Between counters and talkers

Abstract

Abstract This chapter revisits the contrast between deliberative and plebiscitary formats, discussed in Chapters 3 and 4, from the angle of democratic-cum-cultural theory, outlined in Chapter 2. Against this backdrop, Chapter 5 explores what is budding, often experimentally, in the area between the two poles. At first sight, much of this seems to be played out in the lower half of the democratic-cultural matrix—where bottom-up visions of aggregative voting and counting (‘healthy aggregation’) coexist with bottom-up visions of integrative talk and collaboration (‘smart sourcing’). On closer inspection, however, citizen-focused concepts of innovation always compete and chafe with visions championing power distance in democracy—political representation, delegation, mandate, leadership. The chapter underscores that the full matrix of citizen-oriented and representative democracy is needed to understand actually existing varieties and interactions, which can in turn help to advance democratic innovation.