Operationalising e-Democracy through a System Engineering Approach in Mauritius and Australia

Preface
Acknowledgements
Contents
About the Author
Acronyms
List of Figures
List of Terms
1 Introduction: Representation as a Case for Upgrade
	References
2 The Idea of Democracy in Theory and Practice
	1 Introduction
	2 Decision Making and Democracy
	3 Evolution of Democratic Thought
	4 Democratic Deficit
	5 Representative Democracy a Compromise
	6 Legacy and Promise of E-Democracy
	7 Conclusion
	References
3 E-Democracy
	1 Introduction
	2 The Overview of E-Democracy
	3 E-Democracy Moments
		3.1 Steps Towards a Swiss E-Democracy
		3.2 Digitising the Electoral System of Representative Democracy
	4 Digital Technology and Some Lessons for Democracy
		4.1 Diverse Terminologies at an Infancy Stage
		4.2 The Application of ICTs: Context and Framework
		4.3 Political Will and Digital Leadership
		4.4 ICTs and Digital Divide
		4.5 Risks for Trusting the State’s Digital Democracy
	5 Measurement of E-Democracy: A Virtual Process
	6 Conclusion
	References
4 Systems Theory in Politics
	1 Introduction
	2 An Overview of Systems Theory
		2.1 Systems Theory and Political Theorising: Eastonian  Value Free Empiricism
		2.2 Systems Theory and Political Science: Towards Eastonian System Worldview
	3 Eastonian Contributions to Political Theory
		3.1 Eastonian Systems Analysis
		3.2 Eastonian Systems Equilibrium: Input/Output and Support Stress
	4 A Critique of Easton’s Work
		4.1 Inconsistency to Understanding Values
		4.2 Inconsistency to Other Political Science Theory
		4.3 Inconsistency to Adapt Communication Field
		4.4 Inconsistencies with Parsimony and Abstraction
		4.5 Inconsistency to Applied Political Science
		4.6 Inconsistency to Engineering
	5 Relation Between Re-Emergence of State and Eastonian System Worldview
	6 Conclusion
	References
5 Understanding Systems Engineering
	1 Introduction
	2 Emergence of Systems Engineering
	3 Systems Engineering as End User’s Need Centricity
	4 Some Key Terminology in Systems Engineering and Its Application to E-Democracy
		4.1 Configuration Item: An Elemental System in Systems Engineering
		4.2 Functional Configuration Items and Performance
		4.3 System of Systems
		4.4 Primitive Statement Conversion to Specification
		4.5 Agenda
		4.6 Scope Creep
		4.7 Configuration Management Plan
		4.8 Baselining
		4.9 Validation and Trustworthiness
	5 Requirements Process
	6 Configuration Management as Governance
	7 Systems Engineering Life Cycle Design
		7.1 Technological Obsolescence Risks
	8 Conclusion
	References
6 Applying Systems Engineering to Create an E-Democracy
	1 Introduction
	2 Systems Engineering Advances Decision Making and Control of the People
	3 Systems E-Democracy as Functional Configuration Item (FCI)
	4 Upgrading an Existing System to an E-Democracy
	5 Adapting the Systems Engineering Framework—Technology and the Nation-State
	6 Systems Engineering Enabled Demos from ICTs
	7 The E-Democracy That Democratises with People’s Inputs
	8 Systems Engineering Design Solution Is Evolutionary
	9 From a Democratic Deficit by Design to an Enhanced E-Democracy
	10 Shaping the Ultimate E-Democracy Operational Requirement
	11 Conclusion
	References
7 A System-Engineered Approach to E-Democracy: A Small Island Mauritius
	1 Introduction
	2 An Overview of the Mauritius Political System
		2.1 The National Development Unit as the Legacy System Interface
		2.2 ICTs’ Role as a New Pillar of Economy
		2.3 Policy Making in Mauritius and the ICT Strategy
	3 Mauritius’s Readiness for an E-Democracy?
		3.1 Insights for a Modern Participatory Democratic System
		3.2 Mauritius’s Need for an E-Democracy
			3.2.1 Views About Technology and Risks
			3.2.2 The Political Will in Mauritius: Policy Makers’ Views
			3.2.3 The People’s Will—Mauritians Mood for Change
	4 Conclusion
	References
8 Upgrading Mauritius a Legacy Political System
	1 The Proposal
	2 Findings
		2.1 Systems Engineering’s E-Democracy from a Deficit to a Democratic Pre-requisite
	3 Recommendations
	4 Conclusion
	References
9 A System Engineered Approach to E-Democracy: A What If for Australia
	1 Introduction
	2 As a Lead Democratic Political System Context
	3 An Overview of the Australian Political System
		3.1 Some Key Institutional Arrangements
	4 E-Democracy Report of an Australian Consultative Approach
	5 Cost of Inadequate Decision-Making System
		5.1 Cost of Bad Regulation
		5.2 Citizens in Search for a New Democratic Institution
		5.3 SE Interface for Australia
	6 A Case for Change to E-Democracy System
	7 Recommendation for the Australian E-Democracy System
	References
Appendix 1: Interviews
Interview Process
References
Appendix 2: Interview Script
Appendix 3: Software as Political Service
References