One of the concepts of Dr. Somkiat Tangnamo, former Rector of Midnight University, which was repeatedly emphasized during our regular discussion was Deliberative Democracy. Members of the Midnight University see the problem of Representative Democracy as focusing on only the election which usually results in getting the persons who are not genuine representatives of people in the society.
Members of the Parliament represent groups of political business and relatives. This is evident by the fact that some banned politicians can still get their nominees elected in spite of the lack of competence or experience to be able to truly represent the people.
The chance for the lower class or the poor to have a role in the legislative assembly or in solving problems of the country under the Representative Democracy is considered zero. As such, there have been efforts to introduce a new model of democracy as called Deliberative Democracy.
Such concept was first presented by Jurgen Habemas. He believes that Deliberative Democracy is not about asking for something or receiving an order from the people in power. It is about living together and trying to understand one another.
Deliberative Democracy does not primarily emphasize rights and liberties, benefits and obedience of the people at large. Rather, it attaches importance to the process whereby fundamental rights and liberties of citizens are guaranteed.
Deliberative originated from the process that uses jury or legislative assembly and other bodies which have the authority to make a decision after allowing for debates on rationales of all parties holding different opinions so as to equally and justly give them a space in politics.
Later on, Deliberative has developed its definition into a form of democracy that gives importance to Consensus arisen from the deliberative process. It takes into account the evidence, rationale, feeling and emotion and builds the understanding of common intent rather than making a decision by the majority.
Example of Deliberative Democracy in other countries is the Town Meeting in U.S.A., particularly in the area of New England on the Northeastern Region. It is the process of participation in the deliberative by people in the community for the purpose of seeking common intent in making a public decision rather than letting the majority decide. Such deliberative process is similar to direct democracy whereby people in the community attend a meeting to discuss, express opinions and together make a decision such as that in Athens Regime in the past.
However, once the society grows larger and more complicated, it is difficult to conduct a Town Meeting. Deliberative process thus applies a variety of methods appropriate under each circumstance. For example:
1. Open Forum – It allows for a debate which is not specifically restricted to own agency or group. It is opened to the general public or stakeholders in a similar manner to a public forum moderated or chaired by academics like Chiang Mai People’s Assembly Forum of Ban Chum Muang Yen Network(The peaceful Homeland Network) or the Constituency Dialogue of the National Democratic Institute (NDI), etc.
2. Access to expression of opinions in the media; local newspaper, television, community radio or internet – Example is the web site of Midnight University which opens the floor for the public to propose people’s policies.
3. Deliberative Polling – This method can tell what the general public think about issues related to a policy or to the electoral candidates under the given condition that people are given the opportunity for extensive reflection and the access to information. It may be comparative to the lottery method in Athens Democracy or the concept of electoral college in U.S.A. or even the citizens’ juries.
In conclusion, Deliberative Democracy emphasizes debate and deliberation among people prior to making a political decision such as the reconciliation in accordance with a plan proposed by either party or the decision-making in the electoral voting. Deliberative Democracy realizes the weaknesses in the Representative Democracy that most people do not have time or opportunity to debate on the advantages and disadvantages of any policy which is presented by the political sector without exchanging opinions with people in the community. Besides, people are not given the opportunity to question the background and justification for such policy as well as the feasibility including the consequences in the implementation of the policy.
Currently, we can apply Deliberative Democracy to the Thai societies at the local and the national levels where fragmentations are prevalent. I am of the opinion that, had the concept of Deliberative Democracy been applied, the political tragedy over the past few years would not have occurred.
It is not too late to adopt the concept of Deliberative Democracy in solving the problem of polarization in the Thai society and of spouse-oriented parliament that presently exist.
The concept of Deliberative Democracy is rather new. It may be but not too difficult to understand if we make efforts. Isn’t it ?
