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# Citizen lawmakers: is Iceland the future of politics?
- URL: https://werd.io/citizen-lawmakers-iceland-future-politics/
- Published: 2011-08-26T19:22:35.000Z
- Updated: 2025-06-12T11:00:46.000Z
- Author: Ben Werdmuller
- Tags: Politics, #ben-684a32da145d7d001be71dae, Web, constitutional law, debt crisis, democracy, democratic process, global finance, iceland, #Migrated-1749693130536, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2025-06-11 21:52

[![Iceland's open-door government ](http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6128/6006269852_47747ab493.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/opensourceway/6006269852/)

**Note:* it's been pointed out in the comments (and elsewhere) that the source article is full of inaccuracies. [Here's the rebuttal.](http://grapevine.is/Features/ReadArticle/A-Deconstruction-of-Icelands-Ongoing-Revolution) Nonetheless, I think there's strong interest in a new kind of democracy that takes its inspiration from the hierarchy flattening we've seen on the web. It's an issue I'm still keen to explore.*

*My original post follows.*

I'm intrigued by [this opinion piece by the The South African Civil Society Information Service](http://sacsis.org.za/site/article/728.1). It's certainly true that Iceland hasn't been making headline news despite its role in the current economic downturn. The governmental change they've been experiencing there has been off the radar for a lot of people, myself included - but it's incredible, and deserves much more attention.

**Background: Iceland moves away from the global financial system**

Following deregulation of its banking system, Iceland's foreign debt was around 900% of its Gross National Product, and when the financial crisis in 2008 killed off its three main banks, the IMF and the EU offered to take on the debt.

> Elections were brought forward to April 2009, resulting in a left-wing coalition which condemned the neoliberal economic system, but immediately gave in to its demands that Iceland pay off a total of three and a half million Euros. This required each Icelandic citizen to pay 100 Euros a month (or about $130) for fifteen years, at 5.5% interest, to pay off a debt incurred by private parties vis a vis other private parties. It was the straw that broke the reindeer’s back.

The Icelandic Head of State refused to ratify this into law, and instead held a referendum, in which 93% of the population voted against repaying the debt.

**A new constitution for the people, by the people, written in full view of the people**

Defiant stuff already, but the best was yet to come: they also decided to write a new constitution, in a way that had never before been possible:

> **This document was not the work of a handful of politicians, but was written on the internet.**