Introduction

The focus of this book is the relationship between new forms of information and communication technology (ICT) and the current restructuring and redefinition of many of the fundamental relations within the political systems of the Western European countries. The basic claim in the book, and our main reason for writing it, is that ICT plays an important role in this process of restructuring and redefining. This role is not fully acknowledged by citizens, politicians, or most researchers (often because they are simply unaware of ICT-related developments) and definitely not analysed in any thorough or systematic fashion. What we want to do here, therefore, are basically two things: first, bring forward evidence indicating that ICT actually plays the role we claim; second, demonstrate that ICT therefore becomes part and parcel of different new ‘visions’ or models of democracy.