Page 32 - Enabling National Initiatives to Take Democracy Beyond Elections

Can we get citizens to think in depth and not act on self-interest and opinion? Yes. We are confident we can help by creating incentives for citizens to explore issues in the same depth you do, with the purpose of having them reach a point where a real mix of people of all ages and backgrounds can stand behind a common ground position - which helps you act on a tough policy problem. Our vision of success is that governments from Left or Right can announce policies which contain tough decisions, but we reach a point as a society where the involvement of the rest of the population has sufficient depth and transparency that the tough decision is accepted. So, there’s one reason to do this. Done well, a diverse mix of everyday people will be willing to stand next to those in government and advocate for a decision. If you can accept that you are better off sharing a problem rather than trying to sell a single solution, then this approach can work well for you. 30 A Project of the UN Democracy Fund (UNDEF)