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When should a government convene a Citizens’ Assembly?

When should a government convene a Citizens’ Assembly?. John Gastil University of Washington Department of Communication Presented May 1, 2008 at UBC Conference “When Citizens Decide”. Starting Considerations. Large-Scale Political Units Normal Legislative Session as Default

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When should a government convene a Citizens’ Assembly?

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  1. When should a government convene a Citizens’ Assembly? John Gastil University of Washington Department of Communication Presented May 1, 2008at UBC Conference “When Citizens Decide”

  2. Starting Considerations • Large-Scale Political Units • Normal Legislative Session as Default • Functions well enough on many issues • Look to more direct processes in specific circumstances • Alternatives • Canadian model of Citizens’ Assembly (CA) • Direct democracy (initiatives/referenda) • Other citizen engagement processes (deliberative variants, community/political organizing, social movements)

  3. Purposes of Assembly • Decision making • Higher-quality policy recommendation • Consequental action taken (passage) • Legitimacy • Public support for Assembly process • Public confidence in govt. institutions • Public engagement • Model deliberative process • Encourage active civic participation

  4. Four Issue Contexts • Legislature avoids settling an issue • Visible conflict of interest • No popular policy choice exists • Legitimacy • Partisan deadlock • Complex debate cutting across conventional political and cultural divides

  5. Ideal Circumstances + + + + + 0 + 0 - - + + 0 - 0 0 - + + ? + + + +

  6. How to Institutionalize CA • Legislative Action • Majority party establishes CA • Bipartisan minority coalition triggers CA • Citizen Initiated • Petition (signature-gathering) threshhold • Coalition of policymakers/NGOs meeting together (like participatory budgeting) • An agenda-setting CA made up of former CA participants (possibly with legislators, others in minority role)

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