800 years ago, on June 15, King John of England signed the famous contract on power sharing and the rule of law. But the task is far from finished. Yesterday in Switzerland at the ballot box, today in Australia on National Radio and tomorrow at two key events in Brussels, citizens from across the world are continuing the dialogue on old principles, proper procedures and constructive practices. You too can join this conversation!
The world (and humanity) has seen and still manages many great achievements when it comes to democracy – people power. To be sure, there are many and bitter setbacks as well: tragedies, violent conflicts and non-transparent power games. However, in revisiting key principles of modern democracy such as the rule of law and the separation of powers, inspired by today´s 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta, current developments and struggles can be assessed in a historical and global context - and discussions are also being held on how public dialogue (another old principle of democratic thought) can be improved and developed further.
On June 14, Switzerland held one of its popular voting days, offering once again a fascinating insight into how a modern direct democratic polity can deal with complex issues like stem cell research or the structure of a public radio and TV system. In both cases majorities approved reform at the ballot box. And in both cases the popular decisions are not the end point of a conversation but important milestones in a continuous debate in which the citizens themselves are not just consulted but are both agenda-setters and decision-makers.
Birthday debates in Australia
It is perhaps not by accident that the 800th anniversary of the famous Magna Carta is not triggering a big debate "back home" in Britain, where recent elections have once again produced a powerful parliamentary majority out of a weak popular vote, but "down under", in Australia. Here a mix of Westminster polarity, US-style federalism and Swiss-inspired mandatory voting has produced a political system conscious of its great aims but unable to reform itself. But there must be a way forward! The national public service broadcaster has therefore invited all interested citizens to join the conversation on the future of people power in Australia, both on its airwaves and through social media.
But the fundamental ideas of the Magna Carta reach beyond nation states and are now also in the making at the transnational European level. With the most recent reforms to its fundamental treaties, the European Union (EU) has embodied a more modern notion of representative democracy, based on protective, delegative and participatory powers. Art. 11 of the quasi EU constitution thus enshrines the fundamental principle of people power through consultation, dialogue and participation. But, as always, there is some distance to go from the nice ideas to the tough realities.
Join the Brussels conversation
On June 17 the EU is organizing two big forums on various aspects of Art. 11 - at two venues in central Brussels. At 99 Rue Belliard, the seat of the European Economic and Social Committee, stakeholders and interested parties from across Europe will deliberate on the next steps necessary to making transnational civil dialogue work better. You are most welcome to follow this conversation live and to participate online. A few hundred meters away, at 175 Rue de Loi, the European Council - the institution which represents the member states of the EU - is bringing together interested parties to assess what is needed to make the European Citizens´ Initiative a more useful and constructive tool of transnational people power. Since its launch in spring 2012 more than 50 such initiatives have been submitted, but only three of them have made it all the way to the end point, a formal response by the EU Commission. So now the institutions and citizens alike must invest much more brainpower in not letting this historic achievement down - and in revitalizing it dramatically. Once again, you are most welcome to join in directly in this event, by watching and participating - and thereby making your humble contribution to bridging the gap between the great eight centuries old idea and the most advanced features of modern people power in the 21st century.
