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Empirical and participatory democratic theories : the limits of the debate

University of British Columbia

Democratic theory is currently divided into two opposing schools: the Participatory, whose test of democracy is direct participation in government, unambiguous popular consent, and equality of influence on- decisions; and the Empirical, which is satisfied with levels of indirect participation, tacit consent, and majority rule, in the Western democracies. This study seeks to show that the two schools share major assumptions about the definition and the justification of democracy. They assume that democracy subsists purely in a set of decision-making procedures, and that the only justification of the procedure is its pluralist approach to demands. Empirical and Participatory theorists dispute the interpretation of the principles of participation, pluralism, and political equality, but they concur that democracy requires a consensus on these procedural principles only. They also dispute the ideal form of government by consent, but they agree that the legitimacy of democratic decisions rests on the extent of individual consent. The limits of the debate arise from a confusion between democratic pluralism and moral relativism. Procedural principles define democracy only where they are part of a set of norms which includes those of authority, rationality, and the common good; a procedural consensus can guarantee democracy only where it is backed by a -shared commitment to these non-procedural or substantive norms. Since the legitimacy of political decisions depends on their conformity with rationality and the common good, and not only on their place of origin, an adequate justification of democracy must demonstrate a logical connection between these standards and the democratic system. This study states the case for such a connection, and for a normative interpretation of participation, consent, pluralism, and political equality.

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2010-05-24

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/24970

Political Science

University of British Columbia

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