The problem with our form of democracy is that it is based upon physical space. We govern by countries, regions, counties, districts, boroughs, parishes and wards. All are marked by lines and features in a map.
But places don’t vote, people do.
We assume somehow that everyone trapped within the man made shapes has something in common and lives as in a community but human society isn’t like that. People have different needs, interests, beliefs and lead different lives.
Modern communities are based around interest and not location.
Our democracy should be changed to give each of us two votes, the first based upon a geographical constituency, following normal party political lines. The second should be based upon interest, with MPs standing on a platform based around ideas.
In this way people will be represented physically and ideologically.
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 
Which is one of the reasons I really *like* Etienne & Wenger’s Community of Practice concept. Their community is based on the members having a shared domain of interest rather than just being in the same locality / building. Its not the place that determines membership but the sharing of an interest.
Indeed, my argument is that we occupy many communities of interest simultaneously but only one geographically based one. As an example we are in a WordPress community completely unrelated to our physical locations.
Yes.
And we should be able to share skills we learned in one COP / COI with another. Many skills especially digital ones are not specific to any one domain. Indeed the whole concept relies on *stars* and *boundary spanners* to operate.
Indeed and by the way, thanks for reading.
Any time! All this discussion here on the blogs and on twitter and resultant thinking has made me want to clear some space in the study for all my boxed up books on communication, community and the like ….