We have a previous thread titled Communication: the Internet revolution, which reverences two subthreads: How blogs change politics and Efforts to censor Internet communication. Here is another subthread, concerning politics but more general than political blogs.

Proposition for discussion, as quoted from the newspaper: Communications technologies have finally begun to affect an historic shift in the relationship between the goverments and the governed. The governed are starting to win. The article continues:

. . .Not that long ago, in 1989, the world watched demonstrators sit passively in Tiananmen Square and fight the authorities with little more than a papier-mâché [papier-mache] Statue of Liberty. Poland's Solidarity movement had to print protest material with homemade ink because the Communist Government confiscated all the printers' ink.
. . .In 2004, in Ukraine's Independence Square, they had cell phones. Demonstrators sent [SMS text] messages to meet 10 or so friends, who'd each SMS the message to 10 more friends, and so on. It's called "smart-mobbing." Meanwhile, community Web sites would post the numbers of tents on the square where medical help was needed, or recruit people with specific TV skills needed at the lone independent TV station. The Ukrainian Supreme Court's historic decision, declaring the election a fraud, was streamed on the Internet live from a Kiev courtroom and watched real time in London, New York, Washington and Toronto, sent out on e-mail distribution lists so the next steps could be discussed by the reform network and put in motion within an hour.
. . .Until recently, one-party or no-party governments had a standing list of answers for people with a different notion: a) we don't care what you think; b) shut up; c) we kill you. There's no sure cure for c, but Plans a and b are becoming obsolete. Once impervious political authorities must now face the possibility of havirng their information monopoly hammered by an array of technology.

Anyone want to guess the third-most used language on the Web, behind English and Chinese. Farsi? Iran now has about 75,000 individuals Web logs.

What are the long-term effecs of the technologically-given increase in the power of the people against the statey?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: shufitz,

What are the long-term effecs of the technologically-given increase in the power of the people against the statey?

I can only think the effects will be truth...and therefore good. The stateys will have to think twice about lying to their people.