Planning theory: Democracy or sustainable development? – Both (but don't bother about the bread, please)1

Abstract

In this article I raise the question of how various planning theories relate to the two normative conceptual systems of democracy and sustainable development. The issue under consideration is to what extent various normative planning theories on their own or in combination most satisfactorily can reconcile the requirements of a sustainable development with the implications of democracy. Such an assessment is based on the fact that democracy implies characteristic features such as participation, dialogue, communication, and consensus development. On the other hand, sustainable development demands protection of the interests of the world's poor, of future generations and of other species, as well as prompt and effective action. Through an analysis of synoptic planning, incremental planning, equity planning, and democratic planning, I shall argue that a combination of synoptic and equity planning is best suited to take democratic rules into account, as well as forming the basis for planning in a more sustainable direction.