Citizens

Abstract

Contemporary democracies are frequently seen as endangered. This chapter begins by reviewing the concerns. It then distinguishes three levels of democracy: the superficial level of votes and elections, a deeper level that requires free and open discussion of issues, and the deepest level at which citizens interact to work through controversial questions. The existence of that deepest level is taken to be critical for the health of democracy. It should be embodied in a particular style of deliberation, one that involves representatives of all those affected by the issue, in which the participants rely on the best available information, and in which the deliberators strive for an outcome acceptable to all. These conditions point toward a form of citizenship, for which young people can and should be trained. The chapter culminates with concrete suggestions about how this type of citizenship might be fostered.