Democracy

Believe in Scotland’s Big Indy Poll Results

Stephen Richard — Mon, 25 Oct 2021 08:20:17 +0000

Believe in Scotland’s Big Indy Poll Results

Primary Author or Creator

Believe in Scotland

Stephen Richard Mon, 10/25/2021 - 09:20

Date Published

Sun, 10/17/2021 - 12:00

Category

Democracy

Type of Resource

Opinion poll

Fast Facts

A survey of over 3,000 people indicates opinions that Scotland will have a referendum, that the spring of 2023 is most popular and that the vote will be "yes". Also that the coalition between SNP and Scottish Greens makes the referendum more likely.

Resource Address (URL)

https://www.believeinscotland.org/believe-in-scotlands-big-indy-poll-results/

Keywords

Independence referendum

Political coalitions

Language English

Populism, democracy and a pedagogy of renewal

Stephen Richard — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 18:53:39 +0000

Populism, democracy and a pedagogy of renewal

Primary Author or Creator

Margaret Petrie

Stephen Richard Fri, 09/24/2021 - 19:53

Additional Author(s) / Creators

Callum McGregor, Jim Crowther

Date Published

Thu, 05/23/2019 - 12:00

Category

Education

Democracy

Type of Resource

Academic Paper

Length (Pages, words, minutes etc...)

1mB

Fast Facts

we explore the implications of populism for adult education aimed at defending and extending democratic life. We question the conflation of agonistic democracy with left populism on several grounds, and we consider how a focus on education might help to ground their theory and clarify its ambiguities.

More details

Laclau and Mouffe have long argued the democratic possibilities of ‘left populism’ underpinned by their agonistic critique of liberal democracy. We are currently witnessing the attempted application of their theories by European political parties. However, there remains very little international scholarship taking up the challenge of situating these arguments in the broader literature on the relationship between democracy and education. We argue that this is an urgent task, particularly in the context of populist trends which appear inimical to educational practice. Thus, we explore the implications of populism for adult education aimed at defending and extending democratic life. We question the conflation of agonistic democracy with left populism on several grounds, and we consider how a focus on education might help to ground their theory and clarify its ambiguities. We argue that adult educators can surface aspects of the context which representations of populism on the one hand, and populist representations on the other, often hide. Our argument is illustrated through two vignettes of populist events and the educational problems and opportunities they posed.

International Journal of Lifelong Education, Volume 38, 2019 - Issue 5 Full article behind a paywall

Resource Address (URL)

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02601370.2019.1617798

Keywords

Populism

Democracy

Adult education

Language English

DEMOCRACY MAX A vision for a good Scottish democracy

Stephen Richard — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 10:27:06 +0000

DEMOCRACY MAX A vision for a good Scottish democracy

Primary Author or Creator

Electoral Reform Society

Stephen Richard Mon, 09/13/2021 - 11:27

Alternative Published Date

2013

Category

Democracy

Type of Resource

Policy Paper

Fast Facts

The findings from the People’s Gathering are organised into three broad themes: Sovereignty of the People – How do we return more power to the people? Defending our democracy – How do we stop vested interests having too much influence? How do we write the rules – How do we get the checks and balances our democracy needs?

More details

It is popular to believe in the apathy of the voting public when it comes to politics. It is popular to believe that the man or woman in the street has no interest in deliberative democratic techniques and the case for a written constitution. And a vox pop conducted on those two issues, described in those terms, would almost certainly bear those theories out.

But people are interested in power. They know when they are denied it. They know when decisions are taken not in their interests, but in the interests of powerful lobby groups, or political parties themselves. They know when politicians act in bad faith. The clichés of, “They’re all as bad each other”, or “They’re all in it for themselves”, may do our parliamentarians a disservice, but those sentiments exist because of a real and deep dissatisfaction with modern politics. It cannot be wished away as ignorance, or railing against authority for its own sake.

Traditional representative democracy is faced with failing confidence, and without the people’s confidence it cannot function. That is why it is important to take the opportunity of the independence referendum to talk about a vision for Scotland’s democracy. To argue not just over whether power should lie in Westminster or Holyrood, but how Scotland can strike out and create new ways of exercising power, in partnership with its people. This third phase of the Democracy Max roundtables has been less concerned with long-term structural change than the previous two. Instead it attempts to identify ways of reaching out and widening the scope of, and audience for, this debate. Change will not happen of its own accord. It is hoped that this inquiry will be an important early step in challenging the political system to deliver on the high hopes that voters still hold for democracy in Scotland.

Resource Address (URL)

https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Democracy-Max-A-…

Keywords

Democracy

Political lobbying

Political participation

Sovereignty of the people

Language English

A Citizens’ Assembly for the Scottish Parliament

Stephen Richard — Sat, 04 Sep 2021 09:41:01 +0000

A Citizens’ Assembly for the Scottish Parliament

Primary Author or Creator

Common Weal

Stephen Richard Sat, 09/04/2021 - 10:41

Additional Author(s) / Creators

Sortition Foundation, New Democracy

Alternative Published Date

2020?

Category

Democracy

Type of Resource

Policy Paper

Fast Facts

How should parliament incorporate the public’s voice?

Opinion polls – measuring uncritical, off-the-cuff responses to complicated questions – are shallow at best, misleading at worst, and when amplified by the media and other sources can have a detrimental effect on policy making. Instead of gathering citizens’ opinions, political decisions should be made after garnering citizens’ considered and informed judgement.

This is what a Citizens’ Assembly will do.

The overarching benefit of a Citizens’ Assembly in the Scottish Parliament would be a profound increase in the legitimacy of Scottish laws by providing solid evidence of the considered endorsement by a representative sample of
deliberating Scottish citizens.

More details

― The Citizens’ Assembly would be selected by random sortition – i.e. a random sample of Scottish residents, balanced to reflect the demographics of Scotland.

― This Upper House would be permanent and distinct from any other Citizens’ Assemblies that Scotland could form to discuss either general views or a specific topic.

― Three models of Upper House are discussed. An Advisory Chamber would be the weakest form of Assembly, with the power to scrutinise bills and suggest amendments (in a manner similar to the current Committee system) and to apply censure to the Scottish Parliament or MSPs.

― The next model would be a House of Review similar to the House of Lords where bills could be directly amended or delayed but in most cases not permanently blocked.

― The most powerful Citizens’ Assembly would be a full Senate with the ability not only to amend legislation proposed by the Parliament but to introduce legislation of its own accord (with appropriate caveats).

― Citizens would be paid a rate comparable to MSPs while they sit for a two year term and provisions would be put in place – similar to those in place for juries – to support employers who lose their employee for this period and to assist Assembly members to re-integrate into their previous job when their term ends.

Resource Address (URL)

https://commonweal.scot/policies/a-citizens-assembly-for-the-scottish-parliamen…

Keywords

Citizens Assemblies

Scottish Government

Democracy

Language English

Renew: Six policies that can refresh the Scottish Government’s domestic agenda

Stephen Richard — Sat, 04 Sep 2021 09:26:21 +0000

Renew: Six policies that can refresh the Scottish Government’s domestic agenda

Primary Author or Creator

Common Weal

Stephen Richard Sat, 09/04/2021 - 10:26

Date Published

Fri, 05/26/2017 - 12:00

Category

Democracy

Scottish government

Type of Resource

Policy Paper

Fast Facts

This paper proposes six policy ways to renew the Scottish Government’s domestic agenda through fresh and eye-catching policy transformation after 10 years in power at Holyrood.

More details

The Scottish Government has been in power for ten years. It has also just faced an election in which there were some clear signs of discontent about the risk of stagnation and a perceived lack of ambition.

All governments must renew themselves if they wish to remain relevant; the Scottish Government is no exception. It swept to power in a swell of optimism and has, until now, strengthened and consolidated its position by continuing to talk the language of hope and progress.

However, people may be beginning to question whether there has been sufficient progress to sustain their hope. The Scottish Government requires an eye-catching refreshed agenda to persuade them that their hope remains well placed. Common Weal has been publishing policy papers on domestic policy throughout this parliament and has built up a suite of well researched and popular proposals.

This short paper proposes six ‘collections’ of policies that the Scottish Government should embrace and pursue as a way to let Scotland know its ambition has not dimmed and its radicalism remains in place.

1: Create a Scottish National Investment Bank and use it to finance an era of green reindustrialisation.

2: Build the homes and infrastructure that people need and rebuild the town centres they deserve.

3: Create a world-class childcare system.

4: Take democracy seriously and give more power to citizens.

5: Send out the right signals.

Resource Address (URL)

https://commonweal.scot/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Renew-Six-policies-that-can-…

Keywords

Scottish National Investment Bank

Language English

Data Protection and Democracy

Stephen Richard — Sat, 04 Sep 2021 09:12:51 +0000

Data Protection and Democracy

Primary Author or Creator

Peter Ryan

Stephen Richard Sat, 09/04/2021 - 10:12

Date Published

Mon, 08/06/2018 - 12:00

Category

Democracy

Type of Resource

Policy Paper

Fast Facts

Examination of the expansion of data collection and its use as a tool for the manipulation of elections.

Several recommendations are made which will help safeguard our democracy against unfair or malicious influence from companies or foreign states.

More details

― There should be a ban on political advertising on social media that is funded by individuals or organisations based outwith the electoral area (e.g. political advertising in Scottish elections should be funded only by organisations and individuals within Scotland).

― All political donations should be fully traceable and there should be a cap on donations made by any individual or organisation in a single year or single democratic event.

― The costs of directly employed staff working on election and referendum campaigns should count towards campaigning body political spending.

― All campaign materials should carry an imprint showing who funded the material. Election spending returns should include more detailed information about advertising spending.

― All social media campaign material should be registered with the Electoral Commission and publicly displayed on a library of such material alongside data on where it was posted and how it was targeted. This will allow those who were not targeted by this material to see it and to allow voters to see who holds their data and how it was being used.

― The fines for breaching election campaign rules are far too low – to the point of being easily “costed in” to deliberate breaches. The cost of breaches should exceed the benefit of doing so, up to and including disbarring candidates from office and re-running elections or referendums.

Resource Address (URL)

https://commonweal.scot/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Data-Protection-and-Democrac…

Keywords

Data protection

Elections

Political advertising

political donations

Election spending

Election campaign rules

Language English

Development Councils: A Proposal For A New System Of Local Democracy In Scotland

Stephen Richard — Sat, 04 Sep 2021 08:58:05 +0000

Development Councils: A Proposal For A New System Of Local Democracy In Scotland

Primary Author or Creator

Robin McAlpine

Stephen Richard Sat, 09/04/2021 - 09:58

Additional Author(s) / Creators

Robin McAlpine Linda Pearson, Craig Dalzell

Date Published

Wed, 10/31/2018 - 12:00

Category

Democracy

Type of Resource

Policy Paper

Fast Facts

Common Weal held a series of in-depth discussions with a wide range of individuals and organisations working in local democracy and community development based on an outline plan for a new tier of local democracy in Scotland. The outline plan was then revised and adapted on the basis of the comments received during those conversations. This is the final proposal.

More details

― Scotland is almost unique in Europe for not having a truly local level of government. What we currently call our Local Authorities are equivalent to a European Regional Government.

― The Community Councils we have instead of local government are essentially powerless and in many places are dysfunctional or non-existent (though excellent examples of Community Councils do exist)

― We propose a system of local government that draws from the best examples of Community Councils and Development Trusts to create what we are calling “Development Councils”

― Wholesale reform of local government is possible with the powers of devolution but disentangling governance systems – especially IT and data systems – would be costly and complex.

― A compromise solution is to create a system of municipal governments at a local level but enable them to “pull down” powers from the renamed Regional Authorities upon request. Civil servants responsible for administering those powers would then speak to the Development Council.

― The size and boundaries of the Development Councils would be determined by local residents taking into account of population size and historic community.

― The Councils would be elected on fixed terms and would be governed and directed by an annual Citizens’ Assembly of residents of their constituency.

― Development Councils should be fully funded and given local tax raising powers. An illustrative budget for several communities in Scotland is given as an example.

Resource Address (URL)

https://commonweal.scot/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Development-Councils.pdf

Keywords

Language English

Development councils a proposal for a new system of local democracy in Scotland

Stephen Richard — Sun, 15 Aug 2021 16:43:49 +0000

Development councils a proposal for a new system of local democracy in Scotland

Primary Author or Creator

Common Weal

Stephen Richard Sun, 08/15/2021 - 17:43

Additional Author(s) / Creators

Robin McAlpine, Linda Pearson, Craig Dalzell

Date Published

Wed, 10/31/2018 - 12:00

Category

Democracy

Type of Resource

Policy Paper

Fast Facts

Scotland has the worst degree of local democracy in Europe. To correct this, Scotland should create a new tier of local democracy at the community level. The size and shape of each new democratic area should be defined by communities themselves through a participatory process. Each area should then be represented by a Development Council, elected by every member of the community aged 16 or above.

More details

Scotland is almost unique in Europe for not having a truly local level of government. What we currently call our Local Authorities are equivalent to a European Regional Government. The Community Councils we have instead of local government are essentially powerless and in many places are dysfunctional or non-existent (though excellent examples of Community Councils do exist).

We propose a system of local government that draws from the best examples of Community Councils and Development Trusts to create what we are calling “Development Councils”. Wholesale reform of local government is possible with the powers of devolution but disentangling governance systems – especially IT and data systems – would be costly and complex. A compromise solution is to create a system of municipal governments at a local level but enable them to “pull down” powers from the renamed Regional Authorities upon request. Civil servants responsible for administering those powers would then speak to the Development Council. The size and boundaries of the Development Councils would be determined by local residents taking into account of population size and historic community. The Councils would be elected on fixed terms and would be governed and directed by an annual Citizens’ Assembly of residents of their constituency. Development Councils should be fully funded and given local tax raising powers.

Resource Address (URL)

https://commonweal.scot/policies/development-councils-a-proposal-for-a-new-syst…

Keywords

Language English

Better than This

Stephen Richard — Sat, 31 Jul 2021 07:25:57 +0000

Better than This

Primary Author or Creator

Common Weal

Stephen Richard Sat, 07/31/2021 - 08:25

Alternative Published Date

2021

Category

Type of Resource

Policy Paper

Fast Facts

Resilient Recovery. We must emerge from the Covid pandemic in a way that fixes the problems raised by the crisis, fixes the problems evident before the crisis and makes us resilient; a green new deal; a new democracy; a national care service; Land reform; housing revolution; Controlling our own energy; better banking; and a focus on independence,.to future crisis like the climate emergency.

More details

KEY POINTS

― Resilient Recovery. We must emerge from the Covid pandemic in a way that fixes the problems raised by the crisis, fixes the problems evident before the crisis and makes us resilient to future crisis like the climate emergency. Based on our Resilience series.

― Green New Deal. Averting the climate emergency means more than just hitting a “net zero” target. It is also about making our economies sustainable in so many other ways and doing so in a way that reduces inequality and hardship. Based on Our Common Home Plan.

― A New Democracy. Scotland is the least locally democratic country in Europe and the institutions of our Government are frayed and strained in many places. We should develop a functioning system of local democracy, a Citizens’ Chamber to oversee Parliament and improve transparency at all levels of government.

― A National Care Service. Scotland needs a National Care Service that matches the ambition of the National Health Service, that is fully publicly owned, free at the point of need and can offer full training and proper pay to all staff. See our papers on the impact of Covid on Care Homes, our submission to the Feeley Review, the Manifesto for an NCS and our proposals to reform Social Work.

― Land Reform. Fewer than 500 people own half of Scotland. 700,000 acres are owned by tax haven companies. We can’t build our rural economies or fight climate change if we can’t access the land under our feet. Land Reform must happen now. See our Land Reform Week for more information.

― Housing Revolution. Scotland’s housing sector is badly broken. We don’t build anywhere near enough social housing, which allows private rents to skyrocket. The houses we do build are cold and expensive to heat, we can’t access the land to build them at affordable rates and the way we tax buildings is based on valuations more than a quarter of a century out of date.

― Taking Control of Our Energy. Scotland’s potential for renewable energy generation is world-leading but we aren’t yet making the best of it. Common Weal has produced a wealth of papers on the changes that need to happen to reach that potential.

― Better Banking. Scottish communities were being cut off from banking and basic financial services even before the pandemic. This trend has only accelerated. Without those services, local economies cannot function and the communities are soon left behind. We have a blueprint for a publicly-owned, mutually-controlled bank that could support all communities in Scotland.

And finally, the next Parliament will almost certainly see the topic of independence intensify. Everything we’ve suggested above can be at least started using the powers of devolution but to complete the job – especially the Green New Deal – Scotland will need to become independent and will need to do it right. Should the government in Westminster seek to oppose an independence referendum, then we must have a plan to make one happen regardless.

Resource Address (URL)

https://commonweal.scot/policies/better-than-this/

Keywords

Coronavirus Support

Scottish Independence

Housing

National Care Service

Housing

Green new deal

Climate Emergency

Language English