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THE POWER MATRIX : 'It's the best possible time to be alive, when almost everything you thought you knew is wrong.' From Tom Stoppard's Arcadia.
The social, political and economic structures as we find them at this time are predicated on two conditions, power and the lack of it. Those most able to manipulate the situation are the powerful. Those with political, economic and professional power can impose their reality upon a dependent population. In such situations real dialogue is debased. Those whom Robert Chambers called the 'uppers' (Chambers 1997:76.) tend not to listen to the local population, relying instead on standard policies, programmes, projects, research studies and evaluations to guide their responses. While the 'lowers', those in receipt of aid, respond though selective 'show and tell' diplomacy and deceit. The outcome of these self-deceptions and mutual deceptions is to sustain powerful, often debilitating myths. Professional development people go about their business from a perspective that is supposed to be empirically true and morally right. Quite often, with the best of intentions, funder's seek to go beyond their legitimate obligations to monitor public monies, to interference in the policies and practices of the funded group. While the latter usually seek to use language and behaviour that will maximise benefits and minimise penalties.
… Community media could highlight these shortcomings seeking a more honest dialogue among the participants, all who generally want what is best for the dependent population.
… We should seek to combine and balance the state, market and not-for-profit sections for the benefit, service and empowerment of those currently without much power.
… Securing human rights for all, including the Right to Communicate. Enhancing social and economic justice. Providing basic services for all in health, education and housing.
… Bottom-up learning rather than top-down blueprints.
… Community radio should insist that power puts people first, and the poorest first of all.
Among the conditions affecting power are the following:
Unaccountable globalisation: the effect of which can be negative outcomes for the powerless. The market agenda of equally unaccountable private media, which can encourage destruction of communities and environments. The often collusive power arrangements between business and politics, which exclude the most marginalised. … Community media should call for, and mount media campaigns for, greater transparency in all these areas, as this will aid the development of more participatory forms of politics and business.
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