ABSTRACT
In constitutional-democratic politics, citizens and their representatives aim to shape the legal, political, and social institutions they live under by means of a cooperative, deliberative practice. Through this practice, they decide which rules, laws, and principles would be in the legitimate interest of all. This implies a view as to what can count as a good reason in constitutional-democratic politics. Good reasons are those that all adequately informed citizens can—or, in hypothetical constructions; could—accept in light of the ideal of constitutional-democratic consociation. The ideal provides an important background to this definition. Since in constitutional-democratic thought citizens are viewed as free and equal members of society, it is important that all citizens (or, in practice, at least all representatives of citizens) should have a fair chance to participate in the reasoning process at the heart of deliberative, democratic practices.
