Politics 2.0: the conversation with citizens has already begun

Something is happening. A few days ago, in the East Room of the White House, 100 people were able to directly pose their questions to the President of the United States. It was, without a doubt, a healthy democratic exercise. But what was really relevant was not the meeting, hand to hand, between President Obama and a specific group of people. That is something that could be considered to a certain extent anecdotal, and hardly sustainable over time. It could even become just another spectacle within the so-called “formal democracy”. What is truly fundamental is that one of the world’s top leaders was able to establish an authentic conversation with millions of citizens. And that, in some way, the conversation initiated between political power and citizens can continue to grow and gain strength. The channel is open, and it may already be difficult to turn back.

Citizen participation using Web 2.0

The data is particularly striking: more than 90,000 people sent their question to the president using YouTube, the Internet video channel. Logically, Barack Obama was not able to dedicate his time to each of the 104,000 questions posed, but he was able to answer those that people considered most important. No less than 3,600,000 people voted to make this selection of content. The end result is that several million citizens actively participated in political action thanks to the tools offered by Web 2.0. And it is here that we can find the real key to the new Politics that can change the world.

Engagement tools are ready

We have lived through a long period of opacity and lack of motivation, in which citizens have felt how institutions and political leaders are increasingly distancing themselves, and only remembered them in elections. For this reason, the emergence of this new way of doing politics is a hope and a real breath of fresh air. The tools for participation are now fully operational, and available to leaders and parties that are willing to open the doors and windows in their organisations. It remains to be seen whether they are prepared to give up the iron grip and opacity that have traditionally guided political action. Because transparency and real opportunities for direct participation are the best antidotes to the distance and indifference of citizens.

Leading is talking

We have already commented on it on many occasions: today leading is equivalent to talking. By participating in the conversations that are recorded every day on blogs, social networks, and in comments on websites, we can interact directly with people. Taking part in these conversations allows us to listen and understand the real problems and concerns of ordinary citizens. It is the way we have today to approach a complex and changing reality, but in which people continue to be the central element. Let’s hope that leaders and political parties take good note of what is happening.