Systems thinking, politics LO9395

BrooksJeff@aol.com
Fri, 23 Aug 1996 13:12:17 -0400

Barry Mallis (LO9309, 96-08-21) writes:
<< .... I recall on this list many months ago the observations of someone who
wrote about a group of ordinary citizens who got together at a sort of
convention to solve certain chronic national problems. Their measures were,
according to the reporter, more than simply noteworthy.

These gathered individuals broke out of the traditional circles of politics
and devised strategies both workable and efficient beyond the current
models. But, Alas, nothin' doin'. >>

Barry,

Yes, exactly my point! The policies and strategies for better government are
not necessarily all that difficult, but the political forces prevent them
from being implemented. The problem, as I see it, is that people interested
in reforms are focused on the specifics of policy changes, but they haven't
recognized that it will be "nothin' doin'" until the political forces are
changed/redirected.

To be more accurate, we must recognize that it is possible to accomplish some
changes within the context of the present arrangement of political forces,
but the adaptability of the system is at a primitive level. Instead of
making fine adjustments to shifting circumstances, the system often lurches
like Frankenstein's monster, first leaning far to one side of any specific
policy debate and then to the other. We have to focus on and understand the
reasons for this pattern if we're ever to have a consistently better
government.

-Jeff (BrooksJeff@AOL.com)

(P.S. I know left out the string of questions at the beginning of your post -
it might take a book to answer them. Also, while I think they're important
questions, they're a bit too specific for me at this stage of the
discussion.)

-- 


BrooksJeff@aol.com
 


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