Governing From the BottomUp: Democracy in Transition

1
GoverningFrom the Bottom-UpDemocracy in
Transition

• GOVIS Conference
• Donald G. Lenihan
• Crossing Boundaries
• May 10 2007

2
Context

• Who and what is Crossing Boundaries?
• The book and the conference
• Book available free at www.crossingboundaries.ca
• My role with the Province of New Brunswick

3
Overview

• The conventional model of governance
• Why we need a new model
• Elements of a new model and how they work
• Conclusion

4
Conventional model of governance

• Governance is about decision making
• Saying the conventional model of governance is
  top-down means it is
• closed, centralized and hierarchical
• treats the public as passive consumers of
  government policies and programs
• This was fine in an agricultural/industrial,
  slower moving, less connected world

5
Where are we now?

• Today, we live in a highly-educated, global,
  fast-moving, information society where
• people want more input
• complexity and the pace of change require a
  different kind of response
• public goals require social change
• Governing from the bottom-up means
• opening up the process by engaging the public
  more
• How do we do it?

6
Elements of a new model

• Four elements can be combined to form a powerful
  new governance model for the 21st century
• a new framework for engagement
• new internet-based tools
• seeing government more as an enabler, partner and
  facilitator
• a community approach

7
The engagement continuum

• Voice ? Decision ? Action

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Action through community initiativesStage 3
engagement

• Neighborhood Watch
• Literacy programs
• Community economic development initiatives
• Environmental initiatives
• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Sports leagues
• Rotary clubs, church groups

9
Political Challenges

• Seeing government as a facilitator, enabler and
  partner means realigning traditional roles
• Political leadership must be willing to change
  the rules of the game
• Public services should be getting ready by
  developing the new tools and skills that will be
  needed (next slide)
• The public must be willing to assume new
  responsibilities

10
Technology Challenges

• We have new tools list-serves, websites, blogs,
  YouTube, Facebook, wikisand this is only the
  beginning
• How can use them to
• Enhance public debate
• Facilitate deliberative dialogue
• Make collaboration possible
• Build new relationships (communities of interest)

11
Conclusion

• Summary
• a new framework for engagement
• community-directed processes
• new internet-based tools
• government as an enabler
• These four elements can be combined to form a
  powerful new governance model that makes the
  public ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS in governance