Ruimte voor een democratische rechtsstaat - RePub - Erasmus ...

The empirical research focusses on spatial investments that show a high degree of
intertwinement and complexity, and where arrangements of project and/or process management
are operative. It can be expected that the familiar image of public administration is there most
under pressure. Two cases are selected: the redevelopment of the Rotterdam Central railway
station area and the regional development of Ghent-Terneuzen. The concern is how
institutionalised politics, i.e. the core of representative democracy, initiates a participatory track.
The concern is if citizens and their organisations, including business, use such a track. The
concern is also if private actors initiate a participatory track of their own.
Processes were reconstructed with information from documents and interviews. Those
interviews were semi-structured. Actors in the cases, certainly the interviewees, could comment
upon a reconstruction. Joining the Rotterdam participatory track of ‘meedenken’, research and
consultancy with TNO Inro and consultation within the spatial innovation network Habiforum
were the participatory components of the research. Citizens who joined the ‘meedenken’ track
were sent a questionnaire (see appendix). December 31st 2003 collecting empirical material came
to an end.
Models of democracy
Subquestion 1 is answered in the chapters 3 and 4. In these chapters the historical and
philosophical development of democracy is skimmed. The ideal type model of representative
democracy consists of the procedural notion of a democratic ‘Rechtsstaat’, fleshed out with
guaranteed and passive citizenship. The model is related to modernity, as the Western answer to
the question of legitimate use of power. Characteristics of representative democracy are an
abstract state, centredness and hierarchy, representation by political office holders, influential
political parties, influential bureaucracy and use of legislation. With those, responsibility and trust
are made real by partition. Terms such as ‘position’, ‘jurisdiction’, ‘competence’ and ‘expertise’
indicate checks and balances and an efficient division of labour. There are partitions between
government and citizens, between crown or cabinet and civil service, and between fields of
expertise.
The ideal type model of participatory democracy consists of the real concept of a
republic fleshed out with necessarily active citizenship. The model is related to Antiquity and late
modernity, as the Western answer to the question of legitimate use of power. Characteristics of
participatory democracy are a vital political community, subsidiarity and horizontality, political
participation by citizens and private organisations, influential non-aggregated idealistic and
interest organisations (pressure groups), a vital civil society and use of non-authoritarian policy
instruments. With those, responsibility and trust are made real by connection.
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