Speed-dating with Politicians: A Structure placed to Support Democracy

For five minutes, you could talk to members of political parties to inform yourself of their agendas and goals.  Sweden, 2014

First published on March 3, 2014, I am republishing it, because in less than two weeks' time Sweden goes to poll.  No place else, among all the places I have lived, the elections have so calm and almost devoid of drama. May be that is what democracy is supposed to be.....

There are a few things that are very special about Sweden.  Especially with regards to democracy and transparency.  In the beginning they are odd but then you get used to them, and realize the larger purpose around them.

For example, almost all the doors in the university except a select few that keep expensive equipment, and official documents, have the same key.  All our offices and classrooms have the same key.   To get to the offices of the profs you need a special entry code, which only the staff has, so the students cannot access those areas. In the beginning that was quite odd for me.  Slowly, not only did I get used to it, I realized that people do not abuse this privilege.  No one ever comes and snoops in your office.  If they ever need to, to leave a document or to pick up a book, they email you to let you know.  This way the university space is as 'transparent' as it can be.

Then, as in all universities, all the emails that come through the University server are not private.  Neither is our mail that arrives at the University.  Everything must be checked.  Our personal numbers, the social security number--must be used for every activity, official, governmental, or personal.

And then with regards to politics and elections, I was amazed to find in 2010, their election year, that the manifesto was printed in 11 different languages to accommodate immigrants.  If I remember English was not one of the languages.

There is not that much focus on giving up your own language as it is in the US.  Instead, there is a tradition of 'hemspråk' meaning 'home language or mother tongue.  So, Chinese children take special Chinese lessons at school, and Indian children take special Indian languages at school.  Unlike the US where only after the first generation children have been alienated from their mother tongue or worse I met people in India and met many in Fiji, who would say, "i do not speak hindi/fijian very well, we spoke only english at home', children in Swedish often end up knowing three languages pretty well--Swedish, English and their mother tongue.  I have met young Indian girls, who speak four languages, Swedish, English, Punjabi, and Hindi.

So, this year is election year. And as a part of Women's international day, which was celebrated,among many places, in the Library--women from various political parties had established their 'centers'.  Citizens could come and talk to the representatives for five minutes or so, to better understand their stance.

As simple as it sounds, this is how structures are brought into place to help citizens understand what politics is about. To help citizens make informed choices.  The Habermasian idea of 'public places' for open discussion and forums definitely include libraries, places free of advertisements and commercial interests.  Even though in countries like Fiji and India there are fewer libraries than there are 'malls' and 'markets', if there was an intent to inform such ideas could be put in place.  Rather than constantly mediating these messages through television, radio, print media or large rallies which could hardly provide a personal communication.

It is important that the citizens understand and reflect on what the politicians are intending, without which democracy can never function.

So, once again, the simple, utopian, idealistic ways of Sweden win over.  There is no negative advertising or a big hue and cry like in the US.  Your public space is not taken over by mindless posters of various candidates.  Instead, for all those willing to delve deeper, forums are provided to discuss.  And after all, it is these people who really matter in a democracy, because they are active participants.

Democracy requires just as much thinking and reflecting on the part of the citizens as on the part of the politicians. Without that a coherent voice cannot reach the decision makers and democracy is always left hanging…..short of its true potential

For we all know well, that democracy does not end at voting.  

It is not a spectator sport!!