Adapting to democracy in real time

Re App-powered protests put democracy in peril, Opinion Aug. 12 Bessma Momani presents a quaint, Pollyanna picture: “Democracy was built on the bargaining of ideas at political party conventions. The exchange of ideas involved lengthy philosophical debates.” What a rose-coloured view of the bullying, influence-peddling and suppression of opinion that shape party platforms.

Democracies elect representatives once every few years by marking “X” to approve or reject a multifarious mélange of treaties, policies, laws, proposals and promises — “Do you favour free trade, legalized marijuana, outlawing gay sex, faster rail service, the death penalty and two-tier medicare? Answer Yes or No.”

Between elections, all semblance of participation is swept away in the odious omnibus bills that drift through the legislature on a flood of words, dragging down with them all debate and reason.

“Is this a crisis for democratic rule or a new liberating way to achieve accountability?” she asks. She opts for the former while in fact representative democracy is now beyond crisis to the point of being seriously dysfunctional.

If we do not learn very soon to harness “app-powered” direct democracy, our present archaic institutions will simply be bypassed and become mere symbolic relics. If we cannot adapt to democracy in real time, the only option may be protest and riot by the disenfranchised whose voice is suppressed at each election and every day thereafter.

Paul Collier, Toronto Anyone who still believes that ballot boxes every four years yield democracy is living in the past. Politicians in Canada serve the interests of their parties and corporate backers and we the people finance their shenanigans. Protest the world over is dangerous, and tweets will only bring the masses out of their homes and into the streets if people are desperate for change. I look forward to the day when Canadians join them.

Carol Fox, Toronto