Page 48 - Enabling National Initiatives to Take Democracy Beyond Elections

46 A Project of the UN Democracy Fund (UNDEF) The distinction between public opinion and public judgment makes clear the problems with the way we currently ‘do democracy’. Public opinion rewards the persuasiveness of an idea in an environment that lacks critical depth and breadth of thinking. It makes it difficult for elected political representatives to put forward complex long-term trade-off decisions because of the short-term electoral imperative. It ultimately leads to a more polarised and partisan political environment. Creating a process that focuses on public judgment not only improves the contribution everyday people can make as a complementary mechanism for elected political bodies. It improves the ability for these political bodies to adequately deal with difficult decisions by adding a new voice to public discourse: that of the everyday person. Governments often hear from those representing lower income groups: this is a way to involve people actually affected not just those acting in their name. The wider community can tell the difference. The goal is to create community cohesion around trade-offs, compro- mise and consensus, giving society the ability to make hard decisions. Restoring the public’s trust in political decision making can be achieved by letting people explore the trade-offs for themselves and being open to responding to their informed view.