Economic and financial crises, countries' bailouts, popular social and revolutionary movements, terrified authoritarian rulers. Where is the world of the Weberian enlightened elites and of the efficient and convincing leadership? Where is the big debate about whether the political, economic and social developments are products of elite initiatives or of popular mobilization? Are the constituents a sum of clueless individuals or they are politically conscious and their interests worth listening and taking into consideration?
It seems that when things go well, then the political and economic game is seen as a top-down process. When things get worse, then it is considered as being both top-down and bottom up. Take for example Great Britain and the new motto by David Cameron concerning the idea of the "Big Society", the optimistic view of active citizens in this period of public-sector cuts. The idea is that people's creativity and an active civil society is of great importance during those difficult times. The most famous phrase is that "we are all in the same situation, together in front the challenge of the economic crisis" and "we should do our best in order to overcome this difficulty".
Government's trust on the constituents and an active civil society are among the fundamental principles of participative democracy. And if the economic and social crisis in different parts of the world brings forward again the value of participative democracy and the importance of holding politicians accountable for what they do and how they do it, in Greece such a democracy risks to remain in the sphere of dreams. And this because the fear of economic collapse, the fear of being expelled from the eurozone, and the strict IMF directives minimize the space for real interaction between the Greek government and the Greek people.
The British idea of "Big Society" therefore, will not be the model adopted by the Greek government. As it is mentioned in The Economist "Big Society" devolution in a time of austerity is tricky. And I would add that it is trickier in a time of close international supervision, which is the case of Greece today. It is up to the Greek people to adopt this idea. To do in a wider social sphere what they do within their family sphere. It's time to develop the Greek civil society, which will be political, social, economic, environmental etc. To support the already existed one and to create new spaces for action and mobilization. Participation and voluntarism is not loss of time or money; it is important if we want to live in a real democracy and not in a mere "electoracy".
D.S.
It seems that when things go well, then the political and economic game is seen as a top-down process. When things get worse, then it is considered as being both top-down and bottom up. Take for example Great Britain and the new motto by David Cameron concerning the idea of the "Big Society", the optimistic view of active citizens in this period of public-sector cuts. The idea is that people's creativity and an active civil society is of great importance during those difficult times. The most famous phrase is that "we are all in the same situation, together in front the challenge of the economic crisis" and "we should do our best in order to overcome this difficulty".
Government's trust on the constituents and an active civil society are among the fundamental principles of participative democracy. And if the economic and social crisis in different parts of the world brings forward again the value of participative democracy and the importance of holding politicians accountable for what they do and how they do it, in Greece such a democracy risks to remain in the sphere of dreams. And this because the fear of economic collapse, the fear of being expelled from the eurozone, and the strict IMF directives minimize the space for real interaction between the Greek government and the Greek people.
The British idea of "Big Society" therefore, will not be the model adopted by the Greek government. As it is mentioned in The Economist "Big Society" devolution in a time of austerity is tricky. And I would add that it is trickier in a time of close international supervision, which is the case of Greece today. It is up to the Greek people to adopt this idea. To do in a wider social sphere what they do within their family sphere. It's time to develop the Greek civil society, which will be political, social, economic, environmental etc. To support the already existed one and to create new spaces for action and mobilization. Participation and voluntarism is not loss of time or money; it is important if we want to live in a real democracy and not in a mere "electoracy".
D.S.
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