| A petition is a list of names, usually with | | | | in the First Amendment to the US Constitution |
| signatures, that are collected together to show a | | | | gave all people the right to petition the |
| support for an idea or decision. Petitions like these | | | | government for all matters pertaining to the |
| are used in order to show those with power | | | | 'redress of grievances'. This extends to the right |
| relating to the issue that a large selection of | | | | to file lawsuits against the government. In Victoria, |
| people feel strongly about a certain issue. The | | | | Australia women's suffrage even took the form |
| petition in this way suggests that there will be a | | | | of a successful petition which won a vital victory |
| large amount of opposition or dissatisfaction | | | | for women's rights. |
| should the controlling party decide to act against | | | | Today the use of petitions is common place in |
| the wishes of those on the list. Petitions have | | | | politics, a recent and well-known example being |
| been around for a long, long time and can be used | | | | the 2003 recall election in California that resulted in |
| for almost any matter be it political or just a bit | | | | Arnold Schwarzenegger's governorship which |
| of fun. They have the power to change the | | | | occurred after he U.S. Representative Darrell Issa |
| course of history, facilitate democracy and sway | | | | gathered millions of signatures to bring about the |
| gigantic decisions, or just to force producers to | | | | election. Petitions are now used more casually too |
| release the musical score from Transformers on | | | | however, and can be sent to television and film |
| CD. | | | | producers to request storylines or DVD releases, |
| Like so many things, petitions were perhaps used | | | | or to music producers. Petitions are also common |
| earliest in China during the pre-modern imperial | | | | in offices and schools to make changes to the |
| era. Here petitions were sent to an 'Office of | | | | internal workings of these smaller organisations |
| Transmission' where they would be read aloud to | | | | and are encouraged in schools as a way to teach |
| the emperor. Petitions could be sent by anyone | | | | children the fundamentals of politics. |
| from officials to peasants giving Imperial China an | | | | With the advent of the internet and today's large |
| element of democracy ahead of its time. This | | | | amount of connectivity, petitions far more quickly |
| system also court on in England during the 18th | | | | and easily be created for minor grievances and |
| and 19th centuries where petitions served a | | | | for fun. Facebook has seen the birth of thousands |
| popular form of protest and request in the British | | | | of petitions where joining a 'Facebook group' |
| House of Commons. The most famous of these | | | | indicates support for matters as small as which |
| was the People's Charter in 1838, which stipulated | | | | soap characters should be brought back or |
| that every man should get a vote (at the age of | | | | cancelled and as large as ending genocide in |
| 21 at the time), that he should get to use a ballot, | | | | Burma. Unlike traditional petitions these are not |
| that parliaments would be annual and that the | | | | 'sent' anywhere but act more as a way of raising |
| constituencies should be able to secure the | | | | issues and venting frustrations. Joke petitions are |
| correct amount of representation and choose | | | | also common online with titles such as 'Chuck |
| who represented them and who made up their | | | | Norris for President' (we can only dream). With a |
| number. Eventually, through four separate | | | | petition, anyone has the power to be heard and |
| petitions in total, the charter was successful and in | | | | every vote counts; and as connectivity and |
| this way petitions lay the foundation of | | | | democracy grows our ability to have a say on |
| democracy in Britain. In the US the 'Petition Clause' | | | | policy changing issues is only going to increase. |