Teaching Comparative Government and Politics

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Online political participation

A report from The Guardian (UK) raises some important ideas.

Perhaps we ought to add an item to the list of ways people participate in politics and governance. I can't find reference to this new bit of civil society in textbooks, but it might be another rejoinder to the "bowling alone" argument -- at least some people in Whitehall hope it is.

(In reference to an earlier entry here, please note that the use of "the government" in this context is more appropriate than when the term is used in a U.S. context. That doesn't mean it's not a bit vague.)

Ministers wake to potential of people power on the net

"The government is planning to link up with the power of consumer and civic movements on the net by offering funding, permitting civil servants to post information on sites, and releasing information currently locked up in Whitehall.

"Ministers believe web movements are rapidly transforming the power relationship between government and society...

"The government plans to put more information on the net, including health and safety records of restaurants, and local planning applications.

"Whitehall officials regard it as inevitable that information-sharing forums will develop to discuss the quality of public sector performance, including individual GPs and teachers, as well as bad garages, rogue builders, and holiday destinations...

"Explaining the government's interest, Pat MacFadden, Cabinet Office minister, said: 'Polling evidence suggests we have a 20-year phenomeon of people becoming ever more demanding of government, yet ever more disengaged.

"'So we in government have to ask how we can help this movement, work with it, and yet not smother it.

"'We have been decent at putting services out there online, but the challenge now is take it to a new plane so there is a mutual conversation that helps drive choice and standards...'

"But sources say there is a debate inside Whitehall on the extent to which government should fund bottom-up initiatives, or instead launch its own more tightly controlled websites..."

NetMums, an example of the kind of paticipatory web site the government wants to encourage.

Labels: participation, UK