Between Facts and Norms - Contributions to a ... - Blogs Unpad

306----------- --- ---- -- --- -- -- --Chapter 7positions is motivated solely by the unforced force of the betterargument.21Additional conditions specifY the procedure in view of the politicalcharacter of deliberative processes: (e) Deliberations aim ingeneral at rationally motivated agreement and can in principle beindefinitely continued or resumed at any time. Political deliberations,however, must be concluded by mority decision in view ofpressures to decide. Because of its internal connection with adeliberative practice, mority rule justifies the presumption thatthe fallible mority opinion may be considered a reasonable basisfor a common practice until further notice, namely, until theminority convinces the majority that their (the minority's) viewsare correct.22 (f) Political deliberations extend to any matter thatcan be regulated in the equal interest of all. This does not imply,however, that topics and subject matters traditionally considered tobe "private" in nature could be a fortiori withdrawn from discussion.In particular, those questions are publicly relevant thatconcern the unequal distribution of resources on which the actualexercise of rights of communication and participation depends.23(g) Political deliberations also include the interpretation of needsand wants and the change ofprepolitical attitudes and preferences.Here the consensus-generating force of arguments is by no meansbased only on a value consensus previously developed in sharedtraditions and forms of life.24Every association that institutionalizes such a procedure for thepurposes of democratically regulating the conditions of its commonlife thereby constitutes itself as a body of citizens. It forms aparticular legal community, delimited in space and time, withspecific forms of life and traditions. But this distinctive culturalidentity does not designate it as a political community of citizens.For the democratic process is governed by universal principles ofjustice that are equally constitutive for every body of citizens. Inshort, the ideal procedure of deliberation and decision makingpresupposes as its bearer an association that agrees to regulate theconditions of its common life impartially. What brings legalconsociates together is, in the final analysis, the linguistic bond thatholds together each communication community.25This image of deliberative politics does not just omit someimportant internal differentiations (which I have drawn in chap. 4) .