Diversity and Integration as challenges for Democracy

Ten hypothesis to be discussed concerning the question, if Switzerland and Hannah Arendt might be a

source of inspiration for Macedonia

Skopje, 6th of May 2008,

by Andi Gross,

political scientist / MP and soc‘dem. group leader in the

Parliamentary Assembly of the CoE www.andigross.ch info@andigross.ch

I. Integration is the big duty for Macedonian Politics and

it’s DemocracySwitzerland was able to integrate and keep it’s diversity by a far reaching decentralisation of power - a relatively high autonomy for every Canton and Commune - and by it’s participatory Democracy.

II. Integration is a political challenge: Citizens need to act

themselves together - they need to use their freedom !

For Hannah Arendt pluralism is the base of politics. Freedom the sense of it. Nobody has freedom; but by acting together with others you become free - and you might feel “public happiness”.

III. Integration through citizen’s participation:

On all levels representative democracy should be completed by direct

democratic elements

By acting together in order to influence their common existence citizens begin to identify with the whole society - by participating actively you begin to see yourself as part of the whole.

IV. In order to be able to act together with others you have to trust/ have confidence in others

and yourself

Alone you may become rich - politically you despair alone. In order to be able to act, you need the others.

Individualism should not be confused with egoism or the atomisation of society.

V. Trust, freedom, even politics: Each a social good which have been

destructed by totalitarism and have to be reconstructed now

A totalitarian state can not accept pluralism, trust and freedom.

A democratic society has to reconstruct them through a big collective effort; by motivating all to be free and to act and to participative in the forming of what belongs to all of us.

VI. Perhaps the most fundamental value a post-totalitarian society has to restore is the respect for

each individual human being

You realise this by enabling each citizen to make every day such experiences - if he and she feels respect he and she is able to express respect too - and always we have to try to make a new beginning!

VII. A substantial democracy is the condition to a dignified life:

All those affected by a decision have to be directly or indirectly part of the decision making process.

In order to make this possible you need:

1. A deliberative public sphere,

in which TV and the Press

are more than just a business

2. A really independent judiciary

VIII. The more all citizens feel respect, trust and the more they

act together, the more they feel to belong together

An integrated society is able to develop a common sense of a common belonging !

This might be it’s utopian goal - perhaps never to be achieved totally, but always have to be tried to be approached.

IX. The better (direct & decentralized) democracy is

functioning, the less violent a society becomes

Violence is the antipode of democracy and freedom (Violence destroys self-determination; democracy enables it)

X. A common collective identity you build by acting individually for a

common project: What could be the Macedonian project ?

A collective Identity is more than a heritage - passively you loose it, by acting together you build up one ! By acting together there comes together what belongs together (All Macedonians of all parts).