The Open Manifesto
A Manifesto for Open, Evidence-Based Government
Introduction
This is not the manifesto of any extant political party. It is a manifesto for the Open Revolution: the use of technology to open up to immediate universal scrutiny the conduct of government and of business.
Perhaps, if the politicians fail yet again to deliver a fair and competent government, this manifesto could form the basis of a new political party – “The Open Party” – which might be established to contest the parliamentary election to be held sometime before midsummer 2015
This is a serious manifesto for open, evidence-based government.
Internet technology enables far greater openness than before, and openness is the best guarantee of probity in public life. Evidence, openly-gathered and openly-reviewed, is the best guide for the implementation of public policy. Openness and evidence guide open government in the pursuit of its objectives, the improvement of everyone’s life, now and into the future, supported by a commitment to universal human rights as set out by the United Nations in 1948. Together, that makes four principles for politicians which support everything in this manifesto and on which the Open Party, if and when it needs to be started, will build its policies.
The principles are, then:
- try to make things better for all;
- honour humanity and human rights;
- keep no secrets from those we represent;
- base our policies on open, impartial evidence.
