Democracy and Open Space

[Robert.Chaffe at nre.vic.gov.au]

Chris,

Thanks for your thoughts if we refer to a definition of Democracy as a system
where ".............supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by
them..........."  Open Space fills the bill.  Voting is just one way of reaching
a decision.  I would say a quick and dirty way as it is a way that creates a
possibility of looser.  Any outcome that is designed to have loosers cannot by
definition achieve the highest level outcome.

It takes much more effort to reach the highest level agreed decision based on
the BEST outcome for ALL using dialogue.

I believe this is where the "responsibility or commitment" part of the Open
Space process comes in.  If the "people" take the responsibility for their own
"issue/opportunity" they also take on the responsibility to be part of others
contributions.

The question then comes "What is the unique contribution of this work to our
agreed reason for meeting?"  so that the priceless gems are there for all to see
and use.   The next step is devising ways and means so that these gems can be
used to develop the "thinking/action/recommendations etc" to a level beyond what
any of the individual pieces have achieved while at the same time allowing
everyone to agreed that this is the best we can do now.

This I consider to be the high level outcome of a large group working as one,
when it is achieved extraordinary things can and do happen.

When I hear "lets vote" I hear people both wanting to move on as well as people
not willing to spend the time to get everyone to agree and in some cases the
group who think they have the numbers wanting to exert their power.

In the proceedings "We agreed that..........." has more power (for me) than the
fact that "the ........ received the most votes".

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu,
Visit:

http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html