When it comes to the climate,
a change in thinking is key.
Citizens' assemblies are not exactly new. The tradition stems back to ancient Athenian democracy,
but a modern resurgence in their use has come along with the popularity of other forms of deliberative or participatory democracy (think citizens’ panels or juries, and the use of referendums). Arguably this trend is a consequence of the perception that the model of vesting power in hierarchical structures (of which governments are the most important) is broken.
Participatory democracy is part of a general call for more ‘people power’ in politics and across society and the desire for the introduction of democratic reform. Initiatives like the citizens’ assembly are intended to give greater legitimacy to the decisions of elected representatives.
Most governments are in favour of participatory democracy but have fallen short when it comes to using the different forms once they appreciate that the participants have autonomy over the outcomes. It is this fact that makes it so exciting that the States Assembly and the government have chosen to adopt the use of a citizens’ assembly in Jersey to decide ‘how we can work together to become carbon neutral’. It really is a case of doing politics differently in the Island.
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Día Internacional de la Mujer en 1975. Pero en Estados Unidos, desde mucho antes, ya se conmemoraba el Día Nacional de la Mujer desde el 8 de marzo de 1909.
Confieso que hay días en que me pregunto cómo podemos vivir los cubanos en medio de tanta arbitrariedad, incertidumbre y violencia. Para los creyentes nos queda el recurso de apelar a la fe, que nos revela a Dios hecho hombre y clavado en la cruz para redimir a toda la humanidad. A su imagen y semejanza deberíamos vivir esta pasión por Cuba, que duele hasta el tuétano y se torna oscura en la medida que un puñado de hombres ejercen de Pilatos, nos conducen hasta el calvario de la vida en la miseria, la zozobra y el odio.