if able to read/listen to German, you may be interested in presentations in the eGovernment working group at the European Forum Alpbach, August 2001, Alpbach/Austria. Presentations and videostreams (RealVideo) available at http://wko.at/alpbach/bm/start-e.htm#AK5. Sincerely, Rudolf Lichtmannegger Economic Policy Department Austrian Economic Chamber Wiedner Hauptstrasse 63 1045 Vienna Austria ph: ++43 1 50105 4411 fax: ++43 1 50105 298 e-mail: Rudolf.Lichtmannegger@wko.at http://wko.at/wp -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- Von: Steven Clift [mailto:slc@publicus.net] Gesendet am: Freitag, 26. Oktober 2001 18:34 An: pubpol-l@tc.umn.edu; huridocs-tech@hrea.org; eacn@ukco.org.uk; ispo@www.ispo.cec.be; Globalcn2000@yahoogroups.com; ElectronicGovernment@yahoogroups.com; E-DEMOKRATI@MAILINGLIST.STATSKONTORET.SE; communityinformatics@vcn.bc.ca; politech@politechbot.com; CARR-L@LISTSERV.LOUISVILLE.EDU; apple@apnic.net; rohrpost@mikrolisten.de; nettime-l@bbs.thing.net; gkd@phoenix.edc.org; air-l@aoir.org; cyberculture@zacha.org; civilsoc@vhost1.partners-intl.net; cpi-ua@vcn.bc.ca; list@ukpress.org; link@www.anu.edu.au; DIGITALDIVIDE@OWA.BENTON.ORG; FOI-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU; CYBERIA-L@LISTSERV.AOL.COM Betreff: UK Government's Major E-Democracy Push - Articles, Releases, Key Speech (A BIG DEAL) I am on the look out for other government-led "e-democracy" efforts (at any level) similiar to the recent UK announcements (see below). If you are interested in this issue, join my 2200 person Democracies Online Newswire e-mail annoucement list <http://www.e-democracy.org/do> for updates on this new e-government trend. Thanks, Steven Clift Democeracies Online Newswire *** Democracies Online Newswire - http://www.e-democracy.org/do *** The "e-democracy" shot heard around the world. The UK government has just announced a major e-democracy policy. Yes, a government-led e-democracy agenda. In my opinion, e-government will succeed only if it stands on two equal legs - service and democracy. I expect that many leading governments around the world will take up the UK's call and launch their own e-democracy initiatives to build a more balanced and successful approach to e-government. This is a completely new phase in the evolution of thought about government's democratic role in the information age - that of an initiator and actor and not simply a reactor to political and civic uses of the Internet that wash over their old forms of decision- making while elected and appointed officials feel helpless without the online tools required to be better representatives. Think of this new movement as "Representative E-Government," where the two-way Internet is integrated into the governance and representation process on par with the provision of online transaction services. The alternative is a services first approach that automates the government services that people no longer want in a way the increases the power of administration over elective representatives and citizens. What the UK government has done is break through the narrow notion that e-democracy is about outsiders pushing for online voting about everything. Instead, building e-democracy is a fundamental responsibility of a legitimate democratic nation in the information age. Hooray. Below are links to some news coverage, a press release from the UK Prime Minister's office, the major speech given by Douglas Alexander the Minister for E-commerce and Competitiveness, and another more detailed press release from the Department of Trade and Industry. Steven Clift Democracies Online http://www.e-democracy.org/do Press coverage about the e-democracy policies announced by the UK government: E-democracy moves up the agenda http://www.ukauthority.com/articles/story378.asp UK Govt calls for e-democracy http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/22477.html Some semi-related coverage: Blair 'big bang' theory to delay freedom act (Not all rosey) http://politics.guardian.co.uk/whitehall/story/0,9061,581045,00.html Labour MP calls for e-mail democracy (Oct 22, related) http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,2-2001364829,00.html