1. DEMOCRATIC CULTURAL POLICY: WHICH DEMOCRACY? WHICH CULTURE? WHICH POLICY? Clive Gray De Montfort University

2. DEFINING TERMS Democracy: mechanisms for participating in making collective decisions Culture: what governments define it as being or make policies on Policy: choices about courses of action

3. DEMOCRATIC FORMS Direct democracy through voting (referenda) Representative democracy through elected representatives (assemblies/executives) Democratic elitism through stakeholders (arm’s-length/technocrats) Deliberative democracy through value clarification (discursive practices)

4. ASSESSING FORMS Direct/indirect involvement of citizens Role of policy experts (technocrats/mediators/facilitators) Role of elected representatives Information access/quality

5. DIRECT DEMOCRACY Open vote on a given subject Inclusive of all Ignorance? Incompetence? Money talks? Other issues decide? ‘Not proven’ Limited evidence Trust the people?

6. REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY Assembly/executive relations Less inclusive of all: one step removed Knowledge/expertise/continuity? Whose interests are served?/cui bono? Electoral legitimacy Democratic sub-optimality ‘High’/’low’ politics

7. DEMOCRATIC ELITISM Public choice between competing groups Insulation of power-holders from direct control Technical/professional/non-party political/authoritative? Coherent/focused/accountable? Technically ‘better’ policies?

8. DELIBERATIVE DEMOCRACY Based on informed, reflective opinion: ‘talk- centric’ Active/open engagement of groups/citizens ‘Better’ policy? Expense? Symbolic rather than effective engagement? Who manages the system? How is it managed? Democratic elitism by another name?

9. CONSEQUENCES Direct/indirect citizen involvement Role of policy experts Role of elected representatives Information access/quality