Computer and Politics

Political System A political system is a system of politics and government. It is usually compared to the legal system, economic system and other social systems.

Computer and Politics Internet is considered democratic due to its public, global, non- hierarchical, uncontrolled, and pluralistic nature. Democracy means ‘rule by the people’

Computers and Politics In political system everyone has the power and participation- the Internet could be conceived as the best realization of democracy. It is the place where equality, freedom, participation, and interaction between users is possible.

Computers and Politics Global nature of internet diminishes geographic, cultural, political, and economic boundaries because any individual can communicate virtually with politicians, political parties, or other individuals and stakeholders.

E-Democracy Putting an “e” in front of democracy means nothing more than using information technology tools to facilitate, improve and ultimately extend the exercise of democracy. Webster’s defines democracy as “a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation.”

Internet Democracy Internet democracy or e-democracy, involves services that are fundamental to the democratic process, such as: o Electronic government o Electronic voting.

Internet Democracy D. G. Johnson presents three arguments for e-democracy: 1.Many-to-Many Interaction. 2.Information is Power…… Democracy is power in the hands of many, and information is power. 3.More power to the Less Powerful……. The internet eliminates racial, geographical, political, or cultural barriers; it empowers the dis-empowered and dis-empowers the powerful.

Internet Democracy According to D. G. Johnson, Internet is democratic process because: o It facilitates many-to-many Communication. o It facilitates unmediated communication. o It provides access to a diversity of mediated information Resources.

Internet Democracy Counter-arguments. 1.Democracy or Anarchism. o Internet could be blamed for Anarchism. o In cyberspace, everyone can publish and interact with others without restrictions and rules. This is not in accordance with democratic principle.

Internet Democracy 2.Inequality of Access. o Many-to-many communication is valid for individuals with Internet access. o It is predicted only 4% of the world’s people have access to the Internet, while only 7% have access to a computer. 3.Misinformation. Johnson's second argument in favor of democratic nature of the Internet is based on the proposition that information is power….but, to what extent are Internet users able to verify all the information.

Internet Democracy 4.Dehumanization Internet democracy creates virtual environment of interaction that lacks the human factor. 5.Westernization o Global communication on the Internet may produce cultural homogeneity and, by extension, less cultural diversity. For instance, the domination of English as the main Internet language creates a new form of cultural homogeneity. Non-English speaking countries blame the Internet for Westernization.

Assignment How e-Democracy can execute reforms in Political System of Pakistan?