Democracy and participation Jonathan Carr-West Head of Centre for Local Democracy

What do these words mean? Democracy /di mok rsi/ • noun (pl. democracies ) 1 a form of government in which the people have a voice in the exercise of power, typically through elected representatives. 2 a state governed in such a way. 3 control of a group by the majority of its members. — ORIGIN Greek demokratia , from demos ‘the people’ + -kratia ‘power, rule’. Participate • verb take part. — DERIVATIVES participant noun participation noun participative adjective participator noun participatory adjective. — ORIGIN Latin participare ‘share in’.

Democracy

/di mok rsi/

• noun (pl. democracies ) 1 a form of government in which the people have a voice in the exercise of power, typically through elected representatives. 2 a state governed in such a way. 3 control of a group by the majority of its members.

— ORIGIN Greek demokratia , from demos ‘the people’ + -kratia ‘power, rule’.

Participate

• verb take part.

— DERIVATIVES participant noun participation noun participative adjective participator noun participatory adjective.

— ORIGIN Latin participare ‘share in’.

Representative v. direct democracy Your Representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgement; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion. […] Government and Legislation are matters of reason and judgement, and not of inclination; and what sort of reason is that, in which the determination precedes the discussion; in which one set of men deliberate, and another decide; and where those who form the conclusion are perhaps three hundred miles distant from those who hear the arguments? Edmund Burke

Democracy = participation It’s not just about representation and electoral mechanisms - important as these are It’s rooted in a simple value The equal right of every citizen to participate in and shape civic life So setting up a youth group or a mothers network in the community is just as much a promotion of local democracy as standing for elected office

It’s not just about representation and electoral mechanisms - important as these are

It’s rooted in a simple value

The equal right of every citizen to participate in and shape civic life

So setting up a youth group or a mothers network in the community is just as much a promotion of local democracy as standing for elected office

Why does democracy matter? Equality is an irreducible moral good - but reducing democratic deficit is also a practical public good Communities in which everyone can participate and fulfil their potential - will maximize available talent and will thus be more resilient, more effective and better able to meet the challenges of contemporary life

Equality is an irreducible moral good - but reducing democratic deficit is also a practical public good

Communities in which everyone can participate and fulfil their potential - will maximize available talent and will thus be more resilient, more effective and better able to meet the challenges of contemporary life

Global Drivers Environmental change Demographic change Interdependence (cultural, economic, environmental) Information overload Diversity and solidarity Economic instability Resource pressures

Environmental change

Demographic change

Interdependence (cultural, economic, environmental)

Information overload

Diversity and solidarity

Economic instability

Resource pressures

Local Govt Drivers New (ish) local government structures Duty to involve Forthcoming legislation implementing Real People, Real Power white paper Changing political landscape

New (ish) local government structures

Duty to involve

Forthcoming legislation implementing Real People, Real Power white paper

Changing political landscape

All these drivers mean that participation will become a more integral to how we think about democracy

All these drivers mean that participation will become a more integral to how we think about democracy

Why? Because global issues play out at local level Because these challenges cannot be met by the State or by citizens acting alone They require collaborative, collective responses Local government uniquely placed to mediate these

Because global issues play out at local level

Because these challenges cannot be met by the State or by citizens acting alone

They require collaborative, collective responses

Local government uniquely placed to mediate these

Participatory democracy might… Re-think community Build social and economic capital Shape participatory services Share power and responsibility Develop leaders

Re-think community

Build social and economic capital

Shape participatory services

Share power and responsibility

Develop leaders

Some tools for participation

and of course… Social Networking Facebook Myspace Blogs Twitter Etc, etc, (but don’t wait for the next big thing)

Social Networking

Facebook

Myspace

Blogs

Twitter

Etc, etc, (but don’t wait for the next big thing)

“ To man with a hammer everything looks like a nail” Mark Twain “ If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend six hours sharpening my axe.” Abraham Lincoln

Some ‘rules’ for participation Be clear about the invitation Understand patterns of participation People need to be seen and heard Respond! Follow exciting leads Let networks disrupt hierarchies Not all ideas are good idea Don’t lose the human touch

Be clear about the invitation

Understand patterns of participation

People need to be seen and heard

Respond!

Follow exciting leads

Let networks disrupt hierarchies

Not all ideas are good idea

Don’t lose the human touch

The opportunity Is to build vibrant local democracies in which every citizen is able to participate in and shape civic life Communities in which everyone can participate and fulfil their potential A society which makes the most of its talents and which is more resilient, more effective and better able to meet the challenges of contemporary life

Is to build vibrant local democracies in which every citizen is able to participate in and shape civic life

Communities in which everyone can participate and fulfil their potential

A society which makes the most of its talents and which is more resilient, more effective and better able to meet the challenges of contemporary life

The challenge Is to move from theory to application To marry aspiration to practicality To choose the right tools for the right job To find ways concrete ways for council officers, citizens and elected members to work together to deliver on these ambitions To do so in ways that realistic, effective, financially viable and sustainable

Is to move from theory to application

To marry aspiration to practicality

To choose the right tools for the right job

To find ways concrete ways for council officers, citizens and elected members to work together to deliver on these ambitions

To do so in ways that realistic, effective, financially viable and sustainable