Problem
Ineffectiveness of individual participation in large communities
Nature:
The size of the political community is so large today that its members are separated from its leaders simply by their number. Individuals have little effective voice in local government except when the units of local government are autonomous, self-governing, self-budgeting communities and are small enough to create the possibility of an immediate link between the man-in-the-street and his local officials and elected representatives. Government becomes invisible as it leaves the realm of most citizens' daily lives; popular referenda are infrequent and decisions are via political machinery and rules of expediency with little concern for the long-term interests of the individuals in the electorate. Broader Problems:
IneffectivenessReluctance to join in community actionStultifying homogeneity of modern citiesRestricted opportunity for community activityLack of participation from local communities in democratic processes Narrower Problems:
Uncontrolled urban developmentBureaucracy as an organizational disease Related Problems:
Self-conception of ethical voidAlienating child-birth environmentsUnbalanced urban population density gradientsInadequate night life entertainment facilitiesInadequate night life entertainment facilitiesUnattractive pedestrian environments in urban areas Aggravates:
Unrepresentative leadersUndermined citizen confidenceDecline in civic participationInadequate grass-roots initiativeImpersonality of public squares in citiesIsolation of trade union members from their representatives Subject(s):
Society → Individuals??Society → Communities??
Social Activity → Participation??
Societal Problems → Ineffectiveness??
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Problem Type:
F: Fuzzy exceptional problems Date of last update
03.06.1999 – 00:00 CEST