“Historically, state authority has been so intertwined with the power of elites that it is difficult to conceive of an alternative. However, if higher levels of government were controlled by citizens’ assemblies rather than (elected or unelected) oligarchs, there would be a structural alignment between the governance of the state and the empowerment of local communities. ("Partner States" where the state is in partnership with its people)

Some of the most innovative and successful forays into "Partner State" territory have used technology to lay the groundwork for an extensive and vigorous digital democracy. In 2016, the Barcelona in Common movement launched a digital platform called Decidim inviting residents to contribute proposals that could be debated and turn into binding legislation, allowing them to monitor and assess the decision-making process. It was a huge success, causing people to feel they had influence over policy. In its first year, it generated more than 8,000 proposals for improving urban life, over 70 percent of which were accepted. The system is also used to track, evaluate, and revise the initiatives. In just a few years, Decidim’s success has generated massive adoption elsewhere. It’s now used worldwide in over 500 settings across thirty countries with more than three million registered participants. 23 — Lent, Jeremy. EcoCivilization: Making a World That Works For All. Melville House, 2026. pp.244-45.

23: Ismael Peña-López, "Decidim.Barcelona, Spain: Case Study," IT for Change (2017).