participatory democracy
Direct civic engagement
Participatory democracy is a system where citizens engage directly in political decisions rather than acting solely through elected representatives.
Town hall meetings, referendums, and citizen assemblies are mechanisms of participatory democracy.
The term often signals a critique of conventional representative democracy as insufficient: We need participatory democracy, not just voting every four years.
Local governance headquarters
- forumGathering place for discourse
- assemblyConstructing from components
- debateFormal argument on issues
- dialogueSpoken exchange between parties
consultation · consensus · referendum · public hearing · facilitation · public comment · community meeting · open forum
Collective local civic engagement
- activismDirect effort for reform
- volunteerismUnpaid community assistance
- neighborhoodResidential area nearby
- cooperativesMember-owned collective enterprises
mutual aid · direct action · localism · collective · social movement · community council · citizen initiative · base-building
Control over one's fate
- agencyPower to act
- voiceSound from throat
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- self-governanceIndependent management of affairs
enfranchisement · collective action · decentralization · accountability · ownership · citizen power · bottom-up · popular sovereignty
Formally registering a choice
- ballotVoting document
- electorateEligible voting body
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
- policyAdopted principle of action
advocacy · campaign · representation · committee · stakeholder · petition · initiative · recall
Depiction or likeness
- diversityState of varied elements
- equityImpartial treatment or ownership value
- accessibilityEase of approach
- pluralismCoexistence of differing views
multiculturalism · egalitarianism · fairness · parity · marginalized voices · underrepresented · broad-based · universal suffrage
townhall
Local governance headquarters
- forumGathering place for discourse
- assemblyConstructing from components
- debateFormal argument on issues
dialogue · consultation · consensus · referendum · public hearing · facilitation · public comment · community meeting · open forum · plenary
community organizing
Collective local civic engagement
- activismDirect effort for reform
- volunteerismUnpaid community assistance
- neighborhoodResidential area nearby
cooperatives · mutual aid · direct action · localism · collective · social movement · community council · citizen initiative · base-building · door-knocking
self-determination
Control over one's fate
self-governance · enfranchisement · collective action · decentralization · accountability · ownership · citizen power · bottom-up · popular sovereignty · self-rule
voting
Formally registering a choice
- ballotVoting document
- electorateEligible voting body
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
policy · advocacy · campaign · representation · committee · stakeholder · petition · initiative · recall · proposition
representation
Depiction or likeness
- diversityState of varied elements
- equityImpartial treatment or ownership value
- accessibilityEase of approach
pluralism · multiculturalism · egalitarianism · fairness · parity · marginalized voices · underrepresented · broad-based · universal suffrage
participatory democracyautocracy
Rule by one
dictatorship · totalitarianism · authoritarianism · tyranny · despotism
participatory democracyoligarchy
Rule by few
aristocracy · monarchy · plutocracy · elitism · single-party state
democracy, democratic, participant, participate, participation, participants, participated, participates, partaking