Democracy Begins with

the People

Democracy

1. Democracy RULE BY PEOPLE! In Ancient Greece people would vote on issues in the square (Direct Democracy). Today, populations (and distance) is too great to do so, so…We elect individuals to make decisions on our behalf. (Representative Democracy)

• Making government responsive to our needs is important.

2. Influencing Government Contact one’s Member of Parliament (MP),

Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA), or local representative, which can be very effective.

Contact civil servants Writing letters to the editor, emailing,

blogging, or participating in radio phone-in shows also help citizens communicate their thoughts and ideas about government.

Participate in a special interest groups or non-governmental organization (NGO)

3. Pressure Groups

Special interest groups organize to influence government policies and decisions.

They are made up of people who share a certain viewpoint and want to promote their common interest.

Institutionalized pressure groups (well established/have formal organizations) ie. the Assembly of First Nations, Greenpeace, National Council of Women, Free the Children

Issue-oriented groups (less permanent, accomplish limited aims, disband after accomplishing aim)

Lobbyists and the Public Interest Lobbyists are people paid to try to influence key

decision makers, such as high-level bureaucrats in the public service or politicians.

Paid lobbyists get contracts from the companies or groups they serve (ie. Tobacco companies).

The danger with lobbying is that insiders can persuade governments to put in place policies that are not necessarily in the public interest.

Environmental lobby groups are one of the largest special interest groups in Canada.

(watch- Thank You For Smoking movie clip)Thank You For Smoking Movie (1/9) – YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kWt2V8ukvM

4. The Role of the Media

People often try to get media attention for a cause or to enhance their political profile.

Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter have become the new form of public media.

Traditional media or mass media (tv, radio, magazines, newspapers) are still very important.

They give politicians the chance to establish a presence in people’s lives.

The media also provide feedback that lets politicians know how citizens feel about issues and government programs.

For politicians, media are both a blessing and a curse. They give candidates wide exposure but also magnify their faults.

Blogs and other forms of reporting are just as important as the mainstream media.

Civil Disobedience

Civil disobedience is the act of intentionally breaking the law while protesting laws one considers unjust.

Examples: Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Nelson Mandela

Both Gandhi and King embraced non-violent civil disobedience in their quest for justice, both died for their cause. Mandela resorted to violence only as a last resort after many years of peaceful protests with no progress.

Civil disobedience is warranted only when the law itself causes significant harm.

6. CLAYOQUOT SOUND, BC

Opposition to clear-cut logging lead to the largest civil disobedience in Canadian history in 1993.

Protesters organized blockades, “sit-downs” to prevent loggers from entering the forest.

More than 750 people were arrested.