The prediction, in brief:

The marriage of the computer and instant communications promises to bring citizens unparalleled access to – and influence over – their government. But skeptics warn it will bring an electronic mob into city hall, overwhelming officials with diverse demands and undermining representative democracy.

Predictor: Toffler, Alvin

Prediction, in context:

In a 1995 article for Governing, Christopher Conte writes:”To advocates … the marriage of the computer and instant communications promises to bring citizens unparalleled access to – and influence over – their government. But skeptics warn it will bring an electronic mob into city hall, overwhelming officials with diverse demands and undermining representative democracy. Some – including such self-proclaimed visionaries as Alvin and Heidi Toffler, gurus to U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich – have even explored the idea of taking some aspects of decision making back from elected representatives and handing them over to citizens armed with computers and telephone lines. Whoever is right, it’s clear that the crowd is growing at City Hall’s gates … Like it or not, government officials soon will have to learn this new form of communication with the public. The question is: Will they tap it and produce a new and richer public dialogue? Or will they be overwhelmed by it?”

Biography:

Alvin Toffler was a futurist and best-selling author in the 1990s. He teamed up with his wife, Heidi, to write the bestsellers “Future Shock,” “The Third Wave” and “War and Anti-War.” (Futurist/Consultant.)

Date of prediction: June 1, 1995

Topic of prediction: Global Relationships/Politics

Subtopic: Democracy

Name of publication: Governing

Title, headline, chapter name: Teledemocracy: For Better or Worse

Quote Type: Paraphrase

Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://firstsearch.oclc.org/WebZ/FSPage?pagename=ftascii:pagetype=print:entityprinting=true:entity/currecno=3:sessionid=sp02sw13-51432-dcclo9q5-oonjnt:entitypagenum=6:1

This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Komorowski, Anne Gabrielle