It is obvious that there is a problem of identity regarding democracy, and particularly direct democracy. An identity that will not allow for a multitude of contradictory interpretations and a Babel-like communication that hinders the connection between theory and the practice of direct democracy. And this problem is not a matter of authoritarian leaderships or 'leftist vanguards', and certainly not that of 'wise' intellectuals and leaders, but remains a problem of the working society - humanity itself.
That is why it is necessary to create a new public space for thought and communication and to restart the public dialogue about direct democracy. Within the framework of this dialogue, we will be able to bring to the forefront the theoretical, empirical, and activist legacy of past generations, to free it from myths and ideologies, and to combine it with the vision of today's generations, as this is shaped under contemporary conditions, with a focus on the level of development of productive forces which, in combination with the current level of sciences and technology, define the objective possibilities, the path, and the horizon of the forces of Labor, Science, and Culture, so that they can continue humanity's journey towards direct democracy of economic and social equality.
This purpose is served by the publication of this collective volume, the idea for which was articulated by many, such as Manolis Glezos, Pericles Korovesis, Zisis Papadimitriou, among others, as well as by many present during the presentation of my recent book on Direct Democracy and the Classless Society. The 'Nisides' publications accepted the proposal, on the condition that authors who have dealt with various aspects and from different perspectives on the topic would be invited to participate, in order to highlight its basic components, with the hope that the texts contained in it will contribute to reviving the dialogue at the societal level.
With this criterion, we approached the authors of this volume, most of whom are personally unknown to each other, but known from our various related publications. None of us claim to possess the absolute truth, not only because the truth of direct democracy is too vast to fit into one or a few minds but mainly because this truth, as a qualitative historical magnitude, is subject to the laws of specific and general diachronic relativity, which as such grows in proportion to the increase in the number of forces of Labor, Science, and Culture with Knowledge about what is not direct democracy, as well as with Awareness of what it would like to be, what it could be, and how direct democracy will be realized.
This overall truth is what we seek, and we believe that the discourse and the counter-discourse can evolve into a fruitful dialogue, as the only capable and necessary condition that can bring us closer to the truth about the real nature of direct democracy.
[Excerpt from the text of the preface]
