Some people think that countries with limits on the expression of public opinion may not allow Live Forum TV to be broadcast, because it invites people to express their opinions by voting. So here’s a surprise! A new TV series in Mainland China, encouraged by a regional government, is inviting the public to vote – and it’s very popular! The programme has an eye-catching name: “You’re Stir-fried Squid”, which means “You’re fired”.…
Millions of people are now angry about the outcome of the referendum – and a change to more positive attitudes and prospects can be achieved by applying a new form of democracy called Live Forum TV. The Live Forum TV (LFTV) process, developed by the Live Forum Foundation in Geneva, is designed to involve the public in reaching a consensus on issues of national and international importance. The TV format,…
Protests in Hong Kong started with demands that the public must be allowed to propose and elect anyone to serve as Chief Executive. If the government of China were to agree, and allow anyone to become a candidate for election, would that make Hong Kong better, or more like western democracies? In theory, voters in western democracies are free to elect anyone but in reality they are presented with one…
The focus of television broadcasters on providing entertainment and information has been crucial in building their ability to reach people almost everywhere around the globe. Now the world’s most powerful communication medium is ready for a new and much more important role. Television has immense power because it can deliver information immediately, clearly and attractively to billions of people. In recent years it has gained an extra dimension – the…
On 5th July the people of Greece voted against proposals for covering the country’s €330 billion debt, in the hope of getting better terms. Their leaders said that the vote was democratic, so other countries must respect it, but people in countries that were expected to provide more money had not been given a chance to vote. A few weeks earlier, at Britain’s election in May 2015, 1.4 million…
On 18th June Hong Kong’s legislature decided not to accept a package of reforms proposed by the Government of China. This was broadly because a number of members wanted to move further towards a traditional form of democracy. Might this persuade China’s leaders to shift their position? China continues to take a firm stand against calls for western-style democracy, and the penalties faced by anyone on the Mainland calling for…
Conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa are now threatening, damaging or destroying the lives of more than 200 million people. Many want to escape from the region, and the flow of migrants is causing arguments in Europe: some people want to welcome them and others want to keep them out. There are now endless arguments about how many migrants should be accepted. Strangely there is less discussion about…
The Economist, a journal that is respected around the world, has joined a growing chorus of reports that democracy is failing [The Economist Essay – May 2015 – What’s gone wrong with democracy?] You might think that this is stating the obvious: democratic governments are often deadlocked and every election seems to trigger arguments, which too often lead to violence. So far the global response has been bizarre. In 2013…
In the run-up to Britain’s 2015 election, party leaders have again been shouting insults at each other. Politicians in parliament called the Prime Minister a chicken, and the spectacle was shown on national television. Most people would regard that as bad behaviour in a nursery school, but in politics it has become normal. The consequences have spread all round the world: Thoughtful people – those who think seriously about who…
