True Representation

True Representation is the bullseye of democracy. True Representation means that at each level in society, people need to be truly represented in the decisions that affect them.

At BANR we agree with visionary Buckminster Fuller that to change the way things are, we need to build models that will make old, failing models obsolete. To this end, we are launching the True Representation project to engage people in a joint effort to learn together and demonstrate ways to make everyday life more democratic.

On this page, you can explore resources to help you understand what this can look like. Although we are U.S.-based and some of our personal efforts are focused here, our community is international and the concepts and practices discussed here are being pioneered worldwide.

Overview

These four videos, along with BANR Founder Ted Wachtel’s book, True Representation: How Citizens’ Assemblies and Sortition Will Save Democracy, provide a good introductory overview to this topic.

What Are Democratic Lotteries? This 3-minute film lays out the basics of the process in simple terms.

The magazine The Economist explains “How to Restore Trust in Politics” through the use of Citizens’ Assemblies in this excellent 9-minute film, which includes much news footage.

The UnPopulist explains in 14 minutes how Citizens Assemblies and Deliberative Democracy have been working to help the nation of Ireland work through a number of divisive issues.

Brett Hennig’s brilliant 9-minute Ted Talk explores the question: “What if we replaced politicians with randomly selected people?”

Ted Wachtel’s 18-minute talk on True Representation is excerpted from his Master Class in How to Build a New Reality (text version available).

Power to the People

Participants from Citizens’ Assemblies attest to the productive nature of the decision-making process.

Citizens in Petaluma, California developed a policy on a fairground development project. Hear from lottery-selected panelists in this 9-minute film.

This 17-minute film gives perspectives of citizen legislators of the Irish Citizens’ Assembly that led to Constitutional Changes on Abortion policy.

French citizens speak about their experience at a national Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Change during this 7-minute film.

Related Developments

True Representation goes beyond formal state governance to promote the notion that in any setting people are happier — and better decisions are made — when they are truly represented. These videos provide a further sense of the possibilities.

This 2-minute film shows how student councils in Bolivian schools choose reps by lottery. The process is inclusive and highly democratic.

A representative sample of Americans came together for a weekend to deliberate policy positions. “America In One Room”, a 6-minute video, shows how people across the spectrum tend toward mutual understanding.

This 21-minute film shows how in Malawi, citizens oversee the use of development funds, reducing corruption. (Bonus: the music is phenomenal!)

Selected Readings

Can Citizens’ Assemblies Repair Our Broken Democracy?, an interview with Sortition Foundation Founder Brett Hennig

Top 8 Reasons for a U.S. National Citizens’ Assembly on Gun Violence by Ted Wachtel

How A Citizen’s Legislature Made Texas #1 in Renewable Energy by Ted Wachtel

The True Representation Pledge by Ted Wachtel

Student Government Reimagined by Adam Cronkwight

Join/Subscribe to/and Follow These Organizations

The Sortition Foundation is a membership organization that advocates for citizens’ assemblies, with links to news and associated grassroots organizations around the world.

Democracy Without Elections, an offshoot of the Sortition Foundation, is a free-to-join membership organization based in the United States. You will receive their monthly emails for news, invitations to special events and monthly meetings. This organization practices what they preach, choosing their own board members by lottery!

Democracy Next has the best guide we’ve seen for how to promote and organize a Citizens’ Assembly from start to finish.

Equality by Lot provides relevant news and articles from around the world. We recommend signing up to receive updates by email.

Healthy Democracy, based in Portland, Oregon, designs and facilitates Citizens’ Assemblies and provides a variety of educational resources.

The Democracy Innovation Hub at Bard College’s Hannah Arendt Center for Politics and Humanities organizes annual events for policymakers and educators interested in doing deliberative democracy.