The Simultaneous Policy News • Spring/Summer 2007

ISPO • PO Box 26547 • London • SE3 7YT www.simpol.org

It’s Simpol !

Do you want to reduce carbon emissions globally?Policy suggestion: forum on Contraction and Convergence at UK Parliament page 4

Preparing for the next round of voting on policy suggestions page 7 Exploring the viability of SP in developing countries page 3

Adam's long rideSP Adopter, Adam Jacobs, prepares to cycle the length of Britain for the SP campaign. Back page.

Contents Editorial p.3

Simpol around the world :Exploring the Viability of SP in Developing Countries p.3

Informing the debate on policy suggestions : Aubrey Meyer speaks at Simpol's Climate Change Forum p.4SP News : Solomon Islands Social Credit Party requests copies of Simpol Monetary Reform book! p.5

Policy suggestions : Adopters Put Forward their Proposals p.6Preparing for the next round of voting p.7

Analysis : What kind of democracy do voters want? p.8

Newswatch :The dilemma of global governance p.10

Simpol around the world :Italy/Italia p.10UK: 23 MPs! p.11 SP stall and talk at London School of Economics Strategic Planning Meeting End to End : Adam Jacobs' sponsored bike ride! p.12

The Simultaneous Policy

It’s Simpol !

ISPO • PO Box 26547 • London • SE3 7YT www.simpol.org

International Simultaneous Policy Organisation

Simpol promotes the Simultaneous Policy (SP), which aims to deliver social justice around the world, resolve global problems like environmental destruction and regulate the economic power of international capital for the good of all. Simpol seeks solutions to problems that individual national governments cannot resolve by acting alone. This is because the problems transcend national boundaries, and because the global competitive system means that any government that acted alone to try and resolve such problems could effectively make its country uncompetitive.

Simpol aims to achieve these objectives by encouraging ordinary people around the world to oblige their political representatives and governments to move toward coordinated international resolution of global issues for the good of all. This is because it is only by countries all agreeing to implement changes at the same time that problems no individual government dares tackle alone can be resolved in a satisfactory way. Simultaneous implementation of such policies would ensure that no country became uncompetitive as a result of pursuing policies that were right for the planet and which embodied people’s higher aspirations.

All you need to do is sign up as a Simultaneous Policy Adopter which costs you nothing. By so doing you agree in principle to vote at elections for any candidate, within reason, who has signed a pledge to implement the Simultaneous Policy alongside other governments. Alternatively, if you have a party preference, your Adoption signifies you will encourage your preferred party to make this pledge. This is the simple mechanism Adopters use to advance their cause.

Simpol’s approach is peaceful, open, and democratic. If you Adopt you will have the opportunity to contribute to the formation of specific policies that answer global problems and join with others in using your vote in a new and effective way to drive the politicians of all parties to implement these policies.

How do you want the world to be?

An occasional newsletter published by Simpol-UK (www.simpol.org.uk) for the

INTERNATIONAL SIMULTANEOUS POLICY ORGANISATION (ISPO)info@simpol.org

Edited by: Diana Trimble (dtrimble@simpol.org) Production: Mike Brady.

Cover photo: Adam Jacobs prepares to cycle End to 2 End of the UK.

Meeting up in Cyberspacewww.myspace.com/simpoluk; http://simpol.blogspot.com; Second Life: SP Adopters' hang out, Tangun.

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The Simultaneous Policy

The Simultaneous Policy (SP) campaign arises from the book by John Bunzl, published in 2001.

Six years later, the campaign is a reality in a growing number of countries and already has support from elected politicians in Australian, the UK and the European Parliament.

From reviews of the first edition:

"It’s ambitious and provocative. Can it work? Certainly worth a serious try." Noam Chomsky

The Simultaneous Policy by John Bunzl is available from ISPO for £9.95 plus P&P or order from the website www.simpol.org.uk

TheSimultaneous

Policy

John M Bunzl

An Insider's Guide to SavingHumanity and the Planet

Foreword by Diana Schumacher

Editorial/Simpol around the world 3

The Simultaneous Policy www.simpol.org

First of all a big thank you to our departed editor Brian Wills who performed this task on a volunteer basis from 2004 until the end of 2006! Brian did an absolutely fantastic job and It’s Simpol! was lucky to benefit from his contributions while he had the time to oversee the newsletter.

In this issue, you’ll notice several items from around the world which we hope is an indication that the Simultaneous Policy is gaining visibility and adherents in different countries. Since our aim is to be a truly international movement, it’s great to be featuring news from the Solomon Islands, India and Italy, as well as the UK. This issue is also the first time that we’ll be presenting bi-lingual versions of pieces originating in other countries (kicking off with contributions from Italia), a trend that we hope to continue.

Meanwhile, back in the UK, we’re very excited to announce the launch of Adam Jacobs’ “End to End”

cycling effort for SP, in which he plans to pedal nearly 1000 miles, spreading the message of global democracy from Land’s End to John O’Groats. Please see the article on page 12 and if you can help out with sponsorship download a form from www.simpol.org.uk

This issue’s Newswatch focuses on an article by Martin Wolf for the Financial Times in which he clearly describes the inadequacy of present nation-based politics when it comes to confronting world-wide issues. All too typically, he doesn’t arrive at much of a solution and appears to be unaware of the SP answer. Perhaps, after reading the summary and critique of his piece, our readers might be inspired to contact Mr Wolf and enlighten him!

Our ongoing search for solutions to the problem of Climate Change led to our first public forum, held in February, at which Aubrey Meyer presented the concept of “contraction and convergence” – a synopsis of which may be found on page 4.

Editorial

Simpol around the world : Exploring the viability of SP in developing countriesISPO founder, John Bunzl, visited India for 10 days during March 2007 at the request of Simpol-India’s National Coordinator, Dr. H.A. Shankaranarayana (Shankar).

The slogan used by India’s Tourist Board to sum up this huge and highly diverse country is “Incredible India!”, and they have it about right. My schedule of talks was busy but there was time enough to confirm what a wonderful, vibrant and fascinating country India is. My first direct experience of this was the chaotic, seemingly dangerous yet functioning traffic in the growing city of Bangalore, India’s bustling centre of the fast-globalising information technology industry. As Shankar astutely observed, “If you can understand the traffic in Bangalore, you can understand Indian democracy”. I was very fortunate to be the guest of Shankar and his charming wife and family at their home in Bangalore during my stay.

Simpol was presented at a number of meetings in Bangalore, including an address to a meeting organised by Shankar under the auspices of the Acharya Institute of Management & Sciences (AIMS) with which he is associated.

Above: Kathyayini Charmaraj, Rajeev Gowda, John Bunzl, Shankar and Gopal Reddy

A talk was also given to business students at St. Joseph’s College, one of Bangalore’s many colleges offering business and Management degree courses. A talk on the Simultaneous Policy (SP) and its parallels with Gandhian thinking was also delivered at Bangalore University’s Centre for Gandhian Studies at the invitation of its director and professor of political science, Dr. D. Jeevan Kumar. The text of my talk can be obtained by contacting dtrimble@simpol.org. Dr. Kumar was originally responsible for introducing Shankar to SP so he is the real father (or midwife?) of Simpol-India.

The following week was taken up with a visit to Mangalore on the west coast of the state of Karnataka where John delivered the keynote address to Mangalore University’s seminar on “Development, Civil Society and Third Sector: The emerging perspectives”. The text of this speech, too, is available by contacting dtrimble@simpol.org. The seminar was introduced by Dr. Timi Ecimovic, the eminent and internationally renowned scientist from Slovenia. The seminar was organised by Dr. T.N. Sreedhara and included various workshops over the two-day event.

4 Simpol around the world/Informing the debate on policy suggestions

The Simultaneous Policy www.simpol.org

Again, the response to SP was very positive, however the very diverse agglomeration of languages and cultures in India is likely to mean that the campaign cannot be pursued in the same way as in western democracies. Instead, Shankar intends to develop a following amongst influential academics and concerned business people as well as amongst selected NGOs. On returning to Bangalore, there was time only for one further talk given to a meeting organised by the well-known Indian activist and campaigner, Ms. Kathyayini Charmaraj of Citizen’s Voluntary Initiative for the City of Bangalore (CIVIC).

Dr. Jeevan Kumar provided a counter-point view to the Simpol concept which provoked lively debate and participation by most of those present. Again, the overall response to Simpol was very positive and it is hoped that a core group of Indian activists will come forward to assist Shankar in taking Simpol’s Indian campaign forward in the future.

There was just enough time on my final day to visit the organic farm of Mr. Narayan Reddy. Mr. Reddy is renowned

throughout India and elsewhere for his novel farming and animal husbandry methods which allow for vastly reduced consumption of water and other inputs compared to most other organic and conventional farming methods.Disemination of his ideas more widely has met with resistance from agro- and bio-tech companies.

All in all, it was a very full and exciting trip which bodes encouragingly for SP in developing countries in the longer-term. In particular there is widespread recognition in India that a healthy mode of development is unlikely to emerge while developing countries remain subjected to an economic world order based on competition and exploitation fuelled by the global free movement of capital.

But the success of the trip was very largely due to the excellent planning of Simpol-India National Coordinator, Shankar. Such highly efficient organising will not be a surprise for those who know him to be a very well respected economist and academic whose expertise in “the miserable science” of economics means that optimisation and maximum utility always come as second nature!

On February 28, 2007, Simpol hosted a Climate Change Forum at the House of Commons. You can listen to it at www.simpol.org.uk/spbroadcasts.php

Participating were Martin Horwood, Lib Dem MP for Cheltenham (who pledged that very day!), John Bunzl, founder of the Simultaneous Policy, John Stewart,

chairman of Airport Watch, and Aubrey Meyer of the Global Commons Institute who spoke about “contraction and convergence” (see box).

The event was well attended by adopters and members of the public and stimulated a rich discussion about how SP can work as a mechanism to bring about much needed global cooperation on the issue of Climate Change.

Informing the debate on policy suggestions: Climate Change Forum at the House of Commons

Contraction Under C&C, all countries would collectively agree a target for a stable atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, such as 450 parts per million. This answers the objective of the 1992 UN Climate Convention, which is to “stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”. A ‘global emissions budget’ would then be calculated, derived from the target atmospheric concentration figure. The atmospheric concentration target would be reviewed annually so that it could be revised with new science findings.

Convergence Once the “contraction budget” has been decided, as set out above, the next question becomes how to share out the slices of this carbon “cake” between countries. Under C&C, the allocations of emissions entitlements between countries would converge by a specific date (such as 2020, for example) towards country allowances proportional to national population as at a specified baseline year. This approach is based on the realisation that one simple and logical allocation formula will be needed in order to distribute entitlements between more than 180 countries.

Emissions trading Full international emissions trading would be possible so that countries with low per capita emissions could sell their spare permits to countries unable to manage within their shares. This would allow an efficient and flexible approach, as called for by the

US, and would also give developing countries an incentive to invest the proceeds in clean technology since this would give them more permits to sell.

Sustainable growth C&C does not place a straightjacket on growth per se by its limitation on fossil fuels. Instead it averts catastrophic losses - Munich Re estimates suggest that on present trends the cost of climate-related damages will exceed Gross World Product by 2065 - by promoting the development and growth of zero carbon energy technologies necessary to achieve prosperity and

Informing the debate on policy suggestions/SP News 5

The Simultaneous Policy www.simpol.org

Aubrey began by saying:

“Most of my professional life was spent in an orchestra playing music and the rest of it was spent writing music. Music is the ultimate experiment in Simultaneous Policy. Everyone has to play in time and in tune and I’m all in favour of John Bunzl’s remarkable initiative and I want to invite you to consider it in an extra dimension. As things stand my understanding is that it’s simultaneous in terms of space which means that everybody, for example in this room, we all agree to move together at the same moment. What Climate Change throws up is a challenge where you’d have to agree to do that for a considerable length of time, so it’s simultaneous over time as well as over space. All countries, all parties and all players in this probably for a couple of generations if we’re lucky. We’re going to have to be simultaneously focused across geographical space and if you will over political, or as I prefer to say, in constitutional time. The essence of the global warming challenge is this: can we do enough soon enough to make a difference? To put it a little more harshly, can we solve this problem faster than we are creating it? For musicians it’s kind of absolutely normal, it’s all we ever do. We have to play in tune and in time or we don’t get the job or we certainly don’t keep it. So it was that mentality that I brought to the Climate Change politics when I got involved with it, in about 1987, 1989 and formally in 1990. The product of that is exactly what was mentioned: “contraction and convergence” . “Contraction and convergence” is a science-based, limits-based, equal rights-based, global constitution of simultaneous policy so that we can do enough soon enough to avoid dangerous rates of Climate Change. That is the absolute number one.”

Aubrey then went on to give a highly effective power point presentation explaining the concept of contraction and convergence. I have reprinted, by permission from the Global Commons Institute, the concise overview and image

in the box here. Their website is www.gci.org.uk where many more detailed models and documents about the concept may be found.

WHAT IS C&C? Alex Evans, Director of Communications, Global Commons Institute

Introduction

• Contraction & Convergence (C&C) is an international policy framework for dealing with global climate change developed by the London-based Global Commons Institute (GCI). It reconciles US demands for participation by developing countries with their demands for equitable treatment without forfeiting environmental integrity.

• C&C is supported by Sir John Houghton, Chair of the science working group of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; the governments of China, India, the Africa Group, France, Belgium, Sweden and the Non-Aligned Movement; the Chairs of COP3 in Kyoto and COP6 in the Hague; UNEP Chief Klaus Topfer; the UK-based Chartered Insurance Institute; the European Parliament; and numerous others. A full reference list is available at

www.gci.org.uk/links/detail.pdf

• It is also described by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Third Assessment Report as, “taking the rights-based approach to its logical conclusion”. Perhaps even more relevant in the present situation is that Contraction & Convergence is wholly consistent with both the stated position of the current US Administration and the 1997 US Byrd Hagel Resolution of the US Senate. (See separate briefing paper, C&C and the Byrd Hagel Resolution).

The Secretary General of the Solomon Islands’ SoCred Party has asked for 30 copies of ‘Monetary Reform - Making It Happen’ by James Robertson and John Bunzl, in order to prepare MPs in the National Parliament prior to a briefing on this issue, currently scheduled for 2-3 days in May, 2007.

The SoCred or Social Credit Party was originally founded in Canada during the Great Depression and advocated a system of “social credit” based on the ideas of the British engineer Major C. H. Douglas who argued that governments in capitalist countries should distribute money to increase spending and stimulate economies.

It retained a strong presence in Canadian government until the 1990s and there is still a Social Credit Party of Alberta in operation, although it differs somewhat in principle from the original group. Meanwhile, these ideas somehow spread to the Solomon Islands whose current prime minister, Manasseh Sogavare, is a member of SoCred. There are currently 18 out of 33 SoCred MPs in the National Parliament. Monetary reform being fundamental

to their government strategic policy, it is fitting that they are interested in the concise history lesson and clear proposals outlined in the Simpol book. As Herbert Girardet, Chairman of Schumacher Society UK, has said, “Creating a sustainable and just world remains an elusive yet deeply noble cause. The contribution of our debt-based monetary system to the workings of the global economy needs to be much better understood. Global monetary reform, as so ably outlined here, is an essential precondition for real change. This book fills an important gap in our knowledge.”

SP News : Solomon Islands Social Credit Party requests copies of Simpol Monetary Reform book!

Monetary Reform - Making it Happen!

Economist James Robertson presents his proposals for monetary reform. John Bunzl explains how the Simultaneous Policy campaign could introduce this or alternative policies supported by SP Adopters.

To order copies of ‘Monetary Reform – Making it Happen!” please send an email to info@simpol.org or ring us on 0208 464-4141 or send a cheque for £6.00 to Simpol-UK PO Box 26547, London SE3 7YT

6 Policy suggestions

The Simultaneous Policy www.simpol.org

Policy suggestions : Adopters Put Forward their ProposalsEvery Adopter has the right to submit proposals for consideration by other Adopters for inclusion in the Simultaneous Policy package. You don’t have to be an expert yourself. If you have come across a good idea, or an organisation with proposals you like, you can submit those too. Visit the ‘policy zone’ at www.simpol.org.uk to give your views on other suggestions and to vote on them.

Provide the following information via the on-line form, in an email to policy@simpol.org.uk or in writing to Simpol, UK, PO Box 26547, London, SE3 7YT (Simpol-UK has offered to accept policy suggestions from Adopters in other countries for passing to ISPO).

• Contact details: Name (to be made public). Email address and other contact details (to be made public at the request of the proposer).

• Title of your suggested policy.

• Summarise your policy suggestion. This is a concise summary to be publicised to Adopters. Include a primary link or reference if relevant.

• Additional details: Give a longer explanation and sources of supporting information if relevant.

If you would like to suggest space in It's Simpol! is used for further information on any suggestions or issues please contact the Simpol-UK Policy Committee.

New suggestions

Title: Integrated policy against climate change and for global justice

Proposer: Ian Greenwood

Summary: A VAT-style‚ tax could be placed on sales of imported products and the funds invested in projects mitigating against climate change and adapting to its effects. Uniquely, the proposal is to return an equal share of the funds direct to projects in producer nations which would otherwise be unable to afford them. Thus everyone benefits: the Environmental Tax on Imports (ETI) could deploy overf $500 billion per annum if it were adopted worldwide and be a major stability fund. This could be an opportunity to stabilise oil and gas prices, resource shortages and reduce the frequency of disasters. Further information can be found at www.STEERglobal.org

Title: Gross Peaceful Product: economic competitiveness as a weapon for peace

Proposer: James Greyson

Summary: Spending on weapons research, manufacture, export, purchase and maintenance currently inflates Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and economic growth figures, making warring nations falsely appear more successful. Weapons spending should be excluded from GDP to define Gross Peaceful Product (GPP). GPP would replace GDP for measuring economic growth. Political enthusiasm for growth would cut global arms spending, allowing more to

be spent on productive activities. This would start a cycle of disarmament as nations feel less threatened. Weapons would become more expensive and less available, reducing the incidence of conflict and demand for weapons. See www.grosspeacefulproduct.org.uk.

Title: Precycling insurance - reforming capitalism for sustainability

Proposer: James Greyson

Summary: The toughest global problems are shaped by market signals that are beyond effective control by existing economic instruments. However a new instrument, based on insurance, could reform capitalism towards sustainability. Products (including components, fuels, chemicals and infrastructure) would be insured against the risk that they end up as waste in the air, land or water. Premiums would be used to reduce these risks by ‘precycling’: building ecological, social and industrial capacity to prevent wastes. Precycling insurance could support all sustainability issues. Regulation and long-term prices would be minimised while economic stability and growth would be maximised. See www.blindspot.org.uk. Download a peer-reviewed paper on the policy.

Title: Ground all aircraft

Proposer: Patricia Robertson-Pirie

Summary: Governments in the West, inspite of evidence that flying is the main cause of the destruction of the environment and cause of climate change, are refusing to consider even curbing it and demand that others, especially in the Third World, take responsibility. I propose that all aircraft be grounded and other forms of travel such as sea and rail be used. As with the closing of the docks to give way to air travel, retraining was given to shipbuilders. The reverse should now happen with aircraft staff and ancillary industry employees. Mr. Blair has stated that we should all be allowed freedom to fly if we want to but he should know that individual freedom is acceptable as long as it does not take liberties with others, including with our planet.

Title: Tradeable energy quotas (TEQs)

Proposer: Mr. Shaun Chamberlin

Summary: A tradable energy rationing system which addresses both climate change and energy-resource depletion, and allows countries to guarantee meeting their commitments under international frameworks such as the Oil Depletion Framework or Contraction and Convergence.

Every adult receives an equal free Entitlement of TEQs units. Industry and Government bid for their units at a weekly Tender, thus setting a market price for units. Units are required to buy any energy-resources (fuels, electricity etc.) which are in short supply and/or release greenhouse gases. The total number of units available is set by the TEQs Budget, which looks 20 years ahead and reduces year-on-year, being dictated by scientific consensus and the international frameworks adopted.

Policy suggestions/Policy development 7

The Simultaneous Policy www.simpol.org

Title: Maximum Global Salary

Proposer: Xavier Souron

Summary: It’s necessary to implement such a ceiling and to say to those who earn too much: “Either the state will take whatever is “too much”, or the companies that employ you will deduct it and keep it for investment in their businesses”. So, for example, if we had a ceiling

of Euros 500,000 per month and a footballer earned 1,000,000 per month, the State would take 500,000. One could also have different ceilings for different types of job, for solicitors, doctors, etc. This would leave open the possibility for the employer to invest the surplus into their businesses. For example, a solicitor who earns 700,000 in a year and if the ceiling is 500,000, the 200,000 could be invested into the business.

Policy development : Preparing for the next voting round

Simpol exists to put in place the systems for people around the world to discuss, develop and approve the global policies they wish to see implemented. The first National SP Organisation (NSPO), in the UK, held voting amongst UK Adopters last year and plans to do the same this year, as are some other NSPOs. Adopters anywhere will be able to vote on line.

The elected Policy Committee is proposing that policy suggestions submitted prior to the last round of voting must be re-submitted by Adopters to be included again. This is to ensure that suggestions which have been replaced by revised policies or do not have significant support amongst Adopters will drop out of the process. The Policy Committee may propose a threshold of support

is required for policies to go forward to the next voting round and is seeking the views of Adopters on this.

Accordingly Adopters are requested to do the following:

A. Look through the list of past policies given below and if you wish to re-submit the policy then tell the Policy Committee. You can also say you want to add your name to a list of seconders.

B. If you think there should be a threshold of support tell the Policy Committee (e.g. You may think a policy should have received a positive vote of above X% in the last round of voting, or been resubmitted/seconded by Y Adopters - specifying X and Y).

C. Nominate Adopters for forthcoming the Policy Committee elections. The Committee processes policy suggestions. It holds monthly internet meetings and will try to meet face-to-face several times per year.

You can contact the Policy Committee by emailing policy@simpol.org.uk or in writing to the ISPO address.

ATTENTION: This article includes a suggestion for developing the democratic process under which the Simultaneous Policy content is being developed.

The following suggestions are eligible for re-submitting/seconding. See past newsletters or the Policy Zone of www.simpol.org.uk for summaries. Full results of the last voting round are in It's Simpol ! Autumn 2006 and on the website - approve/disapprove figures are given here.

Oil Depletion Protocol (Voting papers 2006)Last voting: Approval: 81% Disapproval: 4%

International Clearing Union (It's Simpol ! Summer 2006)Last voting: Approval: 60% Disapproval: 3%

Remodelling Companies to Become Stakeholder-Governed Organisations (Spring 2006)Last voting: Approval: 60% Disapproval: 4%

Monetary Reform (Winter 2004/05)Last voting: Approval: 55% Disapproval: 4%

Equitable Sharing of the World’s Resources (Winter 2005/06)Last voting: Approval: 42% Disapproval: 13%

Fair and Sustainable Trade Institute (Summer 2006)Last voting: Approval: 39% Disapproval: 31%

Introduction of the Solidar currency (Summer 2006)Last voting: Approval: 31% Disapproval: 8%

The One Per Cent Solution: (TOPS) (Summer 2006)Last voting: Approval: 31% Disapproval: 13%

Esperanto (Voting papers 2006)Last voting: Approval: 13% Disapproval: 71%

The following more recent suggestions will automatically be included in the next round.

• Weapons spending excluded from GDP calculations (this issue)

• Precycling insurance - a new general-purpose sustainable development economic instrument (this issue)

• Maximum Global Salary (this issue)• Ground all aircraft (this issue)• Tradable Energy Quotas (this issue)• The Tobin Tax (Winter 2006/07)• Global Organization Of Democracies (Winter 2006/07)• Contraction and Convergencev (Winter 2006/07)• World Arms Monitoring Agency and Disarmament

(Autumn 2006)• A Defensive Defence Policy (Autumn 2006)• Global Citizen’s Income (Autumn 2006)• Nuclear Disarmament (Autumn 2006)

Past policy suggestions submitted by Adopters

8 Analysis

The Simultaneous Policy www.simpol.org

Denis Robb reports on new research that explores people’s dissatisfaction with conventional politics and their suggestions for reform of the political system. He considers the implications for Simpol, and invites readers to contact ‘It’s Simpol’ with their thoughts and suggestions on these issues.

While it is widely acknowledged that voters have become disengaged from mainstream politics, the reasons and remedies for this have received little serious attention. Now new research from The Research Practice helps fill this gap in our knowledge. The research was qualitative rather than quantitative, which allowed for wide-ranging discussion of politics and everyday life in over 500 interviews amongst a sample representative of the UK electorate. Each participant was interviewed on several occasions, individually and in groups, which encouraged people to explore and express their deeper concerns. This approach proved vital as initially most people find it difficult to understand and express their concerns about conventional politics and the changes they would like to see. Ultimately the findings suggest that our political system requires much more radical reform than professional political commentators tend to suggest. While the research was confined to the UK, it raises issues that seem to have universal relevance. So it is hoped that the findings will stimulate thoughts and suggestions from It’s Simpol ! readers in both the UK and other parts of the world. Perhaps unsurprisingly, initial discussion revealed that leading politicians were often felt to be motivated primarily by a desire for power and to further their own political careers or positions. In short they were felt to serve themselves rather than the public. To this end they were perceived to be economical with the truth, or even deceptive, in a bid to avoid awkward questions, to toe the party line, and to advance their personal careers. The casualties were felt to be the truth and respect for the public, who could feel they were being fed a diet of ‘spin’ and treated dismissively.

Politicians may find this highly discouraging, especially as their energetic hard work in the local area seems unlikely to overturn these negative associations established at a national level. However politicians may derive some comfort from the research, which indicates that the negative public attitudes focused on their perceived personal qualities may in fact reflect structural problems with our democratic system. Hence structural change may remove the underlying problems that currently result in politicians being rather unfairly criticised on personal grounds. One of the factors contributing to negative opinions of politicians was the way in which the leading parties were now felt to operate. The main UK parties were felt to have become little more than vehicles for the ambitions of their leading players. In the interest of wielding power, party discipline was felt to stifle debate and individual integrity. In this way the party machines were felt to resemble the remote and soulless business corporations that are increasingly thought to control the world. The fact that leading politicians overtly style themselves as ‘managers’ and try to present their party in terms of

offering better management than rival parties strengthens this association with ‘big business’.

Moreover politicians’ emphasis on ‘bread and butter’ issues does not necessarily motivate ordinary people to express deeply held convictions at election time. This is because people’s concern about the health service, education and crime fails to translate into strong opinions on which party can best ‘manage’ these areas. Put simply, voters find it difficult or impossible to ascertain which party will manage complex institutions more effectively, and often doubt the management abilities of politicians in general.

The decline of social class, and the more varied ways in which people define themselves and adopt causes in an age of accessible and limitless information, means they may actively agree with only one or two elements within a party’s overall programme. Here there were claims that buying into a party’s package of policies at election time was akin to being forced to buy a basket of groceries where each item was selected by the retailer rather than the consumer. Increasingly this is unacceptable to voters who wish to express their support for the particular policies or causes that most motivate them. Hence, almost paradoxically, many have become disengaged from conventional party politics precisely because they have become more genuinely politicised at an individual level.

Suggestions for reform

Initially many were pessimistic about the chances of improving Britain’s political system. Yet over the course of several interviews many became convinced that political reform was vital. It was said that ordinary people needed to express their values and aspirations in some kind of public space. This was said to be necessary to re-establishing some sense of broad community or membership of a healthy society that could give one hope. Without this, it was felt that our sense of humanity might disappear under a sea of cynicism, corporatism and individual isolation and alienation.

The ideas for reform that were discussed emanated from the respondents, who were not exposed to ideas such as adoption of Simultaneous Policy as advocated by Simpol. The issue of proportional representation was raised, discussed, and more often than not, felt to have some benefits. However, like the idea of regional assemblies, such potential reforms were also felt to be advocated by parties seeking more publicly-funded jobs for their candidates. Equally the proposal for taxpayer funding of parties was felt likely to simply strengthen the corporate dictatorship of parties and hence to do nothing to genuinely empower the electorate. Indeed some welcomed the prospect of lack of funding leading to a decline in the power of party control and hopefully a consequent increase in the honesty and integrity of individual politicians!

Many suggested reforms that reflected a desire for more thorough and independent scrutiny of government. Some sought public involvement in this, which led to some novel suggestions. For example, that there should be televised cabinet meetings with a regular opportunity

Analysis: What kind of democracy do voters want?

Analysis 9

The Simultaneous Policy www.simpol.org

for the TV audience to vote out anyone with whom they felt dissatisfied in the manner of Big Brother. It was felt that this would reduce the personal power of politicians, encourage them to be genuine public servants, and reduce the culture of secrecy which some detected within the British system and Establishment.

However many wished to have more control over the political agenda itself. Here it was suggested that a reformed second house should be elected and composed of people not connected to the main political parties. It was hoped that this might foster more of a healthy balance between representing the full range of people’s genuine concerns and the power of parties.

Perhaps most interesting of all was the suggestion that our ‘representative’ system might be replaced by a more direct form of democracy where the electorate had the ability to suggest and vote on specific issues on a regular basis. Although this raised many issues about how such a system could operate successfully, many saw potential benefits in this radical proposal.

Some felt that representative democracy demanded a faith in leaders that had now diminished and which perhaps belonged to a more deferent age. The current concentration of power in the hands of a few people was felt to expose the weaknesses and flaws of those at the top, with many feeling that voters were just as qualified to make political decisions as the average politician. Moreover modern technology was said to offer the opportunity for greater public involvement, whether in terms of ordinary people making suggestions via e-politics, or the public voting on specific issues on a regular basis. As respondents reflected on this, many came to believe that a more participative democracy would be preferable to the current situation where every five years or so the electorate have the opportunity to vote for baskets of policies they do not choose, that do not particularly embody their aspirations, and which are then executed with little perceived accountability by parties and politicians they neither like nor trust. Hence many felt that a more direct or participative democracy could give them more sense of involvement in both politics and public life, and some speculated that this could help to foster a stronger sense of community and to galvanise society. By contrast the current system often left people feeling like alienated outsiders.

Sometimes these ideas came together as in the suggestion of a second house that was effectively a ‘people’s parliament’, composed of individuals from different walks of life unconnected to political parties. It was suggested that such a body could be entrusted to stimulate public debate, in part by calling in experts, prior to the public being invited to vote on specific issues. It was envisaged that this could run in parallel with the current House of Commons while the value and rightful role of such an innovation was established.

The overall results suggest that the public’s apparent acceptance of the current political system rests on a failure to think about alternatives and lack of exposure to appealing ideas for reform. While some of the respondents’ suggestions for reform may not be workable, at the very least the research findings suggest a case for debating radical reform of our democracy.

Implications for Simpol

In the light of the issues raised in this article, SP adopters are invited to express their opinions on the merits and flaws of our current democratic systems, how they would like to see these change, and their views on the merits of representative vs. a more direct or participative form of democracy. This would be valuable as the research seems to have implications for Simpol that are both positive as well as potentially problematic.

On the positive side, people’s desire for more control over the political agenda and for a more participative democracy can be seen to endorse Simpol’s aim of making politics accountable to an agenda that is actively developed and endorsed by ordinary voters around the world. Indeed people’s desire to exert greater control over the political system may ultimately prove to be just as much of an incentive to adopt SP as the environmental and social justice causes the organisation seeks to advance.

In addition the findings suggest that the global issues Simpol seeks to address and resolve have the potential to motivate many voters much more than the policy agendas advocated by politicians with a narrow national perspective. This can be seen to reflect an increasingly global mindset amongst informed voters. Members of the research sample did not as yet attribute their lack of faith in conventional politics to the fact that many issues of concern ultimately required global solutions that were beyond the scope of national politics. Still, the findings indicate that many voters have reached a level of political sophistication that will enable them to adopt this view.

However the research also throws up problems for Simpol. The depth of many people’s cynicism and distrust in relation to conventional politics raises issues about asking adopters to put their faith in this system to implement the changes they want to see? Will voters who are politically motivated trust politicians to get on with the job of implementing Simultaneous Policies at some point in the future? Does the opportunity to help formulate Simultaneous Policy and the strong electoral incentive that adoption exerts on politicians give adopters a sufficient sense of participation in, and control of, the political process?

In particular it would be interesting to hear from elected representatives on their views about reforming our political system and the pros and cons of representative versus more direct forms of democracy. Here elected politicians should take comfort in the thought that reform of the system may prompt greater voter satisfaction with politicians. We should also consider the potential role of the Simpol agenda, and the range of causes Simpol seeks to champion, in providing a fertile territory on which political representatives and their voters can forge a more meaningful bond and sense of common purpose.

Denis Robb is a founder of The Research Practice, a UK market and social research organisation. Readers are requested to send their reactions to this article, their suggestions for reform of our democratic system, and their views on the implications for Simpol to editor@simpol.org . Reeder feedback will then be reported in the next edition of It’s Simpol !

10 Newswatch/Simpol around the world

The Simultaneous Policy www.simpol.org

Imaginiamo il cambiamento Quando negli anni della rivoluzione pacifica globale giovanile imperava lo slogan ’’la fantasia al potere’’ e si cantavano canzoni come ‘’Imagine’’ e ‘’Blowing in the wind’’ molti pensavano che erano utopie giovanili, di ragazzi fuori dal mondo reale che volevano solo cantare, fare sesso libero e non lavorare.

Ricordo bene questo. Invece gia’ allora c’era una reale consapevolezza che quel ‘’sistema’’ mondiale non portava a niente di buono, che non funzionava, che c’erano delle fortissime derive sociali, economiche e politiche, che tutto si stava incancrenendo, che alle parole pace e non piu’ guerre si contrapponevano egoismi e sfruttamenti planetari, interessi privati di grandi corporazioni capaci di determinare le politiche del mondo intero con effetti devastanti sul nostro ecosistema in modo irreversibile.

Queste conseguenze cosi’ ben intraviste sono oggi la nostra tragica realta’.

E’ necessario cambiare, per deviare l’attuale corso verso il baratro.

Immaginiamo un mondo migliore e costruiamolo E’ importante che tutti intervengano cooperando e non solo delegando per intraprendere nuove strade eliminando gli attuali sistemi incentrati esclusivamente sul capitalismo liberale assoluto che crea squilibri sociali, accentramenti di poteri a discapito di tutti e di tutto.

Io penso che dalla terra, dalle cose concrete, dai rapporti economici semplici tra le persone, dal recupero dei valori sociali dimenticati, dall’arte, si possa immaginare e costruire un futuro migliore.

Sara’ bene che tutti adottino questi ideali, come una nuova sapienza che si diffonda di bocca in bocca per attuare gradualmente dei cambiamenti globali politici economici e sociali.

Simpol e’ il futuro migliore.

Antonio Rinaldi, ApuliALPS, SIMPOL ITALIA

Simpol around the world : Italia/Italy

Newswatch : The dilemma of global governanceFinancial Times Wednesday Jan 24 2007 by Martin Wolf “The dilemma of global governance”

Wolf’s article begins by neatly defining the problem:“The world’s economy is global; its politics are national. This in a nutshell, is the dilemma of global governance”He goes on to discuss why international organizations that rely upon voluntary cooperation – and thus have huge imbalances in power between the nations – do not have what it takes to effect necessary sweeping change:“(yet) the failure lies far more with national politics than with international institutions. It is governments and their publics that resist taking on new commitments on trade, greenhouse gas emissions or exchange-rate policies.”

Correctly, he names the root of these difficulties as “the collective action problem” saying that “a multiplicity of agents will fail to provide a public good, because of the temptation for each to free-ride on the efforts of the others.” The result of this collective action problem is that individual nations will continue to pursue courses of action that are short-sighted and selfish. For example “..few states are prepared to accept costly and politically unpopular curbs on the consumption of fossil fuels.”

This leads him to the question “so how, in practice, does the world proceed?” and its unsurprising (to us) answer “on a number of fronts simultaneously”.

Unfortunately, Wolf then fails to correctly identify the type of organization that will need to exist in order for the change to happen. He describes meetings between

officials and non-official groups (e.g. the WTO and leaders of companies) as being useful, such as took place at the World Economic forum in Davos in January. He also talks about government groupings like the G8 and the G20. He sums it up by saying “the resulting mosaic of international agreements, official institutions, informal groupings and informal discussions among influential people is the best our world of some 200 countries can now do.” He seems to be forgetting entirely that most influential and largest group of people: the citizenry of the free world! Not appearing to notice this omission he concludes by saying “Is it good enough? No.” Correct. And then, “Will it get better soon? Probably not.” And then rather lamely wrapping up with “Is it better than nothing? Yes, it certainly is.”

A much better way to end this article would have been to urge people in democratic countries to take back the power that is at their command, and drive their elected officials towards cooperation on the policies that the citizens have agreed are the major global priorities. And of course, had Mr Wolf done so, he would have been describing the Simultaneous Policy.

To read full text of article, go to the following link to the Financial Times web page:http://www.ft.com/cms/s/7c2f46d0-ab50-11db-b5db-0000779e2340.html

Write to Martin Wolf about the Simpol solution: martin.wolf@ft.com

Simpol around the world 11

The Simultaneous Policy www.simpol.org

Simpol around the world : UK

Let’s Imagine the Change!When in the years of the global peace revolution, young protesters came up with the slogan, ‘Fantasy to Power’ and sang songs such as ‘Imagine’ and ‘Blowing in the Wind’, many considered they manifested merely a youthful Utopia, their general view of a ‘free’ world which was just singing, sex and not having to work.

I remember it well.

As it turns out, there was already a real understanding that the world ‘system’ delivered nothing good, that it didn’t work, that there were strong social tendencies – both economic and political – which were becoming cancerous. All the words of peace and no more war were opposed to an egoism and planet-wide slave-trade, private interests of huge corporations were already determining the policies of the entire world with devastating and irreversible effects to our eco-system.

These well-discerned consequences have become, today, our tragic reality. It’s essential to change, to divert the present resolute march into the abyss.

Let’s imagine a better world and then build it.It’s important that everybody works together and doesn’t just delegate responsibility for finding new ways out of our present socially unbalanced system to already compromised entrepreneurs. For their system, centralized, as it is, on an absolute liberal capitalism, operates to the detriment of everybody and everything.

I think that out of the earth, out of material things, out of simple economic relationships between peoples and the recovery of forgotten social values, out of art ... one could imagine and construct a better future.

It would be good if everybody adopted such ideals, a new knowledge spread by word of mouth, able to effect gradual change in global politics, both economic and social.

Simpol is that better future.

Antonio Rinaldi, ApuliALPS, SIMPOL ITALIA

Simpol-UK has 23 MPs now!

Martin Horwood, LibDem for Cheltenham, is the latest to sign our pledge, which he did at the SP Climate Change Forum on February 28, 2007 (story on page 4). Two more recent additions, having just signed the pledge in April 2007, are Tom Brake, LibDem MP for Carshalton & Wallington, and Martin Linton, Labour MP for Battersea. The other 21, with their party affiliation and constituency, are listed, alphabetically by last name, below. You can also find this list, with some statements from various MPs about Simpol, at our UK site: www.simpol.org.uk

Lorely Jane Burt LibDem Solihull Malcolm Bruce LibDem Gordon Bill Etherington Labour Sunderland North Lynne Featherstone LibDem Hornsea & Wood Green Don Foster LibDem Bath Andrew George LibDem St Ives Mike Hancock LibDem Portsmouth Sout6h Philip Hollobone Conservative Kettering Jim Knight Labour Dorset South John Leech LibDem Manchester Withington John McDonnell Labour Hayes & Harlington Andrew Pelling Conservative Croydon Central John Penrose Conservative Weston-super-mare Adam Price Plaid Cymru Carmerthen East & Dinefwr Paul Rowen LibDem Rochdale Adrian Sanders LibDem Torbay Mark Williams LibDem Ceredigion Tony Wright Labour Cannock Chase Rudy Vis Labour Finchley & Golders Green Richard Younger-Ross LibDem Teignbridge

12 Simpol around the world/End to End

The Simultaneous Policy www.simpol.org

Simpol-UK Strategic PlanA number of Adopters attended a special meeting on 28th February 2007 to review Simpol-UK’s original Strategic Plan which was drawn up in 2004 and ran until the end of 2006. While the overall objective of the campaign remains to deliver a UK government committed to implementing SP alongside other governments, a number of new interim targets and objectives were discussed. Amongst the particular objectives identified were the need to articulate the campaign more clearly and the need for a short video which explains the campaign and which can be sent via email or viewed directly on our website. Also noted, was the particular need for more Adopters to volunteer to become active in day-to-day campaigning. A volunteer form for this purpose can be found at www.simpol.org.uk/campaign.php So, please, we need your help! Those attending the meeting will shortly put forward final proposals for the revised Strategic Plan for the approval of the Trustees. The new plan is expected to run to the end of 2008 and will be posted on our website as soon as it has been completed.

SP stall and talk at London School of Economics Our man-in-the field Barnaby Flynn reporting on Simpol at the LSE

“I held a stall in the grounds of the London School of Economics in February to advertise John Bunzl’s lecture on SP there. There was stiff competition for being noticed in the LSE square as many LSE societies where also vying for the attention to advertise their events and parties. I did however have the privilege of signing up a few new student Adopters whilst there and most of those were from overseas. I bought a new see through rain cover for the stall which worked well to keep the Adoption lists and MP letters dry during the squalls whilst I hid from their worst effects!

"The talk went very well and considering it was his first time talking on SP with power point, John spoke passionately without falter. There were some new Adoptions from the talk, some of those wanting to get actively involved in campaigning.”

You can hear the talk at www.simpol.org.uk/spbroadcasts.php

During the last two weeks in June this year, Adam Jacobs, a carpenter and part-time musician, will be undertaking the herculean task of cycling from Land's End to John O'Groats. The journey of nearly 1000 miles is to raise funds and

awareness for the Simpol campaign. We’re bowled over by this incredible and generous gesture on Adam’s part, and we hope all Adopters in the UK and elsewhere will respond by helping us to publicise Adam’s ride and to help raise much-needed funds for the campaign.

“As an Adopter of SP, riding for SP is for me an honour, enabling me to raise awareness and funds for the campaign”, said Jacobs. “SP has humanity’s best interests at heart and cuts through the abhorrent cloudiness of our current global political system by providing a practical political framework through which all peoples and their leaders can harness their latent power and create a truly democratic, sustainable and just world”. There are lots of ways you could help to make the most of Adam’s epic ride: volunteer to help publicise the ride amongst local and national press, etc. If you can help us with this, please email us at media@simpol.org

1. Fill out the Sponsorship Form (available at www.simpol.org.uk) and/or use the form to get your family and friends to adopt SP and raise funds for the campaign.

2. Use the ride to raise awareness of Simpol with your MP or favourite NGO and urge them to support the campaign. You can find template letters in the

'Campaign Zone' of www.simpol.org.uk Find out who your MP is at www.locata.co.uk/commons/

To see which MPs have already signed the SP Pledge, go to

www.simpol.org.uk/constituencies.php/

3. If you’re a keen cyclist, why not join Adam for a small section of his route and raise funds and awareness for Simpol among your friends, family and others.

Please contact us immediately if you can help in any way!

Departure scheduled for 21st June. Day 1. Land’s End- Exeter. 120 milesDay 2. Exeter- Bath. 90 milesDay 3. Bath- Shrewsbury. 120 miles (via Stroud, Gloucester, Leominster and Ludlow).Day 4. Shrewsbury- Liverpool. 70 miles (via Birkenhead).Day 5. Liverpool- Kendal. 75 milesDay 6. Kendal- Polmaddie. 100 miles (via Penrith and Carlisle).Day 7. Polmaddie- Lochlomond. 75 miles (via Kilmarnock and Alexandria).Day 8. Lochlomond- Laggan. 70 miles (via Fort William).Day 9. Laggan- Invershin. 60 milesDay 10. Invershin- John o’Groats. 90 miles

Check our new events page for updates on the ride!http://simpol.org.uk/campaign_events.php

In addition we’ll be talking to Adam as he goes on his way and posting to the blog on his behalf. http://simpoluk.blogspot.com/

End to End : Adam Jacobs' sponsored bike ride