Our Democracy is Fracked Up

Although the UK has traditionally been viewed as a beacon of democracy, one could argue that it was such a beacon in a time gone by when democracy was in its infancy and when the people were not in general, as educated as they now are.

Gaventa (2006) is one academic who has offered us the “power cube” which is a framework to discuss and evaluate power paradigms and struggles in a variety of circumstances including the alleged democratic deficit of the UK.

gaventa-power-cube
Gaventa 2006 Power Cube

Letki & Munro (2013) tell us that “the notion of democratic deficit encompasses distortions in the flow of influence from citizens to government.”

Considering the power cube framework, one clear illustration (in many) of the democratic deficit in the UK, occurred on the 26th of October 2016 by one man with visible power at a national level. Communities Secretary Sajid Javid overruled another’s visible power at a local level of the Lancashire’s Local Council. This was legal yet democratically bankrupt. The local council had made a decision to reject fracking in Lancashire and Sajid Javid legally forced Lancashire’s Local Council to accept fracking in their area.

sajid-javid

“The “inside track” of elite organising and lobbying (is done) on behalf of the excluded, or to raise the profile of neglected social needs” (Hilder Paul, pg 7, 2007).

The inside track of the sustained campaign against fracking in Lancashire began in 2012. It had lobbied government, submitted large petitions, delivered reports which led to the fracking license being opposed within the democratic process.

The “outside track” is the element of popular mobilisations and social movements that actively involve a wider public in making claims on power. (Hilder Paul, 2007).

Underlying all the negotiations being held in the closed spaces (see cube above) of local council chambers and private rooms was the “outside track” element of the campaign.
For this particularly campaign the outside track element involved numerous and varied civil society led organisations who bonded in coalitions and creatively and collectively employed numerous non violent activist techniques, to highlight the dangers of fracking, earn credibility and publically mobilise against fracking in the whole of the UK. These included: time-limited occupations,sit ins, lock ons, blockades and various ‘media-stunts’ and events for the press and the wider public, petition and logo designing and distribution, celebrity endorsement,bombarding Twitter, Facebook and You Tube with infographics, videos, reports, numerous memes, blogs and articles as well as  securing funding for some of it.

Reclaim The Power 2014 – Anti Fracking Activist Camp Blackpool UK from Polly Tikkle Productions on Vimeo.

Despite all their efforts to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that the community was against fracking using all the tools availabe to democractric campaigning and despite the local council, an authority in itself heeding the democratic process and using its visible power accordingly, one man, far removed from Lancashire got to decide. If Sajid Javid believes that fracking is needed for ‘energy security’ then he should respect that the people of Lancashire have weighed up the pros and cons and are prepared to live with the consequences. I know that I am prepared to live with less energy rather than play a passive role in the potential poisoning of the UK water basins for all future generations.

This is an observable conflict within my understanding of the one dimensional view of power as theorised firstly by Robert Dahl (Lukes, 2005). Considering Bachrach and Baratz (1970) more thoughtful two dimensional views of power and Lukes 1974 & 2005 even more insightful three dimensional view of power this ‘visible form’ of bullying is as clear to observe as it is difficult to understand.


References:

Gaventa, J. (2006). Finding the Spaces for Change; A Power Analysis. IDS Bulletin , 37 (6).

Hilder Paul, J. C.-G. (2007). CONTENTIOUS CITIZENS CIVIL SOCIETY’S ROLE IN CAMPAIGNING FOR SOCIAL CHANGE. The Young Foundation.

Lukes, S. (2005). Introduction. In S. Lukes, Power, A Radical View (pp. 14-38). New York: PALGRAVE MACMILLAN.

Letki, N., & Munro, A. (2013, April 01). Democratic Deficit definition. Retrieved December 17th, 2016 from Britannica.com: https://www.britannica.com/topic/democratic-deficit

One thought on “Our Democracy is Fracked Up”

  1. Very interesting blog. I can’t help but feel my own anger and empathy temperatures rising at how easily the work of a community was overturned. I really liked your point that you are prepared to live with less energy rather than play a passive role in poisoning the UK water basins for future generations. I think that the Lancaster community will have the attention of others after this injustice and I wonder how they could help people take action to use less energy. Every bit counts – I can’t help but think if everyone did a little something, what big things we could prevent happening.

No point in having an opinion unless you share it :)

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