Principles of Relational Democracy
By: Eva Schonveld
Tags: Trauma, Politics, Society, Change, Decision Making

Grassroots to Global is exploring how we can make better collective decisions at any level by understanding how our emotions affect our ability to think clearly and relate to ourselves and one another. Here we are attempting a top level outline of key factors that support better decisions. We think these are true for Scotland and the UK. To what extent do they hold elsewhere?

Mitigating our worst aspects, supporting our best

We think the following is true of people in general, though culture will have a strong influence on how these features are expressed.

We are subjective beings and tend to in-group out-group thinking — this can usually be effectively addressed by informal, relaxed social contact and sharing of life experience, that are built into cultures in a range of ways.

— this can usually be effectively addressed by informal, relaxed social contact and sharing of life experience, that are built into cultures in a range of ways. Painful childhood experience continues to affect us as adults. Stress triggers these traumas, which we feel and express in unconscious ways, making us more reactive and less able to be empathic — in western culture dealing with trauma is almost totally privatised. It can be tackled obliquely through attending to process, ensuring that people feel welcome and supported. But we also need to consciously develop our culture towards greater transparency to ourselves and one another. We need new social processes that can support us when our trauma is triggered and which help us uncover the transformative potential of conflict.

— in western culture dealing with trauma is almost totally privatised. It can be tackled obliquely through attending to process, ensuring that people feel welcome and supported. But we also need to consciously develop our culture towards greater transparency to ourselves and one another. We need new social processes that can support us when our trauma is triggered and which help us uncover the transformative potential of conflict. We have an innate capacity for empathy , intuitively understanding others’ experience and wanting them to have a good life — as mentioned above, trauma can inhibit our ability to empathise, particularly with those outside our social group, so it is essential that our political processes feel safe and have ways to deal well with trauma and conflict when they (inevitably) arise, in a way that ensures everyone can feel safe and the sources of trauma can be addressed.

— as mentioned above, trauma can inhibit our ability to empathise, particularly with those outside our social group, so it is essential that our political processes feel safe and have ways to deal well with trauma and conflict when they (inevitably) arise, in a way that ensures everyone can feel safe and the sources of trauma can be addressed. We are creative, intellectual, practical and spiritual, we learn and develop our understanding in a wide range of ways — our political processes need to enable access and engagement through a range of different modes of thinking and being, not just those most socially valued, valuing everyone’s potential to contribute in a way that releases the energy caught in dualistic (superior/ inferior) thinking

Essential elements that relational decision making processes need to include:

Ensure that groups who are not usually listened to are included — ideally as partners in developing the processes. These groups are likely to be skeptical to begin with but their input is crucial to be able to see the whole picture

Have strategies for managing those whose conditioning means they over- or under-engage.

Actively support the development of relational skills e.g. listening, speaking clearly, self reflection, emotional self management in all participants

Have methods to anticipate, sense and deal early and well with conflict and trauma responses when they are triggered

Take a transformative approach to trauma, reaction and conflict, seeing them as complex, multi-layered, nuanced and full of incredibly useful information, while also recognising the need to maintain a feeling of safety to limit triggering of others.

There are different types of process needed for democracy to work well

Connecting processes

Many groups are marginalised and left behind by the current decision making processes. It is essential to identify as many of these groups as possible and build relationship and trust through early connection to ensure they begin to feel confidence in this approach and can actively input on how their social group can best be included.

It is ongoingly essential to maintain connection between all involved in decision making right the way through a process — only with trust and understanding will we be able to create the solutions and decisions needed.

‘People’s Assemblies’ — Creative thinking/solution generating processes: open to anyone who cares about the issue

Because people come because they care about the issue, they may need support to listen to and understand other positions

Can be done with very large groups (though splitting into smaller working groups is helpful for creative thinking processes)

Effort should be made to call in as wide a range of people as possible (see connecting processes above)

Should have a range of input from ‘expert witnesses’ (ideally with lived experience, and including those able to think outside the box) across the spectrum of opinion with methods to ensure their evidence is accurate.

May have a range of outputs including skills building, improved understanding and relationships, local action, proposals for decision making processes

‘Citizens’ Assemblies’ — Decision making processes: needs a ‘good enough’ representative sample, randomly selected from the population involved

Selection of participants needs to be a random yet representative sample, and also needs to ensure that those likely to be directly affected are well represented

Because these people are randomly selected, they may need support to engage with and become enthused by the area of focus

These are a locus of power, so must be protected against co option by vested interests

Should be set up and supported by a facilitated stakeholder group from across the spectrum of opinion on the subject at hand

Should be informed by ‘expert witnesses’ (ideally with lived experience, and including those able to think outside the box) across the spectrum of opinion with methods to ensure their evidence is accurate.

Should be facilitated by people dedicated to ensuring good process over any particular outcome.

Structured working working groups who will make sure that decisions are implemented.

Are a locus of power, so must be protected against co option by vested interests — this may include periodically opening their work to peoples’ assemblies to enable wider understanding, engagement and input

Need to be accountable to and report back to decision makers

Should contain a majority of those who work in whatever area they are dealing with

Decision making processes must be kept clear and clean so that they don’t become co-opted by special interests. Ways to do this include:

Ensuring that those at the margins are central to our processes

Facilitators with a dedication to the process over the outcome together with others skilled in conflict transformation, trauma and other essential skills

Emotionally intelligent design that ensures that the process is comfortable and engaging for participants and that trauma responses and conflicts are well held when they arise

14th December 2020 heartpolitics@protonmail.com

https://www.grassroots2global.org/

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