Cognitive Democracy May 27, 2012
Posted by OromianEconomist in Uncategorized.Tags: Africa, Democracy, Environment, Gadaa, Oromia Region, Oromo people, Politics
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“Some of the problems that we face in politics are simple ones (not in the sense that solutions are easy, but in the sense that they are simple to analyze). However, the most vexing problems are usually ones without any very obvious solutions. How do we change legal rules and social norms in order to mitigate the problems of global warming? How do we regulate financial markets so as to minimize the risk of new crises emerging, and limit the harm of those that happen? How do we best encourage the spread of human rights internationally?”
“Specifically, we argue that democracy has unique benefits as a form of collective problem solving in that it potentially allows people with highly diverse perspectives to come together in order collectively to solve problems. Democracy can do this better than either markets and hierarchies, because it brings these diverse perceptions into direct contact with each other, allowing forms of learning that are unlikely either through the price mechanism of markets or the hierarchical arrangements of bureaucracy. Furthermore, democracy can, by experimenting, take advantage of novel forms of collective cognition that are facilitated by new media.”
It is interesting to engage in such analysis as this topic directly and indirectly details the role s of democratic institutions such as the Gadaa system of the Oromo can play to advance society.
To read in detail on this topic: Democracy
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Related articles
- H.L. Mencken on elections, politics, government (aei-ideas.org)
- Gadaa: An Oromo Democracy and the Symbol of Oromo Civilization (odaakoo.wordpress.com)
- Gadaa Oromo Democracy: Three Approaches to Study African Society (oromianeconomist.wordpress.com)
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