Elon University

A vision for the future

This is one of nearly a thousand foresight statements shared by people from around the world. To return to the Voices of the People home page or to refine your search, click here.

Name: George Pease

From: Pennsylvania

Bio: 10 yr user, 20 yrs applying computers to process control

Area of Expertise: Technology Developer/Administrator

Topic: Global Relationships/Politics

Headline: The Death of Tyranny

Nutshell: Governments will find keeping secrets or promoting lies or deceptions impossible.

Vision:

Near-universal internet access will make it impossible to keep citizens "protected" from information outside a country’s borders. The Fidel Castros of the future will have no ability to blame all their country’s ills on others. Claiming that only they can save the country will be implausable because outside information will put the lie to the claims.

An example is the CBS claim about Bush’s military service. The bloggers beat CBS bloody and humiliated them. Imaging Kim Jung Il trying to be a dictator 20 years from now when everyone will have internet access. He is a dangerous fool for all to see outside his country now. Imagine what would happen if all his citizens had access to the same information we do. Wow!

I see the internet as the instrument for nearly universal democratic institutions around the world. Tyrants should be trembling in fear.

Date Submitted: November 11, 2004

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