Can Democracy Safeguard the Future?Our democracies repeatedly fail to safeguard the future. From pensions to pandemics, health and social care through to climate, biodiversity and emerging technologies, democracies have been unable to deliver robust policies for the long term. In this book, Graham Smith asks why. Exploring the drivers of short-termism, he considers ways of reshaping legislatures and constitutions and proposes strengthening independent offices whose overarching goals do not change at every election. More radically, Smith argues that forms of participatory and deliberative politics offer the most effective democratic response to the current political myopia, as well as a powerful means of protecting the interests of generations to come. |
Contents
Reimagining Established Institutions | 5 |
Bringing in an Independent Voice | |
Deepening Democracy for the Long Term | |
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Common terms and phrases
action agenda argues assemblies Axel Gosseries eds capacity chapter citizens climate change climate emergency commission Commissioner for Future consider constitutional courts constitutional provisions critical David Runciman decision-making decisions deliberation deliberative democracy deliberative polls democratic governance democratic institutions democratic myopia diversity DMPs drivers of democratic economic eduskunta Edward Elgar effective Ekeli elected politicians electoral cycles empowered ensure environmental Erik Olin Wright established example exist future generations Oxford global González-Ricoy and Axel Graham Smith Hungarian Parliamentary Commissioner impact independent bodies Iñigo González-Ricoy Institutions for future interests of future intergenerational justice investment issues Knesset legislative London long-term challenges long-term governance long-term thinking Martin Rees natural disasters OFGs ombudsman organisations Oxford University Press parliament perspectives political parties potential principle promote proposals protect public participation randomly selected realising recognise response safeguard the future Shoham significant social groups sortition strategies suggests Sustainable Development United Kingdom vote vulnerable World Future Council