How strong are active citizens and how are they meaningful for communities and local democracy?

Transcription

1 How strong are active citizens and how are they meaningful for communities and local democracy? IIMC, Brussels 7th september 2017 Prof. Laurens de

2 This Morning 1. A Participative Society? 2. Putting Things in Perspective 3. The Variety of Citizens Participation 4. What Do Active Citizens Do? 5. What Does this Mean for you and Local Democracy?

3 1. A Participative Society? Aspects Before Publieke sector concepts Welfare state, national government, policy and bureaucracy Governance, new public management, participatory policy Big society, social entrepreneurship, participative society Role society As object As participant As initiator Role public organization Producer Coproducer Partner Order Hierarchy Network Rhizome Organizing principle Groups around beliefs and convictions Groups around stakes Groups around passions Relationship Authority Collaboration Enabling Government focus Content and law Process and direction Movement and change Paradigm Making Stimulating 3 Facilitating

4 1. The Public Domain: Changing Relations(hips) 1) Government, policy Participative policy Privatization policy Active citizenship, Do-it-yourself 2) community, citizen 3) Market, 4 entrepreneur Social entrepreneurship, Neighbourhood business

5 2. Putting Things in Perspective "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one. - Albert Einstein -

6 3. The Variety of Citizen Participation A Photo Album of Citizens Participation (based on Dutch Practice)

7 3. Photo Album

8 3. The Variety of Citizen Participation

9 3. Photo Album

10 3. Citizen Participation in Generations!! 1. Since 1970: Participation in Decision Making 2. Since 1990: Rise of Participatory Policymaking 3. Since 2010: Beside Citizen Participation also Governmental Participation and Experimenting with Lotery (G1000), but also Citizens Initiatives, Participative Budgetting etc.

11 3. The Variety of Citizen Participation Policy Participation Social Participation (WRR, 2012) Social Initiatives Who?

12 4. Understanding Citizen s Initiatives! What Do Active Citizen Actually Do? Based on research conducted in small villages, towns and urban neighbouhoods in The Netherlands

13 4. Components of citizens initiatives It s the Energy!! (and not the structure) Crucial conditions 1. Pioneers 2. Not alone, but together 3. Local support base

14 4. A life cycle of citizens initiatives? Characteristic: Improvised pragmatism! Phases: Initiation! Growth! Structuration

15 4. What helps? 1. Visible Results 2. Openness and Invitation 3. Matchmaking and Combination 4. Buidling the External Network 5. Support and Backing form (Governmental) Agencies

16 4. What are pitfalls? Issues 1. Personal Community 3. Institutional 4. Democratic

17 5.What Does This Mean?

18 5. 7 Recommendations for Citizens Who Take Initiative(s) (1) 1. Make sure there is room for criticism to be voiced. [inclusion and legitimacy] 2. Maintain an open communication to people who are not (yet) involved in the initiative. [deliberation and inclusion] 3. Bear in mind that things are not about you or the organization. [civic virtues and skills] 4. Invite people to try their hand at taking the driver s seat to forestall a succession problem, and make a timely exit yourself. [inclusion, civic virtues and skills]

19 5. 7 Recommendations for Citizens Who Take Initiative(s) (2) 5. Be transparent about any possible private interests. [legitimacy] 6. Make sure there is a network not only inside but also outside the local community. [inclusion, influence] 7. Do not forget that it is simply fun to join in: fun is a very rich source of energy. Celebrate your successes. [more than civic virtues and skills]

20 5. What About Local Government? Again: People make a Difference! Attitude and / or skills: 1. Be present 2. Be empathic 3. Go by the subsidiarity principle 4. Show appreciation 5. Be clear, but creative! 6. Be critical, but modest

21 5. What About Councillors and Municpal Clerks? 1. Representative Democracy AND Participative Democracy 2. Council as Political Arena and as Local Assembly 3. Council: Create a Vision of Your Democracy: What Local Democracy do You (and/or Your Local Community) Want to Be?

22 5. What About Councillors and Municpal Clerks? 4. Use Democratic Values as a Basis for this Vision, such as: A. Civic skills and virtues B. Deliberation C. Legitimacy D. Inclusion (see Michels & De Graaf, 2010, 2017)

23 5. What About Councillors and Municpal Clerks? 1. Stay Aware of Your and Someone Elses Perspective(s) 2. Multilingual: Passion Stake 3. Read the Citizens Participation to Understand it. Make Use of Its Variety 4. Dynamics of Citizens Initiative: In What Phase Do you Take Which Role of Whom? 5. Use Democratic Values to Develop a Vision of What Local Democracy You Want to Be!

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