Re-modelling Politics into Citizens Representatives of the Future

I wrote this as a contemplation piece of what I would do if I had a voice.  I had fun imagining the future.  I guess all real change comes from desire, intention, allowance and surrender. 

I would like to add that I am sure there are good politicians out there with good intentions.  I am speaking of the overall political process and I am sure many people are disillusioned with it.

I do feel change is on the horizon. 

REAL HOPE FOR POLITICAL PROGRESS

For many years I have watching politics and politicians and have found that I have switched off.  I was never asked what I thought and I never felt they represented the views of the people.  It seemed very clear to me that those attracted to politics enjoyed power and influence and wanted to leave their mark.  However, I have always believed that real representatives of the people are those who are sincerely interested in the people’s views and see themselves as serving the public interest.  There are maybe one or two in politics today.  So why would I want to be a politician?  Well actually I don’t.  However, I am interested in helping to create a new future where the people are empowered to take responsibility for the world in which they live.  My background has been in market research, I am a trained economist, I have worked in approximately 400 companies as support staff, across most industries, I have been a typist, I have been a consultant, a manager, I have been unemployed and I am now teaching peace and non-violence to children as a World Peace Clown.  I can see the cartoons now.  I had the priviledge of travelling to Russia with Dr. Patch Adams and can clearly see that we need to create a more compassionate and thoughtful society.

Australian Citizens Vision

Firstly, we require a clear vision…

The vision of a society creates the foundation and direction to what we want to become as a nation state and as individuals.   Therefore to ‘be the change we wish to see in the world’.  The vision for the Australian society acknowledges that we are an equal part of a global community with balanced regard for the ecosystem on which our lives depend.  Centrally it is envisaged that nonviolence forms the basis around which society is organised.  This renewed vision is based on Gandhi’s statement ‘an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind’.   To ensure clarity in this vision central concepts are:  participatory democracy rather than observation,  cooperation rather than competition, nonviolence rather than violence, diversity within unity, equality within uniqueness based on universal human rights.  The Australian community envisages itself as a peacemaker globally, offering mediation as a means of resolving disputes and encouraging other countries to fulfill their potential nonviolently.  

Politicians and Representation

We need to change politics…

The politician is defined in a myriad of ways, however one definition states:

 “A person engaged in politics, especially party politics, professionally or otherwise. Often, a person holding or seeking political office. This term is frequently used in a derogatory sense, with implications of seeking personal or partisan gain, scheming, opportunism, etc.[1] “

The revitalised political culture will change substantially to ensure that it is functional, adaptable and sustainable into the future.  To restore public confidence politicians will become redundant and those persons chosen by merit to represent the people will be called citizens representatives.   This is to ensure their focus is on representation as compared to the concept of politicians who create policy and then sell it to their constituency.

Model Values

We require real values to guide us in our decisions, not so that we are ‘seen to be’ but that we actually are, that is, we walk the talk…

Citizens representatives of the future will be conscious of making decisions based on values.  Decision making will not be narrowly informed by right brain intellectual discourse but will incorporate both the intellectual and the sensory or feeling inputs.  

REAL HOPE is a values based model which is an acronym for:  responsibility, empathy, awareness, love, honesty, oneness, peace and enjoyment.  This model is a prism through which one can evaluate problems and come up with holistic solutions.  For example a problem such as unemployment may be explored.  People will have different views which is a healthy sign of democracy.  Both participants will follow a process of mediation, listening to each other, clarifying, coming up with options and then solutions.   However, in respect of analysis, they will use the REAL HOPE model to investigate the problem from many perspectives.  For instance looking at unemployment in relationship to responsibility, empathy, awareness (what do we know, feel), love (caring for others), honesty (validate true facts), oneness (community), peace (trauma experienced), enjoyment (vocation, potential, activities).  

Citizens Charter

We require a citizens charter which gives the rights back to the people…

A citizens Charter similar to the US Constitution and Universal Declaration of Human Rights would be formulated to make clear the rights and responsibilities of people within Australia and as an interface to the rest of the world.

Citizens Democratic Participation and Equality

We need to live in a real democracy, not just give lip service…

The notion of democracy would be actively applied to the society.  However, it would be referred to as direct democracy which encourages participation.   This would also be incorporated within the electoral system wherby elections would be voluntary and the election itself must attract at a minimum 51% of the voting population.  If this doesn’t occur then the election is null and void.  This ensures that the citizens representatives work hard to encourage participation.  This can be facilitated by running public forums, focus groups and regular polling across issues.   It also ensures that policy is formulated by the people.

Citizens Environment and Sustainability

It is imperative that we get real about the environment, it is no joke that we are in trouble worldwide, so let’s take our heads out of the sand, stop denying reality and have a look at what can really be done or we will be undone…

Citizens representatives would be conscious of the importance of the environment as the number 1 priority given that all life depends on the environment and that it is functional, adaptable and sustainable.  If the environment is ignored there are serious implications in terms of natural corrections.  Therefore, all decision in respect of the community would consider the environmental impacts.  If these impacts are deemed not sustainable, then another course of action will be chosen.   Innovative ideas such as carbon exchanges would be encouraged and tax advantages on sustainable practices.

Citizens Economy, Science, Technology and Sustainability

We need to shift the economic paradigm from one where society services the economy or business interests to a society where business or the economy serves the community.  For that was how it was originally designed…

The citizen’s representatives are mindful that the economic system is designed to reallocate finite resources and that it provides for wealth, employment and goods and services.   Tax advantages and discounts would be available for producing services and products that are essential.  Truth in advertising would be enforced and marketing practices to stimulate demand and false needs and wants discouraged through high costs of advertising and tax incentives.

Currently the community serves the economy in terms of working long hours, lower incomes, unemployment and increasing illness.  A new paradigm would be to acknowledge that the purpose of economy is to serve the community.   Therefore, structural changes would be initiated to ensure balanced lives for the benefit of all.    It is envisaged that working hours would be changed to part-time work whereby jobs are shared.  The wage levels would reflect ¾ of a full time wage with 10% tax rates across the board.   This would double employment, reduce absences, stress and sick leave, provide for more leisure time and reduce tiredness at work.  Therefore, business would experience productivity gains, a stable workforce, reduced costs for absenteeism, greater disposable income and economic activity (focus on services).  

From the societal perspective people would be able to spend more time at home, with partners and children which would ensure that family bonds are not strained by excessive working.  It is likely there would be less separation and divorce, conflict within the home over tiredness and money issues and a greater focus on building family life and incorporating extended families.

Science and technology is extremely important and valued as a means to develop cleaner technologies that can be automated for greater innovations and efficiencies.  The technologies would be rated on sustainability criteria to ensure that they do not create social or ecological damage.

In respect of food security, the principals of comparative advantage would be applied.  That is the country that is most effective at growing particular foods could continue to do so by means of trade.  However, there would be an emphasis on local growing for smaller communities to meet local needs.  Areas such as permaculture would be encouraged for local produce and to educate the citizens about ecology that is in harmony with the natural environment.  It is deemed essential that people have experiences of nature and are knowledgeable about the ecosystem.  This produces greater awareness and sensitivity to environmental harmony and our survival as a species.

Nonrenewal resource usage would be phased out in favour of renewable initiatives.  This ensures that as supply decreases prices don’t rise and cause greater hardship and environmental damage.   The intrinsic genetic foundation of nature would not be interfered with.  The citizens would be informed about the link between millions of years of genetic evolution and our present day survival. 

Energy is Renewable

We need to move to renewable energy or free energy…

Energy is an extremely important policy.   Currently the industrialised world is dependent on fossil fuels.  However, it is clear that these energy forms are not endless and are damaging to health and the environment.  Alternative forms of energy must be implemented.   The development of solar, wind, wave, magnetic would be considered a priority.   Finite fuels would be reduced and eventually discarded.

An innovative energy trading system would be developed to raise consciousness of energy consumption.  The less energy used the more credits could be used for leisure/non polluting pursuits.    The citizens would be educated to become energy efficient and the building industry would be given tax incentives and grants to produce environmentally efficient housing.   The same would apply to the automotive industry.  Governments would provide incentives to renewal energy initiatives.  Moreover, there would be social acknowledgement and reward for individuals and organisations developing these essential approaches.

Citizens Education, Knowledge and Wisdom

We need to value education…

Education is valued as essential and critical for the development of citizens.   The concept of education would be broadened to include values based education which educates the whole person in self knowledge, awareness, feelings and empowerment.  The acquiring of knowledge is different from information in the sense of its relevancy.  In addition, learning and life experience together produce wisdom.  Wisdom is knowledge applied.  The latter would evaluate the wisdom of decisions in terms of whether it has served society as whole or not.

Education would be provided free of charge and teachers would be paid higher rates of pay given the importance of teaching the next generation.

Citizens Department of Peace

We need to focus on creating positive peace…

A Department of Peace is considered essential in terms of creating a focus on peace making and peace keeping globally and locally.    The department would be organised around conflict resolution and place resources into building peace in the community.  This would address issues such as:  violence in all its forms, domestic violence, bullying, violent media, law and justice, peaceful practices, loving families, loving work, random acts of kindness, cultural activities, fulfilment of potential and envisaging the future.

The Department would instigate links with other countries, linking peace departments around the world to focus on diffusion of tension, peace keeping, peace building and conflict resolution.

The Department of Peace would also be involved in planning and envisaging for the future.    The Department would look at future societies and start gathering and formulating ideas to ensure that society survives and evolves in functional, adaptable and sustainable ways.

Citizens Health & Wellbeing

We need to look at the causes of illness and focus on preventing ill health…

Health and wellbeing is acknowledged as linked to inner states of happiness and a healthy external environment.  This policy would emphasise preventative approaches to keeping people well and noting where people are not well that an imbalance has occurred.  This would be treated through counselling, diet, inner harmony, traditional and contemporary medical interventions.     In respect of medicare, it is common sense that it is provided for all, with no means testing.   Moreover, harmful pollutants would be phased out of the food supply.

Community, Family and Human rights

The community would be decentralised.  Smaller communities produce greater social connection and certainty.  The larger cities tend to dehumanise and create great isolation in individuals due to separation from family or community connections.   Community activities would be regularly facilitated to build understanding, respect, interaction, socialisation and a sense of belonging.  This would reduce individual dysfunction and powerlessness, uncontrolled youth, homelessness, crime and drug abuse.   The rights of all human beings would be communicated and all citizens would understand their rights.  If a person makes mistakes or is creating disharmony the society would reveal to the person the consequences and allow the person to come up with a way to redress the problem.  This type of society does not punish but teaches to inspire individuals to their highest potential.  The individual would see themselves as a part of the community.

Children and REAL HOPE

We must value the children and see them as the future…

The children are the future stakeholders of the society and the world.   Childhood is the most important experience.  It is essential that children receive love, stability, quality of life and abundant opportunities to socialise and try new things.   Childhood should be a happy, carefree, exploring time in a person’s life.   If a child does not receive nourishment at this stage it has serious implications for society.    The types of television programs children are put in front of would be of a positive, educational nature.  Children would never be exposed to violence because the society would realise that children’s memories are being formulated and these images become the building blocks of self image, social cues and belief systems.  If society wishes to create a peaceful society then children must be exposed to peaceful examples in the home, the community and globally.  Children will be taught values at an early age and have well developed conflict resolution skills.  They will be shown that they create the life they want and that they are responsible for all their choices.  Children will be empowered to make choices they will not be bullied or dominated.  Bullying sets up powerlessness in children and leads to global and environmental conflict.

 Citizens Foreign Policy and National Security

We need to focus on working cooperatively with the international community …

Overall, Foreign policy would refer to the way we relate with other countries and the initiatives we create to ensure open, mutually beneficial exchanges between grass roots citizens and larger organisations.  National security would be linked more closely with facilitating cooperation, fairness and justice rather than defence strategies designed to infiltrate other countries and defend against attack or aggressor tactics.   The latter defence strategies would exist but de-emphasised in terms of security.  It is understood clearly that fear and aggression creates more fear and aggression.  Therefore aggressive fear based policies would undermine national security.  However, it is acknowledged that under certain circumstances force may be required to stop larger tragedies from occurring. 

Foreign policy would not be seen as foreign in terms of them and us.  We would see ourselves as participants of a broader global citizenry.   The portfolio of foreign affairs would be orientated to developing cultural, social and economic links with other countries to facilitate exchange and greater understanding.  Other cultures would be regarded as equal and differences perceived as enriching Australian society.     Security agencies would maintain surveillance and monitoring but tasks would be rotated into positive areas so that agents see the world in a range of ways and developing strategies to create bridges of peace and cooperation.  Often agents can become trained to only see danger.  The purpose of rotation is to broaden personal visions of the world.  For it is recognised that what we focus on expands.  If we think the world is full of terrorists that is what we begin to see and indeed create.

Defence would exist in the form of a national police force and conventional army.  However, the emphasis and longer term focus would be on disarmament and encouragement of disarmament around the world.  This would work in tandem with a Department of Peace.   The rationale with weapons is that their usage produces great social disintegration, conflict, health and environmental effects, distrust and hated worldwide.  Moreover, they promote violence and reside in the old paradigm of power over others not power within (empowerment).  Nuclear weapons would never be acceptable and nuclear power generation would be deemed too dangerous to use as an energy source.

International Relations

We need to foster democracy and empower nations to fulfil their potential…

Australia would support and actively seek to reform The United Nations into a democratic organisation of nations.  Resolutions for courses of action would be generated by the Global Citizens Assembly.  The notion of collective peace building as real security would be the underlying foundation.  All nations would have one vote one value and factoring in population size. No longer would the most powerful nation (based on income and control) be able to dominate other nations to serve its own national interests.   If a country invaded another all nations would rise up and collective stop this action.  In addition, the UN would consist of a range of persons from a diversity of backgrounds and across a wide range of demographics to reflect more accurately the world population.     The citizenry of each nation would vote in their national representatives and they would follow a similar format to local citizens representatives.  Policy at the UN would be driven by the world’s peoples.     The Security Council would be abolished as it favours disproportionate power and involvement in the arms trade.  Conflict resolution and the REAL HOPE model of analysis would be utilised to ensure that problems are focussed on and solutions generated that are both realistic and mutually agreed.

All nations would contribute 1% of their budgets to assist other nations that may be experiencing economic or social difficulties.  This is to ensure that there is a baseline parity between all nations.  In other words, no nation falls below the poverty line.  It is acknowledged that there is a causal link between poverty and local and global violence.   In addition, it is essential that human populations be freed from a survival mentality to achieve their highest potential.   This would produce true wealth for the world.

An International Criminal Court would be funded by all nations.  No nations would be allowed to default or veto unless they had severe financial problems.  In the latter case, other nations would evaluate the problem and World Banking Institutions could assist them in the short term

World peace would be ensured through principled nonviolence, equal distribution of resources, open cooperation not competition, and adherence to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  This document would no longer be symbolic but enforceable by international law.   Abuses of human beings would not be tolerated and police forces would be linked by Interpol to ensure that networks are disbanded.  Economic security and international abuses are viewed as linked therefore it is deemed important that no country fall below pre-set economic, lifestyle, wellbeing indexes.

A nonviolent global peaceforce would be established by a range of citizens from across the world.  The purpose of the nonviolent peaceforce would be to intervene between warring parties nonviolently.  In addition, nonviolent trainers would be despatched around the world to train communities in techniques of nonviolence to ensure that they handle disputes productively and resolve underlying issues and