[bestbits] Re: [be US Is an Oligarchy Not a Democracy, says Scientific Study

[Mike Godwin (mgodwin@INTERNEWS.ORG)]

Michael Gurstein writes:

 "It is to my mind quite bizarre to equate democracy with governmentalism…"

Indeed, it would be bizarre to me too. That’s why I distinguished them rather than equating them.

"The question is its relation to democratic practices i.e. substituting decision making by the few and self-selected for decision making by the many operating through accountable and transparent processes.”

My reference to Laura DeNardis centers on her having addressed precisely the issue of where and when democratic processes best serve internet governance. I don’t endorse all of her views, but she brings nuance to issues that cannot easily be addressed by appeal to universals, much as I’m temperamentally inclined to do the latter.


—Mike


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