[governance] IGF review

[Milton L Mueller]

George
The problem is that rights and freedoms ARE development issues. It is no accident that the countries with the most liberal telecom policies (going back to 1890) have the most developed infrastructures and that the countries with the most liberal content regulation policies are the ones with the strongest content industries. 

Internet facilitates economic and social development precisely because it enables decentralized, bottom-up initiative. True, this won't magically create oodles of investment capital that will suddenly allow, say, the South Sudan to instantly attain the infrastructures and income levels of Denmark. But in that regard, there are a lot of socio-economic development issues that have almost nothing to do with Internet, such as whether one has stable, legitimate institutions, peace, etc. 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: George Sadowsky [mailto:george.sadowsky at attglobal.net]
> Sent: Sunday, May 24, 2009 12:43 PM
> To: governance at lists.cpsr.org; Michael Gurstein; 'McTim'
> Cc: 'BAUDOUIN SCHOMBE'
> Subject: RE: [governance] IGF review
> 
> Michael,
> 
> Thanks for an interesting perspective.
> 
> Bill Drake has put forward the notion that we should look at Internet
> governance through a strong development lens, as opposed to some of
> the other lenses that seem to be used, such as fundamental rights or
> power.  I think this would be a major step forward, and it would
> benefit more the countries that are Internet-poor.
> 
> However, the current forces driving the IGF, partially through the
> MAG, are centered upon U.S. control, ICANN, and Internet rights.
> Granted that there are issues there, they serve to sidetrack what I
> think is a fundamental question:  What are the levers within Internet
> governance that would make a real difference to people in
> Internet-poor countries by enhancing their economic and social
> development, and how can they be used?  the current questions
> attracting attention only deal with this question peripherally, if at
> all.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> George
> 
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