Government as a Platform: Services, Participation and Policies

Using the productive abilities and capacities of citizens, the state has the opportunity to reinvigorate and upgrade its services. However, integrating citizens as free producers in the value creation chain requires new interfaces and specific institutional arrangements that both encourage self-organisation of citizens and provide some direction for their actions. The state could establish virtual platforms, tools and structures to collect and direct this surplus of ideas and capabilities. Although hopes for an augmented digital political participation still seem unjustified, there are indications that the integration of citizens in the delivery of services will lead to an increase in political participation, as new social relationships emerge that also have a political claim.