It is evident that there is an identity problem with democracy and direct democracy in particular. An identity that does not allow for a multitude of contradictory interpretations and a Babel-like communication, which hinder the connection of the theory with the practice of direct democracy. And this problem is not a matter of authoritarian leaderships nor "leftist vanguards", and certainly not of "wise" intellectuals and leaders, but remains a problem of the working society-humanity itself.

That is why it is necessary to shape a new public space for thought and communication and to restart the public dialogue on direct democracy. Within the framework of this dialogue, we will be able to bring to the surface the theoretical, empirical, and militant legacy of past generations, free it from myths and ideologies, and marry it with the vision of today's generations, as it is shaped in contemporary conditions, with the spearhead being the level of development of the productive forces which, in combination with today's level of sciences and technology, determine the objective possibilities, the path, and the horizon of the forces of Labor, Science, and Culture, in order to continue humanity's journey towards the direct democracy of economic and social equality.

This purpose is served by the publication of this collective volume, which as an idea was formulated by many, such as Manolis Glezos, Pericles Korovesis, Zisis Papadimitriou, and others, but also by many present during the presentation of my recent book on Direct Democracy and Classless Society. The "Nisides" publications accepted the proposal, on the condition that authors who have dealt with various aspects and from different perspectives on the subject be invited to participate, so that its main components are highlighted, with the hope that the texts contained therein will contribute to the revival of the dialogue at the societal level.

With this criterion, we approached the authors of this volume, most of whom are personally unknown to each other, but known from our various related publications. None of us claims to hold the absolute truth, not only because the truth of direct democracy is too great to fit into one or a few minds, but mainly because this truth, as a qualitative historical measure, is subject to the laws of specific and general diachronic relativity, which as such grows depending on how much the multitude of the forces of Labor, Science, and Culture grows with Knowledge of what is not direct democracy, but also with Awareness of what it would like to be, what it could be, and how direct democracy will be realized. [...]

(from the book's preface)