Open Democracy: Reinventing Popular Rule for the Twenty-First Century

Open Democracy presents a new paradigm of democracy in which power is genuinely accessible to ordinary citizens, focusing on the "open mini-public" to define laws and policies. Hélène Landemore favors this approach over direct-democracy approaches and defends five institutional principles as the foundations of an open democracy.

Format: Hardback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 13 October 2020
Publisher: Princeton University Press

The concept of democracy has evolved over centuries, with different interpretations and practices across different cultures and societies. In ancient Greece, democracy was characterized by public gatherings where citizens debated and voted on laws set by a randomly selected assembly of several hundred citizens. This model of direct democracy aimed to ensure that the voices of ordinary people were heard and that decisions were made in the interests of the community.

However, the modern concept of democracy has taken a different shape. In contemporary representative democracies, power is largely held by elected officials who represent the interests of their constituencies. While this system has its advantages, it is also criticized for being exclusive and undemocratic, as it tends to exclude certain groups of people, such as marginalized communities, women, and people of color, from having a meaningful voice in the political process.

Open Democracy is a platform that seeks to address these issues and promote a new model of democracy that opens up power to ordinary citizens. The platform advocates for a shift towards a more participatory and inclusive democracy, where citizens are actively engaged in the decision-making process and have a say in the laws and policies that affect their lives.

One of the key ideas behind Open Democracy is the concept of "representing and being represented in turn." This means that citizens should have the opportunity to participate in the political process not only as voters but also as policymakers and decision-makers. Open Democracy suggests that political institutions should be centered around the "open mini-public," a large, jury-like body of randomly selected citizens gathered to define laws and policies for the polity. This approach would ensure that a wider range of perspectives and experiences are represented in the political process, and that decisions are made in the interests of the community as a whole.

In addition to promoting a more participatory democracy, Open Democracy also defends five institutional principles as the foundations of an open democracy. These principles include participatory rights, deliberation, the majoritarian principle, democratic representation, and transparency. Participatory rights ensure that citizens have the right to participate in the political process and to have their voices heard. Deliberation involves citizens engaging in meaningful discussions and debates about important issues, and the majoritarian principle ensures that decisions are made by a majority of the people. Democratic representation ensures that elected officials are accountable to their constituents and that they represent the interests of the community. Transparency ensures that government actions are open and accessible to the public, and that citizens can hold their elected officials accountable for their decisions.

Open Democracy's vision of a new model of democracy that opens up power to ordinary citizens is a powerful response to the challenges facing contemporary democracies. By placing citizens at the heart of the political process, Open Democracy aims to promote greater inclusiveness, responsiveness, and accountability in modern societies. The platform's ideas and principles have the potential to transform the way.

Weight: 584g
Dimension: 164 x 243 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691181998