E-valimised avaliku arutelu objektina
Date
2007
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Tartu Ülikool
Abstract
Description
The current Bachelor’s thesis „E-elections as the Subject of Public Discourse” aimed to
set the margins of the discussion taking place over the e-elections in Estonia. The thesis is
grounded mainly in the sociological approach.
As the result of the analysis, it can be pointed, that the debate over the Estonian e-
elections in the local media was rather fragmentated, and the protagonists of the
innovation had their specific arguments, while the antagonists responded with theirs, on a
completely different subject. This did not enable the debate grow into a rational
discussion that would have resulted in consensual decision. Rather, the representation of
narrow groups’ intrests dominated.
The most active participants in the discussion were the politicians; more generally, the
parties. The three most active parties – The Reform Party (Reformierakond), The
National Alliance (Rahvaliit) and The Center Party (Keskerakond) attempted to use the
debate to vociferate their ideology, and to gain further electoral support. Thereat, the
divide between the supportive parties and the opposing parties (in the matter of electronic
elections) went through the crossover of the social – liberal and the conservative –
innovative scales. And naturally – the politicians supporting the e-elections tend to be
more innovative and liberal, and the ones opposing, more conservative and socialist.
A sense of politicisation characterised the editorial media, who tended to mediate the
political standpoints of various politicians to their readers. That is irrespective of the
claims that Estonian papers are non-partisan.
Meanwhile, the reader oneself femained rather modest and apolitical in ones
vociferations.
The politicisation characterised the discourse until the first e-elections were successfully
heldi n 2005. Afterwards, the leading role was transmitted to the experts and researchers.
Due to that, the debate rationalized somewhat and became more research-based.
The approach of the independent researchers and the officials concerned with the
development of the e-voting system was somewhat different. In the former case, the approach was more objective and balanced. In the case of the latter, it was affected by
their (professional) intrest to socialize the idea of e-elections into the society, and to
assure its technical and participatory functioning.
Concerning the subjects of the debate – the most attention was drawn to the technical
characteristics of the e-voting system, especially among the e-elections supporters.. No
significant debate over the matter evolved, theough. As was the case with the political
aspect – the most popular amongst the e-elections’ opposers, especially the politicians..
The objective of the latter was to undermine their contestants, and to differentiate their
own politics.
Keywords
H Social Sciences (General), bakalaureusetööd, infoühiskond, e-riik, e-hääletamine, hääletamine, valimised, avalik arvamus