Reflective DemocracyDemocracy used to be seen as a relatively mechanical matter of merely adding up everyone's votes in free and fair elections. That mechanistic model has many virtues, among them allowing democracy to 'track the truth', where purely factual issues are all that is at stake. Political disputes invariably mix facts with values, however, and then it is essential to listen to what people are saying rather than merely note how they are voting. The great challenge is how to implement that deliberative ideal among millions of people at once. In this strikingly original book, Goodin offers a solution: 'democratic deliberation within'. Building on models of ordinary conversational dynamics, he suggests that people simply imagine themselves in the position of various other people they have heard or read about and ask, 'What would they say about this proposal?' Informing the democratic imaginary then becomes the key to making deliberations more reflective - more empathetic, more considered, more expansive across time and distance. Oxford Political Theory presents the best new work in contemporary political theory. It is intended to be broad in scope, including original contributions to political philosophy, and also work in applied political theory. The series contains works of outstanding quality with no restriction as to approach or subject matter. |
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action actually aggregation arguments bargaining Bayesian beliefs Cambridge Chapter choice choosing citizens claims collective Condorcet constitute conversation correct course decision deliberative democracy democratic deliberation democratic theory direct directly discussion effect election electorate Enlightenment epistemic equal example experiences extended facts give given Goodin imagine important inclusion independent individuals inputs institutions interests internal involved issue judgement jury least less liberal majority matter mean merely nature necessarily objective opposition option ordinary outcomes parties people's perceptions perhaps person perspectives plurality political practice preferences present probability problem procedures proposition question rationally reason reflective regard relative reliable reports representatives respect rule seems sense serve shared simply situation social society sometimes sort standard suppose theory things true trying University Press values various vote voters