1.14. Participatory and liberal democracy

Another theory of eParticipation is inspired by two major sets of political ideas: participatory and liberal democracy. Zittel (2001) argues that according to this distinction e-democracy can be analysed on three levels: A general concept of democracy, an institutional/structural dimension (democratic design), and a behavioural dimension (participatory behaviour). The participatory and the liberal ideas of democracy involve different views of citizenship. The individual as part of the political community is the basis of the participatory ideal. Citizens should become engaged in political processes as much as possible. The participatory idea involves elements of direct and representative democracy which become visible in citizens' active role in opinion formation and decision-making processes. The emergence of ICTs? has extended the research questions and different frameworks of analysis can be detected concerning the role of ICTs? in this context. Among the group of eParticipation proponents there are those political representatives and scholars who assume a causal relationship between technological innovation and democratic change and those who consider ICTs? as means to renew existing democratic practices (such as deliberation and voting processes) and public institutions. The liberal concept stresses the antagonism between the individual and the political community and perceives individuals as autonomous within the community. Since the liberal idea of democracy has become the dominant paradigm in Western societies, democratic participation in a “liberal sense” is based upon a strictly representative system. The main problem arising in this context is reflected in citizens' participation options which are mainly restricted to "voting" actions.




References:

Zittel, T. (2001). Elektronische Demokratie. Planskizze für eine Demokratie des 21. Jahrhunderts? Neue Politische Literatur, 46(3), 433-470.

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