Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.
Posted on 11/26/2010 4:58:14 AM PST by markomalley
Iceland's getting a new constitution _ and it's really going to be the voice of the people.
The sparsely-populated volcanic island is holding an unusual election Saturday to select ordinary citizens to cobble together a new charter, an exercise in direct democracy born out of the outrage and soul-searching that followed the nation's economic meltdown.
Hundreds of people are vying for the chance to be among up to 31 people who will form the Constitutional Assembly slated to convene early next year _ a source of huge pride for Icelanders who have seen their egos take a beating in recent years.
"This is the first time in the history of the world that a nation's constitution is reviewed in such a way, by direct democratic process," says Berghildur Erla Bergthorsdottir, spokeswoman for the committee entrusted with organizing the Constitutional Assembly.
Iceland has never written its own constitution. After gaining independence from Denmark in 1944, it took the Danish constitution, amended a few clauses to state that it was now an independent republic, and substituted the word 'president' for 'king.' A comprehensive review of the constitution has been on the agenda ever since.
Pressure mounted for action after the nation's economic collapse in 2008, an event punctuated by ordinary citizens gathering outside the Althingi, the parliament, banging pots, pans and barrels _ a loud, clanging expression of fury. The meltdown was seen not only as a failure of the economy but of the system of government and regulatory agencies. Many came to believe a tighter constitutional framework _ including a clearer division of powers _ might have been able to minimize that damage, or even prevent it.
"It is very important for ordinary citizens, who have no direct interest in maintaining the status quo, to take part in a constitutional review," said Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir. "We are hoping this new constitution will be a new social covenant leading to reconstruction and reconciliation, and for that to happen, the entire nation needs to be involved."
The election marks yet another twist in the fortunes of this Nordic nation of just 320,000 that went from economic marvel to fiscal basket-case almost overnight. The rugged island settled by Vikings was transformed from a country of fisherman to hub of international finance with dizzying speed. Icelandic investors _ dubbed 'Viking raiders' _ snapped up assets around the world for a decade, mostly on borrowed funds.
The global financial crisis wreaked political and economic havoc in Iceland. Banks collapsed in October 2008, and with them the Icelandic currency, the krona. Unemployment soared, as did the cost of living. Loans issued in foreign currencies during the boom suddenly doubled, tripled or even quadrupled, all due to the collapse of the krona.
Icelanders debated their values and turned to questioning the foundations of their society, including those that had facilitated the boom. Anger grew as more instances of misdeeds and incompetence in the private and public sector were exposed. Icelanders woke up to the harsh fact that their country, which had consistently been at or near the top of the Transparency International anti-corruption index, was, in fact, steeped in corruption.
That was ultimately confirmed in a 2,000-page report following a special parliamentary investigation. That report showed that the foundations of Icelandic society were decayed and that a sweeping revision of the social framework was needed.
Sigurdardottir says a new social covenant can at least assist in "restoring the public's faith in the government."
The constitutional assembly will be made up of 25 to 31 delegates, the final number to be determined by a gender and equality ratio. It will be made up of regular citizens elected by direct personal voting. Anyone is eligible to stand for election, with the exceptions of the president, lawmakers and the committee appointed to organize the assembly.
The assembly will draft a proposed new constitution next year. They will use material from another extraordinary project earlier this year in which 1,000 randomly chosen Icelanders _ aged 18-89 _ offered their views on what should be in the constitution.
Now the race is on to be among the charter's authors, with 523 people in the running. Truck drivers, university professors, lawyers, journalists and computer geeks are all among the candidates. All have been given equal air time on Icelandic radio to make their platforms known.
Those elected will receive a salary equal to that of Iceland's lawmakers while the constitutional review takes place, and Icelandic employers are legally obliged to grant leave to any employees elected to the assembly.
Our Constitution is fine the way that it is (save of for a few bad amendments). If officials would follow what it says then we would be in far better shape.
I agree. I'm looking forward to a new direction in Congress set by the citizen legislators we elected.
I have a sneaking suspicion that the new document will be very left leaning.
Agreed, must be something about the cold that brings out the far left in people.
“I have a sneaking suspicion that the new document will be very left leaning.”
I don’t think so; there is a lot of “TEA Party” type fury in Iceland that the people were screwed by their government and banks. They no longer trust their government.
Cold countries usually place a higher value on the independence of the individual, because there is only so much a government can do if your car is buried in a snowdrift in a valley with no cell phone reception miles from any other people. It isn’t the cold, but the availability of a safety net, that makes people dependent. Mother Nature takes no prisoners.
“Iceland elects ordinary folk to draft constitution”
That’s just a waste of time and paper. The politicians won’t pay any attention to it if it doesn’t feather their nest and pay their friends off.
Iceland is one of the most generically isolated nations in the world. Essentially most citizens are closely related. Perhaps Socialism is less offensive in such a situation?
It will be interesting to see what they come up with.
"We are hoping this new constitution will be a new social covenant . . ."
I can't imagine why you would think such a thing just based on these kinds of casual comments. /sarc
I noticed this comment right away, and I had that instinctive "reach for a gun" feeling. "Progressives" in this country always start shouting about "violating the social contract" when you threaten one of their pet programs. This guy's comment smacks loudly of that kind of language.
Generically = genetically. Smart phone text input strikes again.o
And don't you both think that this is the exact direction in which Obama is trying to "nudge" the country?
After all, wasn't it he who was complaining a few years back that the Constitution only contained "negative" rights?
Prosperity and luxury like we enjoy in the west brings about a sense of entitlement. That sense of entitlement makes people think that their baubles and toys must be paid for by someone first and foremost.
Reality is that you better get up early and work your butt off or you will find your world to be cold, hungry and dark.
Western societies have assumed they could borrow their way out of that reality, but lately have discovered they can't cover the bill.
Randomly grabbing people with no sense of reality or knowledge of the problem is only going to make the problem worse. They aren't even aware they have made that assumption.
Until several generations actually have to live cold, dark, and hungry, in disease and squalor, this assumption will reign.
Note to the uneducated reporter:
"The Althing is the parliament of Iceland. It dates back to 930, the year it first convened in a city called Thingvellir, which is located around twenty miles to the east of the capital city of Reykjavik. This makes the Althing the oldest assembly in all of Europe, but it also has meaning to the people of Iceland since it was also the official being of the commonwealth.
"The Althing parliament remained an official legislative body for centuries, but it was dissolved in 1800 shortly after Iceland united with Norway."
It "is" possible to have representative government without a Constitution. Probably not the best way to do it (that would probably be the New England "town hall meeting"), but possible.
My concern is that the Prime Minister of Iceland is a hard-core socialist and her comments about this constitutional convention have me concerned. If she is supporting it, I am leery.
That is what I am thinking too!
Blame the bankers for all of the problems and then write a new constitution that regulates the entire econonomy and greatly weakens the free enterprise system.
Good constitutions are created by extraordinary people that are divinely inspired.
That’s why there has really only been one that managed to survive(for the most part) for over 200 years.
Iceland will end up with a 1400 page book of rules that will make anything and everything legal, and wont have a single inspirational part.
When the Icelandic People discovered what the Banksters had in mind for them in the wake of the Global Collapse they threw a fit and bounced the Govt and held a referendum that no such slavery to them should ever happen.
Fascinating exercise in democracy, they are to small to be a real Republic, but I’d hope they would take the Swiss Route.
I understand; I’m not as familiar with the government itself.
I believe they have the oldest parliament in the world (Althing?); it was formed around 1000 AD if I recall correctly.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.