A Basic Introduction to Deliberative Democracy

1. A Basic Introduction to Deliberative Democracy Guifei Jiang Reading Group on E-Democracy 9th March, 2017

2. Outline • What is deliberative democracy? • How democratic is deliberation? • Why is deliberative democracy better than aggregative democracy? • How to implement deliberative democracy? • Deliberative Democracy & Discursive Dilemma

3. What is Deliberative Democracy? • The term "deliberative democracy" was originally coined by Joseph M. Bessette in his 1980 work Deliberative Democracy: The Majority Principle in Republican Government. • A form of democracy: deliberation is central to decision-making. • Authentic deliberation, not mere voting, is the primary source of legitimacy for the law.

4. Characteristics • Free and equal citizens (representatives): Conscientiousness • Presenting and weighing reasons Neither merely procedural nor purely substantive. Substantive balance, Comprehensible • Information relevant to the issue and the competing reasons. • Equal Consideration

5. Deliberative Democracy is a form of government in which free and equal citizens (and their representatives), justify decisions in a process in which they give one another reasons that are mutually acceptable and generally accessible, with the aim of reaching conclusions that are binding in the present on all citizens but open to challenge in the future. Gutmann, Amy, and Dennis Thompson. Why deliberative democracy?. Princeton University Press, 2009.

6. How Democratic is DD Core principles of Democracy [James Fishkin] • PE: political equality • MP: (mass) participation • D: deliberation • NT: non-tyranny of the majority “Deliberative Democracy attempts to combine deliberation by the people themselves with an equal consideration of the views that result.”

7. Justifications for preferences the final decision without consensus Reasons given for the outcomes in the preference Take preferences as given Produce determinate outcome Reasons given for the outcomes in the rationale for the aggregation method Deliberative Democracy vs Aggregative Democracy

9. Implementations of DD[James Fishkin] The randomly selected deliberative microcosm or mini-public in designs such as • Deliberative Poll • Deliberation Day How these designs can be inserted into the current constitutional order?

10. Evaluating viable designs I • Random sampling Everyone is included via an equal chance of being invited. • Sample size The sample of deliberators needs to be large enough. • Attitudinal and demographic representativeness The mini-public is a microcosm of the public.

11. Evaluating viable designs II • Avoiding distortions The domination by the more advantaged and the popularization • A design that embodies good conditions for considering the issue Participants are informed, such as balanced brief materials in Deliberative Poll.

12. Entry Point to Competitive Democracy 1. Candidate evaluation and selection, particularly in the nomination period. • A representative and deliberative process representing voters from around the country could question the candidates in depth and on the basis of real deliberation on the issues. • Applications: The 1996 National Issues Convention; In Greece in 2006 select a candidate for mayor

13. Entry Point to Participatory Democracy 2. Ballot propositions evaluation and selection. • A random sample deliberates and proposes an initiative. Establish an institution in which a random sample was convened periodically with the power to recommend or actually place a proposal on the ballot. • Applications: What’s Next California Deliberation Poll; The Citizens’ Initiative Review in Oregon.

14. Entry Point to Elite Deliberation 3. Public input into policy and legislation. • The use of a deliberative microcosm chosen by random sampling can provide data that what the public would think if it had a comparable opportunity to think about the issues. • Applications: In 1996 in Texas Integrated Resource Planning Deliberative Poll.

15. Entry Point to Elite Deliberation 4. Public input into constitutional change. • The public’s considered judgments are incorporated into the processes of constitutional change. • Speculate on new institutions in which the convening of randomly selected microcosms would be a part of method for constutional change.

16. Deliberative Democracy & Discursive Dilemma • Is deliberative democracy to enforce the discipline of reason at the individual level or at the collective level? • Deliberative-democratic theory has not addressed this issue. • The discursive dilemma.

17. References • Gutmann, Amy, and Dennis Thompson. Why deliberative democracy?. Princeton University Press, 2009. • Fishkin, James. Deliberation by the people themselves: Entry points for the public voice. Election Law Journal 12.4 (2013): 490-507. • Pettit, Philip. Deliberative democracy and the discursive dilemma. Philosophical Issues 11.1 (2001): 268-299.

18. Deliberative Poll • The typical deliberative (opinion) poll takes a random, representative sample of citizens and engages them in deliberation on current issues or proposed policy changes through small-group discussions and conversations with competing experts to create more informed and reflective public opinion. Wikipedia http://cdd.stanford.edu/what-is-deliberative-polling/ • The process

19. Deliberation Day • Large scale deliberation on the model of deliberative polling but scaled up to a large portion of the population. • Deliberative poll is an on-going work while deliberation day is hypothetical.

20. Competitive Democracy • Championed by Joseph Schumpeter, Richard Poser and others. • Democracy is not about colletive will formation, but just a “competitive struggle for the people’s vote”. • Non-tyranny of the majority and political equality

21. Participatory Democracy • Mass participation combined with equal counting. • People should participate, Whether or not they become informed or discuss the issues.

22. Elite Deliberation • Indirect filtration championed by Madison in the design for the U.S. Constitution. Small elite bodies consider the competing arguments. • Avoid mass participation. If only the Athenians had had a Senate, they might not have killed Socrates.

23. Conceptions of Democracy • Competitive Democracy: PE, NT • Elite Deliberation: D, NT • Participatory Democracy: PE, MP • Deliberative Democracy: PE, D Why not MP?