Contents - Index

4.1.   Vocabulary for a New Stage of Democracy   (Top)

One of the most frustrating problems of trying to talk about new phenomena is the lack of labels and definitions for the ideas and entities involved.  Entities are presented generally from the smallest to the largest with the smaller generally being constituent parts of the larger.  All except the last entry are parts of the political system level entity called "Public Interest Democracy."  

Advocacy Nets (A-Nets)
This is the label given public advocacy groups like Moveon.org.  A perfect label is illusive because the perfect label should capture something of all the major characteristics of the entity, especially those that distinguish this entity from predecessors.  The focus of A-Nets is "Advocacy."  It is a creature of the "Internet."  It is "Virtual" in the sense that there are no physical facilities and it is "Emergent" in the sense that it tends to be self-organizing. In terms of organization and actions, it tends to work from the bottom-up.  Membership is largely professional and technical and organizational structure is collegial and leadership is facilitative.  These properties are part of a group culture that distinguishes them from other groups.  This culture is characterized by rational self-interest and concern for the public interest, rather than profit or power.  A-Net groups also differ from other groups in that they have developed a unique "How-To" technology for detecting and addressing public problems.  Part of our task in this project is to help codify that technology.  These networks play the role of large ad-hoc special committees, commissions, or task forces to assist in policy-making.

In general, A-Nets are relatively cheap to create and operate.  That is, they are NOT capital intensive or organizationally intensive, as are traditional organizations.  They are the information production and distribution analogy to energy production and distribution, where oil is organizationally intensive (and monopolized) while decentralized renewable energy is not.  In theory, anyone with access to the Internet and a little knowledge of Weblogs can start up his/her own advocacy net.  In many respects, this is the age of the information and communication entrepreneur.  In many cases, these new enterprises may be motivated by concern for current policy on a single issue.  In some cases, a net thus inspired may disappear when the problem goes away.  In others, the net might evolve into a multiple issue advocacy group, as did Moveon.org.  Because of the common platform, every A-Net is inherently part of a larger network of A-Nets.  See Public Service Network.

Cyberspace Grass Roots Movement
A cyberspace grass roots movement is a great upsurge of public political action through A-Net technologies sparked by a crisis in American democracy.  This phenomenon is quantitatively and qualitatively different from other great grass roots uprisings in the past.  This phenomenon is made possible by A-Net technologies, but it also is a force that leads to the creation of A-Nets and possibly to the formation of a new independent political institution (the fifth estate).  A major research focus will be on the fate of A-Nets after the grass roots movement subsides.  Will they have become institutionalized?

Campaign Nets
These groups are very similar to A-Nets in culture and organization, except they are created to support a particular political candidate for election.  The primary example today is the group supporting Howard Dean for President.  Other campaign groups will likely imitate the success of the Howard Dean group and these groups will likely become a fixture in future American politics.  There is no experience yet that suggests what will happen to these groups when the election is over.  Some may disband and others may take on new tasks and goals.

Traditional Public Service Groups
The word "traditional" is used here to refer to all public service groups other than the A-Nets.  The distinguishing characteristic is that they are organized in conventional ways and generally have top-down leadership structures.  Some of these groups are beginning to use the Internet.  To the extent that their objectives and business plans permit some traditional public service groups will evolve toward the organization, technologies, and culture of the A-Net groups.  

Public Service Network
This is the current collection of A-Nets, campaign nets, and traditional public service groups loosely linked by common pursuits, the Internet, and by other high-tech communications technologies.  These groups already form coalitions and temporary alliances on issues.  At present, it is unknown whether there will emerge more permanent connections and a sense of belonging to a larger entity with a common goal.  To the extent that such connections emerge, independent institution, perhaps to be called the "fifth estate," may coalesce.

Fifth Estate
This is the name given to a new public interest institution in American politics - should it emerge.  Based on trends and recent developments, it is reasonable to predict that it will.  Major factors include how much the public interest is threatened, how much individual groups perceive the necessity to unite, technological developments in connectivity, and the development of self-awareness and the awareness of other power centers.  Should this institution come into being, it will play a more permanent balancing role in American politics to check the abuses of power by other institutions.  The result is a Public Interest Democracy.  See below.

Public Service Democracy
This is the description of a democratic political system in which a public service network acts a check and balance on other power centers.  Therefore, it is the most inclusive entity in our study of American democracy and the Internet.  It is of the same order as "corporate democracy" and "participatory democracy."  A major hypothesis in this study is that the American Political System is moving from a "Corporate Democracy" toward a "Public Service Democracy."

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