The Challenge of Participatory Democracy

Abstract

To achieve and sustain a more equal society, we need to act collectively as citizens. That project of collective action is what politics, in the best sense of the word, is all about. In modern societies the most prominent and visible institutions for political action are governments, but collective action can also be taken by non-governmental organizations such as local development partnerships, trade unions, residents’ associations, churches and other voluntary groups, by international organizations such as the European Union and the United Nations and of course by corporations and other businesses. In western societies, most of these organizations subscribe to the idea of democracy, which as we have already seen is an essentially egalitarian idea. But the quality of these democracies, and in particular the degree to which they promote genuinely equal power, varies widely and almost always leaves room for improvement. There is widespread cynicism about and disengagement from politics, reflecting a sense of powerlessness. Many people feel that it is pointless to engage in political activities.