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# Mark Braund on the possibility of progress
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/18856/
- Published: 2006-11-06T16:11:34.000Z
- Updated: 2019-02-14T22:35:30.000Z
- Author: openDemocracy Supporters
- Tags: #en, #Migrated, #Import 2026-04-09 18:23

**By Jessica Reed** 
  
A timely proposal in light of the [Stern Report](http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/independent%5Freviews/stern%5Freview%5Feconomics%5Fclimate%5Fchange/stern%5Freview%5Freport.cfm?ref=opendemocracy.net): Mark Braund posted a [thought-provoking essay](http://www.markbraund.com/global.php?ref=opendemocracy.net) on his blog, in which he attempts to explain the impotence of politicians in terms of the global economic changes of the last three decades. The main idea is to consider the implications for democracy therein- the blog entry discusses the concept of 'simultaneous policy' as a means of getting governments to work more effectively together on mutually beneficial solutions to global problems, without compromising national sovereignty or diluting representative democracy. Also read his piece published on Comment is Free yesterday: [Synchronised thinking](http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/mark%5Fbraund/2006/11/post%5F574.html?ref=opendemocracy.net), a reflection on the difficulty to obtain efficient collective action to reduce carbon emissions.