> Modern society has assimilated the notion of democracy into its culture. Most people in western democracies believe that the macro economy not only ought to be, but for the most part already is, subject to democratic will of the people.
I think that modern society also must incorporate the notion of transparency into its culture as well (William Gibson had a good op-ed in the NY Times several months ago about this issue).
Despite the growth of democratic aspects in society, transparency remains at a dismal level.
* Candidates for office show their tax returns for an hour under guard. * Shrub awards contracts in Iraq through closed processes. * Cheney holds meetings and refuses to name the participants.
On a personal level, people need their gated communities and every one rides solo in their automobiles. More and more people seem to think that good fences make good neighbors (NAFTA aside).
Until this culture of secrecy is changed, democratic reform, politically and economically, is going to be stymied. We live in a culture where people speak/act one way publically and another way privately. In order to maintain this hypocrisy (which is essential to profit-making, misallocation of wealth, and continuing social stratification), a culture of anti-transparency has developed. We are becoming a society with ever-increasing surveillance, but diminishing transparency.
Brian Dauth Queer Buddhist Resister