Deliberative Democracy in Theory and Practice

Abstract

At a time when there is growing disillusionment with the institutions of advanced industrial democracies, there is also increasing interest in new ways of involving citizens in the political discussions. The phrase “deliberative democracy” gained currency in the early years of the 1990s after the era of participatory democracy, and since the mid 1990s deliberative institutions that deepen citizen participation in the political decision-making process have been designed. This article provides concrete examples of successful efforts to expand public input in decision-making, including mini-publics, popular assemblies, e-democracy and direct legislation. Each design has its strength and weakness. As G. Smith argues, it is important to recognize the institutional complementarities of democratic innovations.