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First chapter «Referendums»

Referendums make a mockery of democracy. The people who respond with “yes” or “no” are not actually expressing their will, but rather are constrained to respond as such because the concept of modern democracy so dictates. They are only allowed to select one of two words: either “yes” or “no”. Referendums represent the most extreme repressive dictatorships. Individuals who respond with a “no” should be able to state their reasons for this response and why they refrained from responding with a “yes”. Similarly, individuals who respond with a “yes” should be given the opportunity to justify their consent and explain why they did not choose to give “no” as an answer. Each should be able to speak out and give the reasons for agreement or disagreement. Which path then should human communities follow in order to be permanently rid of tyranny and dictatorship? The intricate problem with democracy is reflected in the problems with the instruments of government, which in turn are demonstrated by the conflicts of partisans, individuals and classes. Referendums and election processes were actually devised to cover up the failure of these unsuccessful experiments to solve this problem. Nevertheless, a solution is attainable. It lies in finding an instrument of government other than those subject to the struggle for power, and which represents only one faction in society, that is to say an instrument of government which is neither a political party, a social class, a sect nor a tribe; is an instrument of government which encompasses the people as a whole. In other words we are looking for an instrument of government which neither represents the people or acts on their behalf. There can be no representation of the people for representation is a fraud. If this instrument of government were found, the problem would be solved and true people’s democracy would be established. In this way humankind would bring to an end the eras of tyranny and dictatorship, replacing them with the will of the people. The Green Book presents the ultimate solution to the problem of the instrument of governance and indicates the course that the masses should follow if they are to leave behind the eras of dictatorship to enter the era of genuine democracy. This new theory is based on the authority of the people; it renounces representation or delegation of authority. It leads to the achievement of direct, orderly and efficient democracy, unlike previous attempts at direct democracy which proved to be inapplicable, as they had disregarded the need for people’s organization at the grassroots levels of society.

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