Book Description

The general public has a love-hate relationship with government. There are high expectations regarding the delivery of government services and programs, with the creation and enforcement of laws and with the management of the economy. After all, government policy is the most important factor affecting the wellbeing of society. But few people have confidence in the political process and with the ability of government to meet the expectations of society. Since the economic fallout from the Great Recession of 2008/09 the approval ratings of many governments have reached new lows. Many political landscapes have become much more ideologically polarized. So why do most voters repeatedly find themselves disappointed with the performance of government?The answer can be found with the structure of government. A close examination of existing political systems reveals numerous intrinsic flaws that pervert the process of policymaking. Democratic governments are dependent on the views of the electorate when developing policy; but the universe is a very complicated place. Most people develop simplistic perceptions on policy matters because they have limited knowledge and they underestimate the complexity of the logistical issues. Few people have the resources, the expertise and the time to properly analyze even one policy matter out of the numerous areas of government responsibility. Furthermore, voters and politicians are subject to numerous emotional biases. There are many special interest groups that are more focused on achieving their own objectives than those of society. The existing systems of democracy are adversarial and encourage the various players to distort political dialogue. These factors and others undermine the ability of governments to efficiently address many vital policy issues. The inevitable policy failures that follow greatly diminish the quality of life. 'The Socially Efficient Government and Intelligent Democracy' examines these issues in detail and offers a blueprint for a new, innovative policymaking process that would be more efficient at designing and implementing public policy. The new political system, referred to as 'Intelligent Democracy', would significantly reduce the biases inherent in existing systems of government (including ideologies and special interests) and would better utilize the knowledge and proficiency of highly qualified experts. At the same time, the new political process would improve transparency and accountability. Everyone would have the opportunity to participate in the policymaking process in a meaningful way. The general public would have greater confidence that government policy is based on the appropriate considerations and on a rational analysis. Social tensions would be reduced and the enormous social and economic benefits would grow and accumulate over time. Intelligent Democracy offers a political system that, for the first time in history, has the potential to realize the aspirations of society. Some of the analysis in this book involves a few terms and concepts that are somewhat unfamiliar to most people (mainly in chapter 2). However, the subject matter has been written in a manner that is reasonably easy for anyone to follow. This book should be considered essential reading for anyone who would consider voting in an election.