Do we really need all this watching, watching, watching?
Much blame for the failings for western democracy is cast toward citizens who do not take politics seriously enough.
So much political commentary is cast toward “studying the issues thoroughly” — as one of the better solutions for democracy.
Let me challenge this popular “improvement.”
I recently wrote a couple of articles about the two co-operatives I belong to.
Governance in My Credit Union
Governance At My Co-op
The main theme of these two articles is my lack of attention to the workings of these co-operatives. I don’t spend hours studying and analyzing these two institutions. I don’t know who the senior management people are or their salaries. I have no idea of their short-term or long-term plans. I don’t read financial sheets. I don’t attend member meetings. I don’t vote, mostly because I don’t have enough information to cast a wise vote. I suspect at least 95% of my fellow members are in the same place as I. Maybe 99%.
We members are happy to patronize our co-operatives because we are not giving our money to a corporation. We see a reasonably well-run business, and we get a small dividend. That’s all we want.
The Credit Union has been around for about a century. The Co-op started in the 1960s. These two co-operatives have outlasted many of their competitors.
Tiered Democratic Governance (TDG)
My two co-ops are big businesses, managing billions of dollars every year. They are honest, vibrant, and functional. They are showing that good governance is possible without much rank-and-file vigilance.
We need to extend the culture of these co-ops into societal governance. Tiered Democratic Governance can deliver this new relationship between the people and their rulers.
To accomplish this culture, the TDG has these two main features. First, most of the elected TDG representatives will be people of good character and capacity. Second, decision-making in the TDG be based on consultation, not leaders fighting to implement their own agenda. So should we not expect decisions made for the betterment of society? Instead of for specific parts of society? Or for a political party?
Then we need not be hyper-vigilant in watching our government.
In the TDG, we vote — in a TDG way. We let the TDG elections work their magic in finding the better people to govern us. We can convert the political energy we spend today into other life activities, like family, friends, and hobbies.
The TDG will have people moving in, out, up, and down. Keeping much of the workings of the old guard in place, while allowing new blood with new ideas. The TDG will neither be stagnant nor reckless.
Heck, some of us might even be elected into the TDG. If so, the TDG will appreciate the knowledge, experience, and wisdom we bring into TDG deliberations.
Are you ready to investigate a new way?
Published on Medium & Substack 2025
The Economic Elephant in the Room
