Gerardo E. Martínez-Solanas
Admin
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Re:Participative Democracy - 2005/07/18 05:59
The litmus test for democracy is a free opposition organized in political parties with full access to the media and enjoying freedom of movement, of thought, of opinion and expression, of assembly and association, as well as the right to take part in the government.
These are basic freedoms, essential for a true democracy.
Participatory democracy is an evolved form of representative democracy. Seeking perfection in its natural evolution, democracy creates political and social tools striving to increase citizen participation in public matters. The ideal is to offer political parties and their followers, as well as independent citizens, a political structure that gives them access to forums and other diverse means for debate and decision making at local and national levels.
Any society so structured would be in constant political flux and innovation. Social and economic progress would be self evident, resulting from the common efforts of the participating citizenry.
Castro's Cuba and Mao Zhe Dong's China are a far cry from the description above. They were not Participatory Democracies but ochlocracies.
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FORO / Participative Forum 
