Global Direct aims to inspire a vision of a concrete global civilization, through creatively structuring participatory governance.

Today, global networked connectivity has enabled new forms of participatory societal organization. However, there are still a lack of prototypes for models that can efficiently work towards a new type of autonomous global democracy.

Issues such as economic volatility and inequality, energy and natural resources, environmental protection and climate change, as well as mass surveillance impact people globally. Meanwhile, the cross-border flow of individuals, goods, finances and information inevitably accelerates. Within this context, the need for democratic global governance is critical, as everyone should have a say on global issues in proportion to the degree in which those issues affect them.

In this project, globalization becomes an opportunity for autonomy and setting of people’s agenda beyond the limits imposed by local authorities and politics, while decentralization allows independent self-management within local communities. The new center of this proposed system is ethical and cultural and becomes the ultimate universal reference for everyone’s common interest.

For illustrating this idea, the artwork is presented as a visionary political program that structures global direct democracy through the opportunities offered by distributed network technology for participatory decision-making, transparent accountability and civil awareness.

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The origin of this work was initiated from research into modern state’s systems, which provided the material to redesign the actual organograms of parliaments, courts, and other governmental bodies. This research into political science informed the drawings of new organograms which outline ideas for a possible participatory, decentralized and globalized political system.

The drawing of blueprints with the flowchart paradigm mimics actual systems that illustrate legislative, judicial and executive decision-making flows, as well as other specific sectors of governance. The diagrams also visually recall algorithm design and network architectures, suggesting governance as a decentralized and efficient system which improves through collaborative efforts within an open and transparent process.

The diagrams of Global Direct illustrate potential alternatives ranging from social identification within the nation-state to specific areas of governance, within a network of relationships and influences from the local community to global level. These flowcharts show how networks of ordinary people can administer self-governance via consensus-building and deliberative protocols within a framework of democratic checks and balances. For instance, the diagrams indicate forms of participatory legislative and judicial systems in which policies can be created, revoked and enforced democratically by the collective voice and will of everyone without governmental or corporate interference. These models would indicate an alternative to the current representative political structures, which oftentimes possess corrupted, authoritarian and repressive traits.

The lobbying of multinational firms and degraded democracies coupled with the misuse of technology and mass media, leads to individuals, municipalities, and small businesses losing control of their power and democratic rights. This situation creates increasing discontent and a demand for new forms of political culture development that transcend the ideologies of the past century. A political shift can be driven by technology and connectivity and potentially empower society to administrate and fund itself autonomously. In fact, Internet society now possesses more expansive tools and knowledge, enabling productive collaboration, transparent social accountability and democratic free speech which directly facilitates radical democracy.

The decentralization of power through the paradigm of the network would yield social architectures that autonomously manage local needs and would enable collaboration on global issues through independent digital social network platforms. Instead of the current centralized power of governments and companies, we will see several types of autonomous networks working together for the health and benefit of the whole organism. Networks of active cells collaborating as independent social structures can be the archetype of equilibrium and self-governance for every community and the entire planet.

Global Direct deploys alternatives to the current political and socioeconomic landscape and encourages creative thought about alternative models based on individuals collaborating through global networks. Ultimately, the artwork may be considered a political manifesto to inspire future political trends and organizations through an unconventional and visionary reorganization of society.

Essay by Paolo Cirio
2013-2014

Global Direct
http://GlobalDirect.today

http://paolocirio.net/work/global-direct/

Artwork by Paolo Cirio and currently shown at DOX Prague, Palazzo del Governatore Parma and online on Turbulence.org
With the participation of Carne Ross, Daniele Archibugi, Douglas Rushkoff, Jon Lebkowsky, Ethan Zuckerman, Michel Bauwens, David Moore, among others.