Forum Theory & A National Assembly of Science and Learning

There are eight inseparable storylines about the role of science and learning for both democracy and its governance. National statistics originated around 1890 from political economy and the management of the state (Dutch “staathuishoudkunde”). National economic planning evolved decades later as a separate function. The governance of statistics and planning still leaves much to be desired. Forum Theory suggests that Science and Learning are served by a National Assembly. Researchers can vote annually, while the National Academy forms the Senate. The Assembly improves governance, the forum itself, and research integrity. Researchers in science and learning can simply create their National Assembly. They can set up a foundation, give rules of operation, recruit members, organise elections and have a constitutional meeting. With sufficiently large membership the operating costs can be covered. The next step is to show results. Over time the National Parliament would accept the Assembly of Science and Learning. A Tessares Politica has the separation of powers of Executive, Legislative, Judiciary, and Epistemic branches of government. The current Trias Politica can be counterproductive. It requires extension with an Economic Supreme Court for economic policy and a National Assembly of Science and Learning for the much wider policy issues of our ever more complex society. The argument is highlighted by the mentioned eight storylines. 90% of the book shows how research is abused in education, theory of democracy, climate change, population growth, Greek statistics, Dutch economics and national accounting, SARS-CoV-2.