Campaign For Real Democracy

Plans for future activities ...

1. The CRD Manifesto project has been moved to a more accessible place here - feel free to contribute!

2. The next CRD (Campaign for Real Democracy) meeting will be held by Webinar. At the last meeting, held at Host Universal on the 2nd December Rikki Blue kindly flimed the proceedings which we hope to have on line in the next month or so. This followed two successful meetings at Passing Clouds in Hackney.

3. Two short, delighful films made by Baraka about the campaign have been made. You can see the films here and here

4. For further updates and info on the campaign, please visit People in Common

People always ask what is meant by 'real democracy'. I will attempt to answer the question from two basic starting points:

(1) Real Democracy in Organisation. Small groups of people who meet regularly and convivially together, to make decisions face-to-face and with a deep respect for every person involved show us the way, through an emphasis on equality. Likewise, communities work best when they are really democratic, because everyone gets an equal share in power. So, the first aspect of our campaign will be to encourage democratic decision making in the communities that we come across, including the 21st Century Network!

(2) Real Democracy in Society Starting with this basic truth about the need for equality in actual decision making, it becomes clear that modern society is far from democratic. This is unsurprising because real democracy is not about elections, in fact, it works best when there are no elections at all. It is our view that in order for our constitution to be worthy of the name 'democracy', it will need to be organised on substantially different lines to the present model.

So far, CRD meetings and on-line discussions have identified the following priorities:

(1) attracting the wider population to join a movement for real democracy and civil society
(2) offering advice / support / encouragement / materials to individuals and groups on how to start a CRD in their local area
(3) advocating for members who have the aim of a really democratic civil society / progress / cultural transformation in mind
(4) equalising the relationship between civil society, state and market in the public's mind, and in structural arrangements
(5) making international connections and using the web / social networking / tech to the best effect

Real democracy can be effectively applied in and to any group. Usually people will be more than willing to have a say, while they may be rarely given the chance. One interesting conceptual framework for all this is Henri Lebfevre's "The Right to the City". This has been described as the "collective right to shape the city to your own hearts' desire, and be changed oneself as a result".

Here are the Minutes from our first CRD Meeting.doc

And the second one...23rd July CRD Minutes.wps

Come to one of our meetings if:

1. You think there are a few people in your area who might want to run their own affairs in a really democratic way (for convenience we're defining 'local area' using council wards - http://en.wikipedia.o...
2 .You've experienced something you think is real democracy-in-action (in organisations like the climate camp) and want to see it spread
3. You'd like to see your area or your group become democratic but don't really know anyone else that thinks the same or even what real democracy might look like.
4. You want to find ways to join up the campaigns.

Also, come to the next Big Democracy Picnic, details tbc.

If you wish to join our wide ranging email discussion forum, please do so at Project 2012 or to join the low-traffic, dedicated CRD list, pls email james@dogmanet.org

Mark Barrett
(Campaign For Real Democracy Coordinator)

You can join our CRD Social Action Group Here http://21stcenturynet...