From diversity to legitimacy

How can these problems be addressed? The answer lies not in the traditional democratic process, nor in parliamentary or presidential systems of government.

The root of the problem lies in the choices that voters are able to make, and how these are converted into actual policies. This is the basic issue that any solution must grapple with.

Part I suggested that the rise of a multitude of small parties will undermine democratic legitimacy.

And as this legitimacy is lost a replacement will be required, building on new forms of organisation.

But when speaking of the crisis of democracy, it is useful to note that it is representative democracy, in its different variations, to which this applies.

The Ancient Greek model of participative democracy still remains as an alternative.

In the present, this is generally taken to mean the Swiss model of governance, with multitudes of referendums. But this model fails to address the basic point that the central government which remains a requirement will still come to lack legitimacy. And the holding of constant referendums on every issue that comes along is not particularly desirable or feasible as an alternative source of legitimacy.

But there is a get out. The Swiss model of participation fails to make the most of the new technological opportunities of the internet era.

These have created the capability for a new mechanism which will bind participation to the state.

When the cause of the legitimacy 'problem' lies in the growth of microparties then the answer lies in micropolicies and microgovernance to match them.

The idea of a personalised state is not a new one. But so far it has been limited to the individual application of a specific government policy.

The solution to the legitimacy crisis is to take this one big step further. It will be the individual application of any policy or policy framework a citizen wishes, from any party or microparty which wishes to put them forward.

This is a challenge to the existing concept of the state, delivering identical policies to its citizens across the country.

But in fact it is a reinterpretation of an old model of governance, re-enabled by the internet and reimagined for the modern world.

The internet may be the key enabler of the legitimacy crisis, but it is also the platform for providing the solution.