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December 13, 2003
Dean's campaign considered as a coordination problem
Posted by Clay Shirky
Fascinating Everett Erlich piece on
Howard Dean's candidacy considered as a coordination problem. Erlich's idea is that Coase's theory about firms being information gathering machines applies to political parties as well, and that what Dean is doing is using the internet's radically lowered cost of information gathering and coordination to take over the Democratic party.
For all Dean's talk about wanting to represent the truly "Democratic wing of the Democratic Party," the paradox is that he is a third-party candidate using modern technology to achieve a takeover of the Democratic Party. Other candidates -- Joseph Lieberman , John Kerry, John Edwards -- are competing to take control of the party's fundraising, organizational and media assets. But Dean is not interested in taking control of those depreciating assets. He is creating his own party, his own lists, his own money, his own organization. What he wants is the Democratic brand name and legacy, its last remaining asset of value, as part of his marketing strategy.
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1. Frank Patrick on December 13, 2003 11:05 AM writes...
Similar thoughts at http://www.blaserco.com/blogs/2003/12/12.html#a241 -- in which Britt Blaser suggests the formation of a "great centrist party."
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