The question is whether, in this age of interactive telecommunications, we can take advantage of the new technologies to help make modern deliberative democracy work better than it does today. Nobody yet knows for sure. Too few people are yet interconnected by means of computers; interactive technologies and skills are still only in the infancy. But much can be done even with today’s relatively primitive interactive technology (primitive compared only to what we can expect in the decade ahead) … Yet the United States is doing precious little in a serious and systematic way to explore how these new interactive communication systems can be designed to enhance the local and national democratic process. The information superhighway is being shaped by random forces for other purposes in a fluid marketplace. In the electronic republic, the cultivation of effective citizenship must be made a clear national priority and a vital and continuing element of public policy.
Predictor: Grossman, Lawrence K.
Prediction, in context:In his 1995 book “The Electronic Republic: Reshaping Democracy in the Information Age,” Lawrence Grossman, former president of NBC News and PBS, writes: ”Active and responsible citizens are made not born. Good citizenship must be cultivated and cannot be left entirely to chance … As the American political system transforms itself to the electronic republic, we need to: Restore civic education for all grades in the nation’s classrooms … Dramatically improve the quality, appeal, and dissemination of solid, responsible information about news and public affairs, both in print and electronics. Reshape the nation’s civic and political institutions to take full advantage of the opportunities afford by new communications technologies. Reshape current political processes that function poorly, are outmoded, and contribute to the public’s growing frustrations with politics. The question is whether, in this age of interactive telecommunications, we can take advantage of the new technologies to help make modern deliberative democracy work better than it does today. Nobody yet knows for sure. Too few people are yet interconnected by means of computers; interactive technologies and skills are still only in the infancy. But much can be done even with today’s relatively primitive interactive technology (primitive compared only to what we can expect in the decade ahead). Interactive broadband transmission capacity is expanding on many levels, adding video to the plain old telephone and adding interactive telephony to plain, not so old cable television. Yet the United States is doing precious little in a serious and systematic way to explore how these new interactive communication systems can be designed to enhance the local and national democratic process. The information superhighway is being shaped by random forces for other purposes in a fluid marketplace … Unlike the ancient Greeks, we have no continuing, nationally organized effort to promote widespread public participation in the affairs of government … In the electronic republic, the cultivation of effective citizenship must be made a clear national priority and a vital and continuing element of public policy.”
Biography:Lawrence Grossman wrote the book “The Electronic Republic: Reshaping Democracy in an Information Age” (Penguin, 1995). The former executive at NBC and PBS urged people to realize that digital communications had altered how things can and should be done. (Author/Editor/Journalist.)
Date of prediction: January 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Global Relationships/Politics
Subtopic: Democracy
Name of publication: The Electronic Republic (book)
Title, headline, chapter name: Chapter 10: Nongovernmental and Other Reforms
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Pages 239 - 243
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Guarino, Jennifer Anne