David Cameron: The next age of government

[Dodeca]

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In the past governments were top down controlled because the public did not have information to implement big changes where as only the government could handle them, but know thanks to the internet information is no long expensive to gather and can be used effectively by the individual through peer pressure/cooperation.

How about it INTJ's Do you see any flaws/hiccups along the way. Example Mob mentality.

[Arkeph]

I think there were a few things left out which don't support the idea that information technology is going to transform politics, of which the biggest is the fact that political systems which are most in need of change are the most likely to actively defend themselves against it, even using the technologies which are most threatening.

Also critical is the fact that the power of information is determined by its quantity, its quality, and the quality of the analysis. It is the latter, of course, which is the sticking point. Why is the average person (who is supposedly empowered by IT) as ignorant as ever? Part of the reason is that people, by and large, are incompetent at interpreting or retaining facts, let alone statistics. Another part is that they are largely uninterested in seeking information, and instead rely on others to deliver it, often in a highly-filtered and distorted form.

I don't have any doubt that information technology can do what Cameron hopes it will, but whether it does depends on how people treat their newfound power. I personally think we'll see a lot of good come from information in the future, but it will be joined by a number of problems, including political ones.

[Mader]

I think the internet completely changes the game

[Hamburglar]

There are two contradictory themes that are pervasive in American (perhaps British) politics. "

"The government is the problem, not the solution"-People
"The people are the problem, not the solution"-Government

I think if we could reverse that, we'd be a lot better off. I'm all for empowering people, but only through the filter of Government. State's like Oregon have pioneered this effort to develop broad based community outreach/participation programs that get the pulse of what is needed/wanted and government comes back and says to them what is feasible/unfeasible. So if Mr. Cameron is indeed talking about a Public/Private governing coalition then he's on the right track. But just because people are informed doesn't make them qualified to run a government/bureaucracy. For instance, I've been informed on how to fly a 747 by Microsoft Flight Simulator-but who would you trust to land your plane: Me or Sully Sullenberg? But just because I'm not a pilot does not mean that I cannot work with Pilots to create flight safety regulations, right? :)

[merid]

To be honest I thought that David Cameron was trying too hard to woo the masses that Gordon Brown has primed up with benefits. Therefore I tend to disbelieve that he is really proposing a coalition.