ABSTRACT
Citizen participation in the deliberative process of government is a concept that generates a significant amount of controversy and debate. While the ideal of an active and engaged citizenry is appealing to many, the practice of direct citizen participation is far more troublesome. On one side of the aisle are the advocates of direct participation, who believe citizens should have an active and direct role in the governing process. Creating opportunities for people to be more meaningfully involved with their government is seen as a way to build trust, increase transparency, and better enable the public to hold government accountable for results. On the other side of the aisle are the advocates of indirect participation, who believe the decisions of the state are best left to elected officials and professional administrators. The idea of opening the deliberative process to the public is politically naïve and untenable in the modern bureaucratic state. It is unrealistic to expect people in power to share their power in the name of participation.
