Work > Multivac Nexus
Multivac: Nexus
Analysing Colonial and Post-Colonial democratic processes and using the insights to repurpose the fictional Multivac to facilitate democracy in the Indian context,
Multiple Outcomes
Active Citizen Participation Diagram: Website
Multivac Nexus: Mobile App
Tools
Figma, Figjam, HTML, CSS, Javascript, D3JS
Duration
9 days
Goals
Analyze the implementation of Universal Adult Franchise in colonial and Independent India, and decipher the values guiding the Constituent Assembly.
Critically evaluate the democratic processes in the short science fiction story "Franchise" by Isaac Asimov, and define the extent of citizen participation in the electoral process.
Repurpose the Multivac Supercomputer to align with the current Indian socio-political and socio-economic landscape by applying democratic values identified through preliminary inquiry.
From Colonial India to Asimov’s Multivac
In the intricate tapestry of history and speculative fiction, the exploration of democratic ideals has been a fascinating journey. This project delves into the evolution of democratic processes in colonial and post-colonial independent India, examining the values that shaped the nation's political landscape. From the fervent struggles for independence to the challenges of nation-building, the journey of democracy in India has been marked by resilience, diversity, and an unwavering commitment to inclusivity.
Drawing inspiration from the foundations of democratic governance, this exploration extends into the realm of science fiction, where Isaac Asimov's visionary concept of the "Franchise" in his short story "Franchise" opens a gateway to new perspectives. Asimov, known for his foresight in anticipating societal shifts, presents a unique model of governance where a supercomputer, Multivac, selects the ideal candidate to represent the entire population, streamlining the democratic process in an unprecedented manner.
This project aims to bridge the historical with the speculative by proposing a prototype for a repurposed version of Multivac that incorporates democratic ideals and moral values uncovered in the earlier research. By synthesizing the lessons from the struggles of colonial India, the triumphs of post-colonial democracy, and the speculative musings of Isaac Asimov, the goal is to reimagine a futuristic system that transcends traditional governance structures.
Contextual Enquiry
The Books
Designing for Democracy (Chapter 1-3)
By Ornit Shani
Within the pages of "Designing for Democracy," an exploration ensues into the democratic evolution of colonial and post-colonial , independant India, specifically delving into the meticulous crafting of voter lists and the expansion of voting rights. The focus is on understanding the motivations and values that underpinned these critical decisions. From the fundamental choice of allowing universal voting to the pragmatic steps taken, and the subsequent advocacy for women's voting rights post-independence, this project seeks to unravel the genuine reasons and values steering India's journey in democracy. The aim is to present a clear narrative, dissecting the historical shifts and discerning the principles that guided these consequential decisions.
Franchise
By Isaac Asimov
In the future, the United States has converted to an "electronic democracy" where the computer Multivac selects a single person to answer a number of questions. Multivac will then use the answers and other data to determine what the results of an election would be, avoiding the need for an actual election to be held.
The story centers around Norman Muller of Bloomington, Indiana, the man chosen as "Voter of the Year" in the 2008 U.S. presidential election. Although the law requires him to accept the dubious honour, he is not sure that he wants the responsibility of representing the entire electorate, worrying that the result will be unfavorable and he will be blamed.
Colonial Government
Indian Government
An Exercise in Democratic Realization
Franchise
You have no choice, you know. You Must.
Assessing whether the society in the story is democratic at all requires looking beyond the superficial structure that mimics democracy. The society described in Asimov's narrative holds elections and involves citizens, but the core democratic principle of citizens' active, informed participation in a transparent process is conspicuously absent. Instead, the power is centralized and the process is opaque. The presence of a single Voter whose selection and decision are determined by an inscrutable computational system poses a significant deviation from representative democratic ideals
Accountability:
The responsibility of decision making must be borne by the ones making it. But as seen by the concerns of Norman Muller, it is not so.
The MacComber vote suggests that the voter was blamed for the election instead of the Multivac.
Freedom of Choice and Expression:
There is an illusion of choice, or even a disregard of it. There is no active participation of people in the story, as they believe that the Multivac is taking their choice into consideration. However, with the lack of transparency, there is no way to ascertain that.
Norman Selected
Rule of Law:
Phil Handley and his colleagues are indicated to practice a lot of unchecked authority in the name of Multivac.
“Mr. Muller can’t leave the house any more until the election day.”
“I’m sorry, but that’s the way we must operate.”
"You have no choice, you know. You must."
In Democracy, everyone is subject to Law, including those who govern.
Right To Privacy/Transparency:
“You Know All About us apparently”
Norman to Phil Handley
Phil Handley
Majority Rule and Minority Rights:
"The responsibility is too great. I couldn’t face it,"
The concept of a majority is irrelevant as the decision is centralized through Multivac and its chosen representative. Norman's apprehension indicates the weight of making a decision for the majority without their consent or input, which undermines minority protections.
In Democracy: The majority's decision prevails, but the rights of the minority are protected.
You have no choice, you know. You Must
Norman and John
Transparency
An intentional lack of information surrounds the existence of Multivac. The most jarring of all is how it collects trillions of items of data about the people.
Personal Space is not respected and can be invaded in the name of Multivac.
In Democracy, processes and decisions are open to scrutiny and the electorate is informed about the workings of government
Norman and Multivac
While the story maintains some vestiges of the democratic process, such as the appearance of an election and the symbolic role of a Voter, it fundamentally undermines the principles of democracy by centralizing decision-making and stripping away individual agency and transparency. The society in Asimov's narrative represents a technocracy where democracy is simulated rather than practiced. The story raises implicit questions about the right to privacy in a society where technology has pervasive control over the democratic process. It portrays a scenario where individual liberties, including privacy, are sacrificed for the supposed efficiency and objectivity of a technological system.
Interactive Website
Node-Based Diagram
Franchise takes us on a speculative journey to a point in time, where there exists a computer potent enough to compute trillions of data sets in order to determine outcome of complex procedures like elections; and a government that opaquely operates such a tool. By pairing them together, Isaac Asimov presents a government that is eroding the values of democracy. Asimov argues that adoption of such a mechanical tool that excels in technical and design processes, may just inherently be devoid of imagining emotional and moral dimensions. He discreetly highlights the potential dangers of blindness to a technology that may not always be infallible.
Using HTML, CSS, Javascript and D3JS, I have attempted to show the bigger picture of the elections depicted in Isaac Asimov’s Franchise. I have used nodes to show the degree of interaction between the citizens, the governing figures, and even Multivac. The sidebar on the side helps users read about each interaction and its significance in the story.
Multivac, initially designed for vast computational tasks, has undergone significant adaptations to align with contemporary societal needs. Recognizing the importance of safeguarding democratic values, the government has repurposed Multivac to serve as a multifaceted tool in promoting transparency, informed decision-making, and active citizen participation.
Nexus
Concept Note
The Multivac Nexus
The Multivac has taken on a new role, moving from simulation to election facilitation. Its massive mainframe, now connected through a nodal network, harnesses its immense computational power to secure elections using impenetrable blockchain technology. The Multivac Nexus employs Blockchain to create a secure and transparent record of crucial information, including votes and token exchanges. Quantum Resistant Cryptographic Algorithms fortify this data, while Secure Protocols, like proof-of-work, validate transactions.
As a government institution, Multivac operates independently, yet remains accountable to the Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary. Through user-friendly app portals, direct interaction with Multivac is transparent and accessible to the public.
Campaigns become obsolete, as Multivac meticulously tracks political activities, offering conclusive data to all. The public's active participation in elections is now more accessible through the Multivac App, ensuring privacy by eliminating invasive emotional monitoring.
Blockchain-Enabled Voting elevates voter transparency and reduces state authority in elections. To address the energy demands of blockchain voting, the supercomputer within Multivac makes it feasible. The Multivac Nexus marks a transformative leap toward secure and accessible democratic processes.
Unreliability of Multivac
Invasive data collection
• Multivac monitors the population and turns people into datasets.
• The privacy of individuals is invaded.
• Uncertain and exclusive emotional data is collected.
Vulnerability and corruption
• Multivac is vulnerable to manipulation and corruption.
• The outcome of elections can be corrupted.
• Parties can manipulate Multivac's sample space and data sets.
Lack of freedom and choice
• Citizens do not have the ability to decide who they vote for.
• Voters do not have freedom of choice or active participation.
• Multivac predicts how everyone will vote, eliminating freedom of choice.
No Transparency in process:
Multivac works very secretively, and it has an extremely limited interaction with the population
Capabilities of Multivac
Astronomic computational capabilities
Can process diverse data types
Read human behavior
Read organic life signals and their implications
Cannot predict human reaction patterns
Why Use it
End Partisan Politics
No More Wastage of money on Campaigns
Reduce Counting Time
Reduce election Costs
Less margin for error
Repurpose
Repurpose Multivac to establish a network through the internet and use the network to use blockchain technology and protocols to connect to each citizen on their remote devices. The potency of the supercomputer can be utilized to use currently undeveloped cryptographies like quantum resistant cryptography and such forms of encryption for each connected node. This network can be used in two ways:
Establish a private, online voting system using digital tokens.
Abolish some levels of representative governments to gain inputs directly from citizens and establish instant referendums
In the Indian context, this system promises to reduce election costs and protect polling personnel, all while minimizing the risks of voter fraud and errors. Its accessibility enfranchises migrants and fosters inclusivity in the democratic process. Multivac expedites vote counting, particularly relevant in India's vast electoral landscape of nearly a billion adults. Most importantly, it has the potential to overhaul traditional election campaigns and propaganda, with the aim of moderating partisan politics, which can take quite ugly forms in India's current dynamic political landscape.
Information Architecture
Important Taskflows
E-Voting
Access All Data Cleared under Freedom of Information Act.
Look up statistics, Track records, and data gathered by Multivac.
View speculations and simulations of implementation of policies.
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