Digital government and political engagement

I came across a great item about House of Commons Speaker John Bercow starting a project to see if democracy could be run more effectively in a digital era.


Specifically, he is trying to find out how "parliamentary democracy in the United Kingdom can embrace the opportunities afforded by the digital world to become more effective in representing the people, making laws, scrutinising the work and performance of government..."

Music to the ears for any G and P student contemplating reform of the British democratic system in Unit 1.

Wired has a report about it here, and the interesting point made is that the way people relate to government and politics today is largely the same that generations of voters would have been used to. Voting still has to be done on pieces of paper several times per decade:

I may now be able to look at a tweeted picture of George Osborne as he signs off the budget, or sign an e-petition that may (no promises) be debated in the House of Commons, but the basic ways that I can express my consent, pick and influence my representatives would be familiar to generations of Brits who have never heard of Facebook. 

Wikipedia is getting in on the act too, and in fact has set up a project here. I would encourage students to get involved.

The Commission's web page can be found here.

I can forsee a future class project!