Internet Democracy Project "For the first time in human history, we have the means to create a virtual democracy, to test it, and to make it real--both locally and globally. At any level of organization, we can model a currently existing democracy, reform the model, and modify the reforms through a highly participative public discourse. We could even vote the reforms into law by a teledemocratic ballot... " In effect, we are capable of planting a seed, nourishing its growth, and--with its full flowering--of transforming the entire world's political and economic structure--all within the span of time it takes to give birth to a single human child. " --from Creative Democracy and The Internet (1995) by Will Foreman Are you interested in learning more about the future of democracy and in the feeling of being in a "cutting edge" community? If so, the Internet Democracy Project (IDP) may be of interest to you. The IDP is a set of experiments in both local and global democracy that are proposed by The Center for the Evolution of Democracy. The Project is designed: (1) first and foremost, to promote the well-being of human beings and of our planetary ecosystem, (2) to test the feasibility of establishing local and global democratic organizations using the Internet as a communications medium for building community and for political decision-making, and (3) to improve through practice The Universal Model--a model constitution designed to be transportable to all levels of human organization. This model was created to provide a more appropriate constitutional basis for human-centered systems in the 21st century. The Nature of the Project At The Center for the Evolution of Democracy we believe that the Internet offers one of the most significant opportunities for an expansion of democracy since the collapse of apartheid, the Stalinist system, and other such authoritarian structures that bit the dust in the 80's and early 90's. We think the time to begin developing Internet-facilitated local and global democracy is now--before undemocratic forces solidify control of the Internet on behalf of narrow, special or national interests. To those who fear censorship and inefficient bureaucracy, our suggested model is designed to ensure the fullest freedom of speech and of content for the Internet that is consistent with both authentic, non-bureaucratic democracy and with the further evolution of a healthy human species. We are not proposing a "revolutionary takeover" of the Internet or any portion of it--something that, in any case, would be impossible for a genuinely democratic organization. Nor do we envision a structure that would replace other organizations. Rather, we would like to see new, democratic communities springing up everywhere and joining with one another to create a new, more democratic culture for the Third Millennium--and a global, political complement to the Internet and to the nondemocratic, international organizations we now have. We would like to see further improvement in the Internet, especially in reaching out to those who are looking for a new type of community and to those who have not yet been able to afford access to the Internet. We are suggesting the formation of democratic organizations whose rapid but considered decisions would carry moral authority--because they would genuinely represent the needs and will of communities of users, and potential users, of the Internet.

We suggest that communities in the Internet Democracy Project consider an initial focus on the governance of the Internet itself. At present the Internet is managed by an ad hoc assemblage of government agencies, private corporations, and nonprofit organizations. "Responsible self-governance," says Internet Society President Donald Heath, "is the key factor in assuring that the Internet will reach its fullest potential." CED believes that "responsible [and stable] self-governance" is (1) fully democratic in nature, (2) inclusive of all affected parties, and (3) based on rules that effectively prevent special interests from controlling the agenda and/or other decision-making that belongs to fairly elected representatives acting on behalf of the whole community. While the early creators and ad hoc interests that have given birth to the Internet and the World Wide Web deserve our profound gratitude, the further growth and development

of the Internet ought to be democratically crafted in the common interests of the global community. To that end, CED proposes both local and global, Internet-based, democratic self-government for the Internet itself and for all its public sectors, including the World Wide Web, based on The Universal Model--the model for democratic decision-making most suitable to the age of global communications. See also Creative Democracy and the Internet. This proposal would not prevent the development of other, perhaps global, inter-networks that may not be democratically governed. It is only designed to ensure that there will be at least one locally and globally accessible network that will be democratically operated in the interests of all of humanity.

This project is an interactive, community-building process that is dependent on constructive input from all interested visitors and the CED staff. We invite your comments and suggestions, and especially your participation in making this a successful step forward in the evolution of an authentically democratic world.

As The Internet Democracy Project (IDP) gets underway, we will need volunteers, participants, and donors. Among other things, for example, new communities will need new websites, web managers, programmers, linguists and translators--and of course, operating funds.

If you are interested in contributing to the development of this project at any level, and/or in becoming a virtual citizen and participant in a local or global democratic community, please indicate so in your answers to the Political Survey listed on CED's Index Page or by sending us an email message at contact@cedemocracy.org. When virtual communities begin to operate, you will probably be asked to select a user name and password for access to the new websites.

Responding to the questions in the brief political survey helps us to provide readers with information about the political views of other visitors to this website. Communities of individuals with particular interests and/or values--consistent with the model constitution--will be able to find one another through this project. Survey results will be published and updated periodically. Completing the survey questionnaire also qualifies the reader to receive periodic bulletins from The Center for the Evolution of Democracy. These bulletins will contain information about the progress of the Internet Democracy Project and other activities of The Center as well as news from communities that have joined the Project.

This page will be periodically updated with comments, information sent to CED from visitors and participants in the IDP, and with columns devoted to particular communities and to the overall progress of the Project.