In a digital age where representative democracy has become increasingly ineffective, The Citizens Assembly as a form of deliberative democracy has enormous potential.
It de-risks political decision-making providing citizens with the space and time to consider facts, evidence (as presented by domain experts), multiple viewpoints/personal experiences before facilitating deliberation and nuanced decision-making.
This removes political cowardice and compromise, vested interests, (in the form of lobbying) and firmly foregrounds the common interest.
How recommendations made by Citizens Assemblies are received by Governments still needs work, as they risk becoming talking shops that issue recommendations which merely end up on a shelf.
It is important mechanisms to ensure recommendations made are fully considered and extended into referenda, plebicites, legislation etc. There needs to be a checking mechanism of course, but disincetivising governments from shelving and paying lip service to recommendations made is essential.
In a digital age where representative democracy has become increasingly ineffective, The Citizens Assembly as a form of deliberative democracy has enormous potential.
It de-risks political decision-making providing citizens with the space and time to consider facts, evidence (as presented by domain experts), multiple viewpoints/personal experiences before facilitating deliberation and nuanced decision-making.
This removes political cowardice and compromise, vested interests, (in the form of lobbying) and firmly foregrounds the common interest.
How recommendations made by Citizens Assemblies are received by Governments still needs work, as they risk becoming talking shops that issue recommendations which merely end up on a shelf.
It is important mechanisms to ensure recommendations made are fully considered and extended into referenda, plebicites, legislation etc. There needs to be a checking mechanism of course, but disincetivising governments from shelving and paying lip service to recommendations made is essential.