Transforming Democracy: Nayaha Elect League Gamifies Politics for Engaging Elections
The growth of democracy and civil liberties is necessary for sustainable development. But why is democracy weakening and losing consensus? The world is suffering from democratic erosion even in countries considered geopolitical and economic powers. Will there be a saving? What is undermining the model of democracy?
The world prides itself on democracy. We consider it the prominent achievement of modern times. The least bad of government systems, as Churchill said. Some countries, especially in America, were already born as democracies, although in many cases they had to be reconquered after the rise of dictatorships. In Europe, however, democracies are the consequence, almost always, of a slow process that goes from absolute monarchy to parliamentary and then to the republic. Some of us are still in the second phase. In this article, we'll discuss today's democracy and how Nayaha is transforming democracy with gamification.
In the Old Continent, democracy was achieved with blood, wars, revolutions, social upheavals, and demands for political and civil rights. It is, therefore, normal that they are something to be proud of. Some countries have gone through the darkest stage in our entire history to achieve them.
How is Democracy in the World Today?
According to some indicators, the number of countries classified as democratic is growing. And yet, the concept of democracy, today as in the past, is full of gray areas and unresolved dilemmas concerning its definition, empirical declinations, virtues, and risks. Following events of things like the pandemic and economic recession, there’s been a concerning damaging impact on global democratic standards.
Matter of fact, democracy’s still a very fragile issue if we go beyond national borders and look at the world. Liberal democracies have decreased in the last decade from 41 to 32 countries, and only 14% of the world's population lives in these fortunate nations. It’s possible to look at these dilemmas from different and complementary disciplinary perspectives, addressing issues such as the changing forms of democracy over the centuries, the processes of democratization, and the actors, old and new, who interact in the public arena.
Even today democracy, far from being the one dreamed of and represented in the last century, has some realities that politics has hypocritically tried to conceal. Citizens today, rather than participating in building a political project, ask for a solution to their existential and daily problems. This means that more than the satisfaction of participation, and the construction of ideas and solutions, citizens, in a modern democracy, ask for the ability to make decisions and also quickly.
The relationship between the collegial elaboration phase and decision-making power has therefore changed. And today, the balance leans in favor of this second aspect. Just looking at politics as a means rather than an end is one of the novelties of the evolution of Western democracies.
Gamifying Politics to Transforming Democracy
At the basis of this transformation of relationships, there’s also a technological and IT evolution of communication in general and politics in particular. When we talked about revolutionizing politics, we mentioned the immense progress of digital democracy.
Well, this tech and IT evolution has gone beyond digitalizing democratic processes to developing a creative and entertaining way of learning about politics. We’re talking about where gaming meets politics.
Democracy is crooned to be a government for the people, by the people, and answerable to the people. However, the tussle and deteriorating democratic standards are seemingly the prime reason behind the disinterest in politics. But how does gaming help?
Gamifying politics can be a powerful tool to transform democracy by increasing citizen engagement, promoting political education, and fostering participation.
Political game platforms like Nayaha can be utilized to gather public opinion and feedback on policy issues. By incorporating surveys, polls, or interactive simulations into games, players can provide their input on specific policy proposals. And allowing more inclusive and participatory decision-making.
This doesn’t mean we’re at the end of parties, but that parties must change their type of relationship with citizens. We’re in a world where information, for better or for worse, passes largely through social media and the internet. Thus, policymakers can utilize this channel to gauge public sentiment and preferences.
In this sense, parties can, on the one hand, play their territorial role as receptors of local needs and problems. And on the other hand, be an instrument of awareness for the solution of these needs and problems. In the long run, gamifying politics is a fantastic idea for engaging elections.
Final Thoughts?
Transforming democracy requires collective action and a commitment to democratic principles. While gamification can be a powerful tool for transforming democracy, it should be implemented with caution and balanced with other democratic principles.
Nayaha’s Elect League ensures the seriousness of political issues isn’t trivialized or undermines the integrity of democratic processes. By integrating gamification thoughtfully, we can complement traditional democratic practices and contribute to a more engaged and participatory citizenry.