Participatory democracy: From theory to practice

Abstract

As more and more people become aware of the inefficiency and injustice of being ruled by remote bureaucracies, they are demanding more of a say in their decisions that affect their lives. Thus, participatory democracy is moving from being a mere ideal to something that citizens and communities are beginning to demand and are seeking to implement in practice. As this occurs, there is more of a need for useful ideas and successful, experiences that people can assimilate and apply to their own situations. This article offers a modest introduction to a few of these.