THE STUDY ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF LIQUID DEMOCRACY AND LESSONS FROM ABROAD

Abstract

This research aimed to 1) Study the origins, meaning, and development of Liquid Democracy and 2) Propose guidelines for developing political participation through digital technology from international experiences. Employing documentary research methodology with a thematic analysis framework by using academic articles and books related to classical democracy, modern democracy, and the concept of liquid democracy. The theoretical findings indicate that Liquid Democracy originated from an idea proposed by an online user named Sayke, who suggested utilizing digital technology for voting and decision-making processes. Subsequently, this concept was adopted by various political movements and the Pirate Parties. They developed platforms to enable party members to participate in all aspects of online politics. Party members could exercise political power directly, featuring a sophisticated voting system that allowed for "Proxy" and recall of votes. The practical findings indicate that Thai political parties should restructuring organization to reduce bureaucratic characteristics; developing platforms that maximize member participation opportunities; refraining from controlling or interfering with members' expressions of opinion; establishing mechanisms to prevent some factions from making decisions on behalf of majority; proposing contemporary and distinct issues from other political parties; and, most importantly, ensuring political engagement is not confined solely to the online world. Party leaders and members must also interact with citizens in the real world.