-police state measures seen during the pandemic in many representative democracies.

Importantly, providing citizens with a voice in decision-making reduces the anger and hostility often unfairly directed at politicians, while limiting the reach of misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda.

Open democracy empowers people to shape their governance continuously, not just through periodic elections, plebiscites, or referendums, but on an ongoing, issue-by-issue basis at a global scale.

Rather than dismantling representative democracy, open democracy seeks to modernize it, bringing democratic governance—including constitutional republics like the U.S.—into the information age and unifying purpose through a shared vision.

Unlike direct democracy, open democracy is non-binding, providing a means for elected officials to gauge public sentiment before enacting policies or making extreme decisions, like engaging in war.

Importantly, open democracy means the end of political parties claiming mandates (often on the slimmest of majorities) for wholesale change, without reference to the people.

Further, open democracy provides the means by which legislation that was ill-conceived or poorly drafted, resulting in unintended consequences or corrupted by lobby group pressure, can be rescinded.

Finally, open democracy is about realizing our universal aspiration: to live and prosper in peace and to leave a better world for future generations.

This universal aspiration is encapsulated in The Freedom Declaration for Peace.

THE FREEDOM DECLARATION FOR PEACE

The Freedom Declaration for Peace consists of 25 short statements that affirm our shared humanity and reflects the lived human experience over the ages.

It offers a foundation for civil discourse among diverse individuals and groups, promoting respectful debate without descending into rancor, hate, or violence.

PByT - Powered by Trust

The concept and technology are provided by PByT, a Sydney-based online platform—Powered by Trust. PByT brings credibility to online surveys, polls, and petitions through transparent, non-anonymous feedback and analyzable results, using Bayesian analysis to iteratively arrive at optimal answers and solutions.

Unlike traditional surveys, which capture a snapshot of opinion, the PByT approach aligns with natural decision-making: a process evolving through iterative feedback and updated information.

In short, we now have both the vision and technology to tackle local and global challenges, united by purpose and empowered to find well-considered solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues.

Politicians should welcome open democracy, as it relieves them of the pressure surrounding controversial decisions, allowing them to defer, when appropriate, to the will of the people.

Providing citizens with a voice in decision-making reduces the anger and hostility often unfairly directed at politicians, while limiting the reach of misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda.

US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Americans have put their faith in president-elect Donald Trump to address the failures of representative democracy in America.

Trumps election has, however, hardened rather than healed the divisions making the future uncertain: A house divided against itself cannot stand.

Australia, in the upcoming federal election, has an opportunity to do it the right way through open democracy.

2025: Australian Federal Election

The upcoming federal election may be the first election where the people, rather than the politicians, the lobbyists and the legacy media set the terms of the election.

The key question that will increasingly be asked of political candidates: Do you support giving people a greater say in government decisions through open democracy?

A tally board of political candidates who support open democracy will be kept on PByT as a voting guide.

Setting the terms of the election

The Australian political duopoly is maintained by the political parties setting the terms of the election through promises, commitments, appeals to "hip pocket" issues and by stoking other fears and concerns.

On election, promises are typically broken, touted solutions never eventuate, hope in the new government soon fades and the same bitter disappointment begins to forment. Rinse and repeat.

Open democracy can break this disheartening cycle by giving people an opportunity to set the terms, starting with feedback on the 8 key principles of Open Democracy.

The responses (or non-responses) from the political candidates, acting as a voting guide, will ensure that the best candidates, irrespective of any party affiliations, will gain office.

The process will finally break the grip of the political duopoly strangling democracy in Australia.