The Role of Government in the Digital Society of

2025

Žiga Turk @EIF Dinner Discussion,

Brussels, 14.4.2009

speaking notes

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Disclaimer

the views expressed are not necessarily those of the Reflection Group or any other organizations the speaker is affiliated with!

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Outline

global historical context– conceptual economy: from industrial to conceptual capitalism– … powered by talents: creativity is the ultimate resource– communication revolution: allows so many more to be creative

changes how governments will work– platform for brains outside of government (Open Government,

Govt. 2.0)– coordination, not command and control– trust / rely on people with access to so much knowledge and

information agenda for government action

– empower the creative and innovative– provide/preserve technical infrastructure that encourages

creativity– develop new intellectual property rights for the conceptual

economy

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Conceptual economy

value is in meaning not in function function:

– quenches thirst – keeps you warm– plays music– gets you from hope to office– …

meaning:– it is the original Coca Cola– it si new and fashionable dress, shirt, car– it is an iPod not some no name stuff– it is environmentaly friendly– it is fair traded, no-child labour …

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Conceptual economy is the future how is meaning created? by talent who can be talent? an increasing

number of people how is meaning communicated? by

communication technology

references: Alan Greenspan, Dan Pink, Richard Floridadetour: abundance of functional products is a core reason for the crisis,

we have the stuff that provide function, need not buy new!

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How many talents, how many brains? how much land can you use how many hands can you use how much oil can you use how many brains can you use

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Communication Revolutions Increase the Numbers of Talent 3000BC exclusive paper 1500AD democratic paper 1900AD exclusive electronic 2000AD democratic electronic

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Political systems follow communication technologies poor communication

– few people involved in decision making: autocracy

better communication– more people involved: democracy,

subsidiarity

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A look at the history

expensive paper mostly oral, some writing:– governing by a small group of people that can talk to each other

and dispatch commands by writing (kingdoms, dictatorships, agora type democracy)

– very few literate, educated, most of them working for church or government

– autocracy cheap paper: more writing:

– paper based communication enables power sharing and subsidiary among those that can reliably communicate with paper

– mass education through books– democracy

electronic; TV, mass media:– technology again available to elites only;– democracy by real power concentrated

internet– empowers the masses

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What internet will change? does Internet make the case for an

increasingly libertarian future? – Milton Friedman: "government should decide when people

do not have information to decide for themselves"– we are living in an information age; information is easier

to get than any time before does Internet weaken the role of government

– portion of educated people working for the states keeps decreasing

– majority of smart people is outside the government

key issue:– how can governments, states, business make use of all

those smart people, with all the information and knowledge available to them with a few mouse clicks

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How? Open up!

like the industry: open innovation– let users innovate, innovation outside the r&d

departments like web 2.0

– users add value– provide a platform for users to add value– blogs, youtube, flickr, twitter …

government 2.0– government as a platform (O'Rilley)– government provides a platform for people to make value– middle of the circle, not top of the pyramid– government not a decision making body but a

coordination platform among stakeholders– govt. actors job: get the best people around you!

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What governments should do? empower talent

– he/she has more data, information, knowledge available than ever before; let her use it!

– entrepreneurship– access to education

provide technical infrastructure that encourages creativity– net neutrality, not local monopolies and market

distortions by ISPs– broadband for all, like access to other utilities

provide law and order– security and safety– property rights

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Property Rights

property rights management (about material property) contributed to the raise of the West since 1500s;– environment that rewarded fairness, honesty, protected

property allowed for the best, not the most cheating one, to win

tangible property can be held by one person only– sharing material stuff (like in socialism) does not work

conceptual, intellectual property can be shared not at an expense of other– sharing ideas that lead to tangible stuff (patents) …

done– sharing ideas that remain intangible, conceptual … question!

Greenspan: key issue for legislators is to find a most productive way to handle this kind of intellectual property

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In conclusion

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