Dear Bkoertje,
First, we'll have to make a distinction between the impact of
petitions in democracies and in non-democratic regimes. Democratic
governments are more positively responsive to any form of public
protest. In some countries, the issue of petitions is even grounded in
laws. "The Petition Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution guarantees the right of the people "to petition the
Government for a redress of grievances." (SOURCE: Wikipedia,
"Petitions", <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petition>).
When grounded by law, sometimes a number of signatories could cause a
change in government, as it happened recently in California, where the
governor, Davis, has been impeached through a petition, and new
candidates raised their support through other petitions (ibid). See
also (for the UK):
"Local Government Bill (1999): proposed guidance and regulations on
new constitutions for councils"
<http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_localgov/documents/page/odpm_locgov_605135-04.hcsp>
For New Zealand:
"Public Participation and Petitions"
<http://www.gautengleg.gov.za/PublicParticipation/>
However, even in non-democratic settings, petitions have an impact.
Petitions to release nelson Mandela during the Apartheid period
(ibid); or petitions to appeal for the lives of political prisoners in
Latin America, activated by Amnesty International and similar
organiastions; had an impact on the policies of those governments and
demonstrated a moral internation objection to their actions.
Petitions, surprisingly maybe, are also sometimes signed by the
citizens in non-democratic regimes and signed by them:
"Don't underestimate the power of petitions in the Arab world; they
constitute a significant political protest and call for change, and
are not taken lightly [...] Bahrain's opposition . . . is gathering
signatures for a petition in support of reforming the country's
constitution. [...] in the Gulf and across much of the Arab world a
petition serves much the same purpose as it did when America's
democracy itself was still developing: to make known the wishes of the
people" (SOURCE: Mark Wallace, Gulf Reporter, as qouted in Sisu Blog,
<http://sisu.typepad.com/sisu/2004/04/dont_underestim.html>).
Second, we'll have to distinguish also between petitions served to
local governments and to national ones. Local governments might be
more responsive, as the pressure of the smaller population might have
a greater impact. The number of signatories needed to create a change
is different in each legislative division, and could be sometimes used
by legislators to prevent grassroots initiatives:
Save Democracy Project, "News Reports, Editorials, and Columns"
<http://cltg.org/cltg/Kill_Art48/media_attention.htm>
Nevertheless, the response to petitions is also sometimes very tepid,
and no action is actually being taken. This could have to do with the
form of the petition: written petitions have more impact than
e-petitions:
"Email and Online Petitions Will Help Save Lives, Change Laws, and
Influence Government Leaders-Truth! & Fiction!"
<http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/p/petitions.htm>
Another reason for non-effective petitions is addressing the wrong
authority (i.e., the national government instead of the local one or
another authority), or asking the government to interfere in matters
that are not part of its direct responsibility, or that could negate
other, more constitutionally important, principles. The government
might also object to any policy change, because this contrasts its
more strategic approach: a petition to end the war in Iraq might not
influence a government, which holds a strategic position that the war
in Iraq is an important involvement. This kind of strategic issues
might be best dealt through other means (electoral change, for
example). A great example of the impact of different types of
petitions is the British government's response to e-petitions sent to
it:
Prime Minister's Office, "Electronic Petitions",
<http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/page297.asp>
I hope this answers your question. Please contact me if you need any
further clarification on this answer before you rate it. My search
strategy has been:
petitions influence government
petitions impact government
"the power of petitions" |
