Tag: governments

Who is ready for real democracy?

Posted on by philipdodson

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So this week I am at the Ouishare Fest 16 at the fabulous Cabaret Sauvage in Paris. My mate Bernie has been telling me to come to this for 4 years. Now I am finally here, I wonder why I never came before, it’s not like I need much of an excuse to visit Paris.

This morning I was listening to various chats on Block Chain, which I did a podcast on recently and blogged about. I am now starting really understand the potential of this technology. I am not suggesting now that I have become some expert, far from it, but I can see a glimpse of how this technology can allow complete decentralisation and can effective bypass or replace the needs for governments.

If you are regular reader of my blog, then you will know that I am not a big fan of the current world operating system, I am not a fan of the establishment, I am not a fan of all the ‘isms’, party politics and the industrialised system that has enabled a tiny few to hoard all the wealth and power. Where the majority of the 7 billion + of us are mainly replaceable and interchangeable cogs in their ‘machine’.

So seeing a technology like Block Chain, which is effectively a giant ledger that the many own rather than the few. So we can have a truly global democracy that the many can own and run. So we can have control of governance, rather than be in no control of the governments that currently govern us.

The thing about all of this is, when the majority of the 7 billion who have been stolen from by the colonial and industrialised system, that the Western countries have mainly controlled, demand reparations for this and a return of the stolen wealth and resources, which clearly they would vote for in a truly global democracy that every citizen would have a valid vote in, then the all of us in the West will have to get comfortable with redistribution of resources, especially the uber-wealthy of the world.

True global democracy will come as Block Chain will inevitably enable this revolution, but like any big change, it will come with a price and we have all to be aware and sure we are ready.

The fact is, there is already more than enough wealth in the world so that we can all live comfortably. I blogged before that if we started with a blank sheet of paper and designed the world, we would not create what we currently have. We would not give virtually all the money/power/resources/political control to less than 1% of the population.

Block Chain could enable us to reverse that and bypass that system rather than having to destroy it. For me, bring on the revolution, let’s create true global democracy.

EU, in or out?

Posted on by philipdodson

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The debate about Europe or the EU, or anything else for that matter, could be looked at in a different and more positive way.

Before looking at whether we should be part of the EU or not, or part of any organisation or not, surely we could ask what is the purpose of the EU? what is it for? Why does the EU exist? Should we even have an EU or is there an alternative OS that could be better.

We seem to never question improving it, simply ‘in or out?’.

The vote for in or out is one based largely on nationalism versus union of states/federalism. The ones against the EU, typically, tend to be seeking a return to nationalism, they tend to be anti-immigration and freedom of movement. They are isolationists, conservative and seeking to go backwards in time.

In an ever more digitalised world, with a huge rise in nomads, remote workers and self-employment, is nationalism or federalism the answer. Perhaps we could be looking to create a borderless world, where the many run the world for the many, not a few running it for a few.

The ‘out’ camp never seems to seek reform or creating an alternative, they seem to just want to abandon ship and run. But what alternative solution are they offering to the EU?

Do the pro-EU people ever to stop to ask ‘what is the EU for?’. If staying in means accepting the EU as it is, then what is the good of that.

Both the in and out camps actually want the same thing under a different wrapper. Both mean control, both mean putting up with the no longer fit for purpose system of party politics and corruption, whether that comes from Westminster or Brussels really makes no difference.

Whether we have the EU or not, whether the UK stays in the EU, or not, is largely an irrelevance if we do not stop to look at what is its purpose. We need to look beyond the EU and creating alternatives.

Globally, we are controlled by a tiny few, the EU is yet another bureaucratic tool there to ensure our compliance with the wishes of the truly powerful.

The EU and all governments simply do what the elite want.

So stay in or opt out, it makes no difference.

Worry more about TTIP, TPP, Monsanto and other global corporations. Worry more about the over-consumption, especially of meat and simply devastating effect it is having on the environment. Worry more about global pharmaceutical companies and their impact on our health. Worry more about the tiny elite who hoard all the power, wealth and resources. Worry about the terror and war they are creating globally to enhance their position and further their total dominance.

Stop worrying whether we are part of a bureaucratic club or not, whether we have rules to decide how big our apples should be or not. Start challenging what the people who really control us are doing and question more the things that matter.

The world needs some alternative systems. The in or out is a like debating IOS or Andriod for your phone, it’s just one OS or another but the same device. The debate could be about a bigger picture, perhaps there is there a different device.