17 Jun 11
After a major default that turned the country inside out, Iceland is in a soul searching mood and decided to prevent the fact cat mentality that allowed the country to bust.
In a move that surely will be decried and derided by some democracy lovers a new form of Constitution with direct (how direct I can't really tell) participation of the people (a fraction of, that is) is being written as a type these words:
http://www.frumforum.com/icelands-constitution-2-0
In times of strained European Union accession talks and troublesome negotiations concerning defaulting Icelandic banks, Iceland’s populace has reverted to traditional democratic checks and balances –in part to prevent future political and economic elites again bankrupting the small fishing nation.
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/iceland_pursues_user-generated_constitution.php
In 2009, Iceland passed a privacy and free speech law to make itself into a haven for new media. Since then it has seen the eruptions of the Eyjafjallajökull and Grímsvötn volcanoes and one of the worst banking meltdowns of all time. But despite the dark times, Iceland has not lost its faith in the power of the social web.
The country is now crowdsourcing the writing of its new constitution.
http://jurist.org/paperchase/2011/06/iceland-drafting-new-constitution-using-website-social-media.php
Last year, Iceland also picked 1,000 citizens, with 4,000 alternates, at random from the national registry to attend the National Conference on the Constitution [official website, in Icelandic]. The drafting project project began in April, and is to end in July when the new constitution will be put to popular referendum.
19 Jun 11
Originally posted by adam warlockis that not true democracy as i understand it?
After a major default that turned the country inside out, Iceland is in a soul searching mood and decided to prevent the fact cat mentality that allowed the country to bust.
In a move that surely will be decried and derided by some democracy lovers a new form of Constitution with direct (how direct I can't really tell) participation of the p ...[text shortened]... l, and is to end in July when the new constitution will be put to popular referendum.
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