lied@ihlts.UUCP (Doctor Bob) (05/08/84)
> The Net can be a testing ground on which to > model a direct democracy. Perhaps, but it would be a pretty poor model. [Why?] For at least the following reasons: 1. The net population is relatively homogeneous, unlike any real population. 2. Even in this small population, the number of active, continuing participants is only a fraction of the total participants. 3. All the participants agree that participation is a Good Thing. 4. There are no matters of real urgency to be decided, and even when a decision does need to be made, it's preceded by a lot of debate which becomes moot when the decision is made unilaterally somewhere (net.music.classical, most recent example). I'm sure you can think of others. Bob "Status Quo" Lied ihnp4!ihlts!lied