Democracy is like clay: it moulds itself to the times

How is government to deal with all these vociferous citizens shouting from the sidelines? First of all: with pleasure, rather than suspicion. Because behind all the anger, both online and off, there is also something positive: involvement. It is a gift, even if wrapped in barbed wire. Indifference would be much worse. Secondly: by learning to let go. By not trying to take everything off the citizens’ hands. The citizen is neither a customer nor a child. At the start of this third millennium, relationships are much more horizontal.

The above are translated excerpts from David Van Reybrouck’s Against Elections (2014). David Van Reybrouck is a Belgian historian and founder of the G1000 Citizens’ Summit. He will be on the BBC Daily Politics Soapbox on Thursday, 30 October 2014 to discuss these ideas.

 



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