Extensive Use of Deliberative Democracy at National Level
Imagine the following scenario: the prime minister of the country in which you live wishes to encourage extensive use of deliberative democracy at national level. You are his / her political adviser and you formulate a recommendation in favor of or against the use of deliberative democracy. Your essay must explain with theoretical arguments and evidence what is your recommendation and why.
1. 12-point font, spacing 1.5 lines, 2.5 cm margins (top, bottom, left and right)
2. The text should have a title, do not stick to “Essay 1” or to restating the question /task
3. Use embedded references using the Harvard Style (author, year: page).
4.The source must be academic material, try to avoid news reports or website content, and be sure to use the four books I provided as reference
In designing and writing the paper you have freedom of choice: a) you can decide either to use a broad perspective that refers to all types of deliberative democracy or you may want to focus on a particular type; b) you can have a general overview of the problems, a comparative approach (more cases) or focus on a single case (e.g. one community, one country). If you do the latter, the case selection must be explained (i.e. why that case and not a different one). Your paper should look like a coherent piece (i.e. includes introduction, body, and conclusion) and every claim has to be backed by arguments, using references (literature) and examples. It is necessary to have conclusions that summarize the key points of your essay and explain what we learn from it
Please note that the references you provide must be academic. Try not to use websites and news.
DELIBERATIVE DEMOCRACY
by (Name)
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City and State
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Deliberative Democracy
For decades, political scientists have feared that many governments around the world are approaching a democracy crisis due to the decline of public participation in decision-making. Nowadays, politicians, experts, and bureaucrats dominate policy-making, limiting the voice of the people. Lack of public participation increases people’s susceptibility to oppression as politicians are likely to make policies that suit their interests. For instance, they can introduce punitive taxes, making the lives of citizens unbearable. A government with the people’s interests at heart would strive to adopt deliberative democracy to avoid such incidents. Deliberative democracy refers to a political approach where the public, not just politicians or experts, are actively involved in decision-making. It justifies citizens' opinions and decisions to ensure that the policies passed are fair and acceptable to everyone. The public is required to give their views based on the set principles to be treated equally in the decision-making and problem-solving processes. The inclusion of deliberative democracy at the national level has raised controversies, with proponents arguing that this approach will strengthen the country’s democracy and critics claiming that deliberative democracy will reduce the quality of decisions and policies at the national level because many citizens are too ignorant to participate in policy matters. Weighing the strengths against weaknesses of deliberative democracy, deliberative democracy should be encouraged at the national level because it gives the government an incredible opportunity to build a strong democratic culture and save its democracy from polarization and distrust.
Arguments for Deliberative Democracy
Firstly, deliberation strengthens democracy. From a deliberative democrat's worldview, the foundation of any vibrant democracy lies in the government's ability to engage in frequent, inclusive, and logical political discussions. These discussions enable citizens to understand different perspectives and accommodate their differences (Caluwaerts & Deschouwer, 2014, p. 427). In other words, deliberative democracy relies on divergent opinions. Social theory democratic politics are vulnerable to instability and uncertainty in collective decision. Intelligent politicians can manipulate agendas to win to ensure their preferred opinions win (Curato, et al., 2017, p. 29). A similar situation can happen if the opponents are also clever. Such circumstances can compromise the will of the citizens manifested through voting, making democracy lose its meaning and stability. In this situation, deliberation serves as an instrument to restore democracy's meaning and stability. It triggers agreements to limit politician's ability