Ineffective techniques for achieving consensus

Ineffective methods of local consensus building

Nature

There is a lack of comprehensive models for organizing consensus and forming objective opinions. Groupings find it hard to form a strong consensus beyond a common dissatisfaction with the status quo.

Incidence

These difficulties are evident in the Peace Movement, where highly diverse groups congregate without methods for building a comprehensive peace plan. Another example is the fragmentation of opposition parties in India.

Claim

Although personal participation in decisions which affect a person's future is a present-day requirement, residents see that the vitally important structures for building local, national or global consensus are inadequate. Lack of participation in consensus decision-making results in a feeling of being victimized by larger systems or issues. Many people feel unrelated to global issues because they see no way in which they can actually affect the outcome. The great majority of people in democratic countries feel that though they have the vote, this makes no difference to the everyday realities; so many do not make the effort to cast their vote.